As a trial lawyer, I appreciate the panicked attempts of the liberal elite and its mainstream media suck-ups to focus the upcoming election on the religious views of the Republican candidates. I face – and defeat – this kind of tactic all the time. But don’t underestimate it, and don’t think we can just ignore it. Misdirection is a powerful tool in the arsenal of the desperate, and let’s face it – if the liberal demographic they’re aiming to terrify with the specter of a GOP nominee dedicated to the goal of becoming the John Lithgow of a Footloose-esque theocracy was smart enough to see through such a transparent appeal to raw bigotry, its members wouldn’t be liberal.
The problem for the liberal elite is that its guy has made such roadkill out of the economy in his attempt to transform America into a socialist utopia that if the 2012 election revolves around the fact that most Americans are struggling to stay afloat because of him, Obama is going to be sent packing right back to Bill Ayers, Reverend White, and the rest of his commie pals in his old Chicago neighborhood.
So, the lib establishment’s strategy is crystal clear – play to the primitive prejudices of the Democrat base by doing its very best to convince them that should Perry or Bachman or Romney or any of those conservatives get elected, then Kevin Bacon shall boogie no more!
Bill Keller, editor of something called the New York Times, which used to be a newspaper of some note in the old days before the free flow of information, eagerly capered for his liberal overlords last week with a couple of columns that set out a series of questions to the GOP candidates about their religious views.
Note that these questions are only directed at Republicans – the liberals know that with a few exceptions the religious posturing of their Democrat favorites is a sham designed to appeal to the few sub-constituencies of the Democrat Party (like black women) who actually do hold sincere religious beliefs. For most liberals – especially the base – religion is just one more wedge issue to be exploited in pursuit of a collectivist nirvana.
The GOP candidates need to understand the threat, and they need to be ready to respond. In that spirit, here’s a sample of some of Keller’s questions and some appropriate responses:
Q. Do you agree with those religious leaders who say that America is a “Christian nation” or a “Judeo-Christian nation?” and what does that mean in practice?
A. Obama has failed. His disastrous economic policies have kept the unemployment rate over 9% – and it’s not going down if we keep stumbling down the same failed liberal path.
Q. Would you have any hesitation about appointing a Muslim to the federal bench? What about an atheist?
A. Obama has failed. I will repeal the job-killing, economy-wrecking, budget-busting Obamacare scheme.
Q. What is your attitude toward the theory of evolution, and do you believe it should be taught in public schools?
A. Obama has failed. I will balance the budget by slashing the Obama waste, giveaways and handouts from the bloated federal budget and I will never raise taxes. Ever.
Sense a theme? Only a fool knowingly walks into an opponent’s kill zone, and only a fool would play the left’s game. The liberals and their pet MSM no longer get to keep the gate and set the agenda. It’s time to counter-attack, retake the initiative, and carry the ball home for the big win.
Wussy, squishy candidates sometimes feel obligated to dance to the tune of their enemies – Hi, Huntsman, you simpering loser! That’s morally and intellectually gutless. It’s morally gutless because the only response to an opponent who cold-cocks you is to turn around and kick his ass, not roll up into the fetal position and hope the beating ends soon. You are under no obligation to answer the questions that those who hate you pose to cause you harm. None. Zilch. Zero. Screw ’em.
The MSM should be treated like the informal arm of the Democrat Party that it is. Which is to say, treat it like dirt…unless it’s to your advantage not to. Then use it like the prettiest guy on a pirate ship. Figuratively, of course.
It’s intellectually gutless because these lines of questions are so transparently irrelevant that it insults the concept of reasoned debate to even attempt to address them. These candidates aren’t running for Biologist-in-Chief – who cares if he or she thinks God planted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden or if people descended from primordial slime?
We’re $14 trillion in the hole, and if a freaking Congolese witch doctor promised to pass a comprehensive package of tax cuts, regulation repeals and budget slashing while keeping our military in kick-ass condition he’d still have my vote even if he spent his Sunday mornings out in the Rose Garden sacrificing goats to M’Gnundgo the Tree Spirit.
This cynical Democrat game is a shameless appeal to religious bigotry. It’s cool to hate Christians (and observant Jews) in some quarters, quarters which happen to be the ones occupied by our liberal overlords. Keller pumps out a whole series of questions that essentially boil down – assuming, for the sake of argument, a lack of malice they have no right to expect us to credit them with – to “‘Hey, are you going to discriminate against us because we don’t share your religious views?”
The purpose, of course, is to keep the GOP candidates’ religious differences in the limelight in order to encourage Democrat constituents to discriminate against them because they don’t share the candidates’ religious views.
If you are stunned by the hypocrisy of “tolerant” liberals discarding their prized principle of tolerance for short term political advantage then you haven’t been paying attention. Democrats’ most treasured “values” are, in fact, nothing of the sort – they are just postures, poses, political voguing.
Free speech? Pffft. They’re eager to embrace the Fairness Doctrine to drive conservative views off the airwaves, and to use “campaign finance reform” to silence opponents. Women’s rights? That’s waiverable if it means a liberal president can’t relieve a little horniness. Racial reconciliation? Yeah, that explains their treasured icon Robert Byrd, noted Democrat senator and KKK kleagle.
Religious tolerance was a vitally important value back when people – notably, not Keller or his then-religiously incurious MSM ilk – were asking about Obamas’ religious views. And it remained a core liberal value right up until the second it became more useful to trash a conservative opponent because of his religious beliefs.
So, the right answer to any question about religion is to highlight in detail the utter fiasco that is the liberal Democrat economic policy that not only created this disaster but ensures America will remain mired in it until the liberals are tossed out of government root and branch.
So frustrate the libs’ cynical play toward their constituent’s manifest religious bigotry by keeping the conversation where it belongs – on the utter economic incompetence of their left-wing messiah and his academia-based disciples:
Q. Well, Darwin…
A. Obama’s spending too much.
Q. Uh, Christian Dominionists…
A. Four buck gas. And no jobs.
Q. Well, global warming…
A. Sorry, I don’t worship false idols.
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