WP, Robinson: How Low Will Bush Go? Scare Tactics Demean Politics and Voters

[DeepModem Mom]

How Low Will Bush Go?
President's Scare Tactics Demean Politics and Voters
By Eugene Robinson
Friday, November 3, 2006; Page A21

If Democrats manage to take control of one or both houses of Congress on Tuesday, the reason will be that voters were not adequately roused into a state of heart-pounding, knee-knocking, teeth-chattering fear.

Not that Republicans haven't been trying. George W. Bush used to claim he was "a uniter, not a divider," but that was a long time ago. These days, he'd probably try to deny the quote the same way he tried to disown "stay the course." The Karl Rove formula for political victory has been to draw a bright line between "us" and "them" and then paint those on the other side not as opponents but as monsters.

Thus Bush openly accused those who disagree with his policy in Iraq of giving aid and comfort to the enemy. "The Democrat approach in Iraq comes down to this: The terrorists win and America loses," he said the other day.

Call me naive, but I never thought a president of the United States would stoop so low as to accuse current and prospective members of Congress -- a number of whom, by the way, are decorated war veterans, unlike Bush or anyone in his inner circle -- of being pro-terrorist. But this administration has so lowered the bar on political discourse in this country that it's now more of a limbo stick: How low can you go?

I've pointed out in earlier columns the difference between a leader who faces troubled times with a message of bravery and optimism -- Franklin D. Roosevelt's stirring words about the Great Depression, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," constitute perhaps the best example -- and a leader such as Bush who encourages people to be afraid because their fear is advantageous to him politically....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/02/AR2006110201596.html?nav=hcmodule

[Parisle]

1. This gets scarier the more you think about it,.......

---- Bush isn't merely sinking to "lower" political tactics, nor is it entirely for theatrical effect, either. They are laying the groundwork for the future ability to apply that "unlawful enemy combatant" accusation based on the litmus test of agreement with their militaristic policies,.... and the Military Commissions bill will be tested on US citizens.