comments_image -

Top 10 lessons learned from the Alito fight

Always be prepared.
February 2, 2006  |  
 
Advertisement
 

1. There is no organization on the left side of the political spectrum. None. If the Democratic politicians, the old established DC groups and the liberal media (blogs and radio shows) don't come together, they will continue to lose every single fight.

2. The reason they will lose every fight is because every issue is settled the minute it is framed. The framing happens immediately on the Republican side. The White House and Fox News Channel coordinate (as they are on the NSA warrantless spying scandal right now). Then every other conservative host, "journalist," and commentator follows suit. Once the frame is set, it's game set and match. The Republican frame in Alito was that he was a well-qualified, mainstream, devoted and hard working judge who would interpret the law and not make it. The Democratic frame was ??? Nada. Zippo. No response whatsoever.

3. Once the Republican framing goes unchallenged, the media repeats it as if it is fact. If you do not counter attack in the media, you have no chance in persuading the public. Do the Democrats think the voters are going to get their point of view by telepathy?

4. The easy next step is to do a poll (sometimes by completely biased polling groups like Rasmussen and sometimes by legit polling organizations). The poll will show that the public supports the Republican position by a slight majority. It's amazing that it is only a slight lead on most issues when the other side hasn't even presented its case (and often times the Democratic position will win despite all these problems). Could you imagine if there were trials where only one of the lawyers spoke? Which side do you think would win more often?

5. Then comes my favorite step. Shove the poll in the Democrats face and tell them that they have no hope of winning and that the public is against them. Even more importantly, that they will lose their elections if they don't run to the "center" by supporting the Republican position instead. They will claim that the poll is definitive evidence that the public does not support their position so they better get on board with the Republicans otherwise they'll do to them what they did to Tom Daschle.

6. Then the most pathetic part comes...

Cenk Uygur is co-host of The Young Turks, the first liberal radio show to air nationwide.
submit to reddit

-
Email
Print
Share
LIKED THIS ARTICLE? JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST
Stay up to date with the latest AlterNet headlines via email
Advertisement
Most Read
Most Emailed
Most Discussed
On REDDIT
On DIGG
 
loading most read content ..
Advertisement
Prohibition, 2012: Senate Bans Fake Pot, 'Bath Salts', 2C-E in Amendment Added to FDA Safety and Innovation Act

By Kristen Gwynne | AlterNet

 
 
Appalachian Women Lead Dramatic Protest Against Mountaintop Removal: Interview With Marilyn Mullens

By Jeff Biggers | AlterNet

 
 
Amazon Communities Develop Innovative Water Solutions After Environmental Devastation

By Tara Lohan | AlterNet

 
 
Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker Calls Drug War a "Nightmare," Tweets About Racist Incarceration

By Kristen Gwynne | AlterNet

 
 
Breaking: Obama Campaign Stop at Factory Farm Propaganda Site, Billed as "Grassroots Event"

By Dave Murphy | AlterNet

 
 
Amazon.com Becomes 16th Corporation to Dump ALEC

By Rebekah Wilce | PR Watch

 
 
DNC Finally Helps Scott Walker Opponent Raise Money for Recall Election

By Lauren Kelley | AlterNet

 
 
OWS Librarians Sue Mayor Bloomberg, NYPD, and City of New York Over November 15 Middle-of-the-Night Raid

By Lauren Kelley | AlterNet

 
 
LA Becomes Nation's Largest City to Ban Plastic Bags; Also Requiring Fee for Paper Bags

By Lauren Kelley | AlterNet

 
 
Wall Street to Obama Campaign: 'You Hurt Our Feelings!'

By Adele M. Stan | AlterNet

 
 
 
 
 
loading ...
POWERED BY DIGG'S USERS
 
[ page served from web 1 ]