Reply #47: oh yeah baby, break out the RIP bomb

[babzilla]

interesting that you interpret this as a losing strategy since that is the very thing that has allowed the right-wing to gain a foothold.

From school board elections to the Starr investigation, they seem to have learned a thing or two from this "New Politics" movement.

More about the McGovern-Frazier Commission here:
http://www.wwnorton.com/lowi6/instructors/resource/Lecture%207.htm

"To engage this strategy, the New Politics movement created a political weapon that has influenced our politics and society more than most military weapons have over the past twenty years. That weapon works in three stages, and can be called the RIP Bomb. The R-I-P stands for Revelation, Investigation, and Prosecution. Revelation refers to the use of the media for revealing errors, wrongdoing, and mismanagements in governmental projects. Investigation refers to launching congressional investigations—in particular Senate hearings—to inquire into the revelations made by the media. Finally, prosecution refers to pursuing the wrongdoers through judicial action. This prosecutorial phase was institutionalized during the mid-1970s with the creation of the Office of the Special Counsel. The Special Counsel is an investigatory lawyer appointed by the courts at the request of the attorney general when wrongdoing has been disclosed and a highly skilled and thorough investigation is needed by the Senate.

This RIP weapon was first used against Richard Nixon. Nixon had resoundingly defeated McGovern in 1972 and seemed solidly in power until Watergate raised its ugly head. Without apologizing for Nixon, it is important to understand the attack on Nixon in institutional terms. Forces opposed to Nixon—in particular, the New Politics movement—found a weapon to use against him. His wrongdoings were disclosed by the media, he was investigated by the Congress, and finally, judicial proceedings were begun that ultimately forced his resignation—for if he had refused to resign, he would almost certainly have been impeached.