Sane Progressive on 'Republican Troll' Narrative to Squash Legitimate Political Debate
Published on Aug 20, 2015
The Hillary Clinton campaign and supporters have issued a remarkably anti-democratic talking point that has taken hold across social media sites. They are purporting any critique or criticism of Clinton's record is bashing and divisive. Additionally, it asserts that those are challenging her record on the merit are not progressives or Democrats, at all. We are smeared as undercover Republican Troll Political operatives who are being sent out to divide the party. This is not only false, it is insulting to those of us who believe that a MANDATORY part of the primary process is investigating candidates and sharing relevant information with fellow liberals. The fact that her record reads as a betrayal to liberal values and policies, so much so that it reads as a smear, is not the fault of the messenger who point it out but of the politician who enacted those betrayals. This is typical smear/kill the messenger to silence legitimate debate. It has no place in a democratic process. It is manipulative. Hell, it is downright Orwellian. And, in a time when Social Media is the last outlet citizens have to counter the falsehoods of the corporately owned television, radio, and news publications, it can't be allowed to stand.
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Any of this sound familiar?