Salon: Scandal Fatigue, Catnip, and the 'Angry' Left

[Unmarked Poster]

From Salon's Daou Report - also posted on Huffington Post:

http://daoureport.salon.com/synopsis.aspx?synopsisId=e3466497-752a-490e-aff4-f2e0b3bc7765

"A few months ago, Steve Benen, Carpetbagger and DR guest-poster, wrote a fascinating blog entry that chronicled a series of Bush-related scandals .... all of which had occurred in the space of a week. In that regard, glance around this site today. You'll find an over-abundance of stories that undermine the credibility and integrity of our current administration and of the party in power. This coincides with a recent wave of references to the "angry" left, as though anger at the apathy of the media, the political establishment and much of the public in the face of this cavalcade of scandals is somehow in bad taste.

<snip>

Bush's political opponents are unwitting partners in a macabre dance with this administration, where the U.S. Constitution dies a slow death as hundreds of egregious stories like those listed above are chased and flagged and highlighted by a relatively small segment of the population, only to fade weeks later, and while the political leaders who ought to be putting a stop to the madness are frozen in focus-grouped fear. To top it off, rank and file supporters of the powers that be, happy frogs in a pot of slow-boiling water, smile gleefully at the opposition’s alarm.

This half-decade tsunami of scandals has had the intended effect: overload the senses, short circuit the outrage, dizzy the opposition. How many times have Bush's opponents simply thrown their hands up in disgust, overwhelmed by the enormity of the administration's over-reach? How many times have bloggers railed against reporters for going about the business of burying scandals and muddying waters? How many times have Americans watched in amazement as a missing girl in Aruba receives weeks of blanket coverage while lies that led to war and law-breaking at the highest levels of government get a yawn from the media?"

[chelsea0011]

1. This past week a day hasn't gone by without one huge

scandal after another. One would think that the media would be piling it on at this point but not so. Stories get a mention at best. So Cheney may have ordered classified material be released? This should be a wall to wall story with impeachment overtones. But it doesn't reach to the point of outrage that it warrants.

[emulatorloo]

2. great piece - one more snip --

<snip>

The amazing thing is that so many of Bush's opponents continue to play along. The sheer inability to put on blinders and drive one scandal home, to take it to its ultimate conclusion, is a failing of magnificent proportions. The warrantless spying fiasco is a perfect example. The day the NSA story broke, it should have been the only issue discussed by Democrats and progressive activists, the only one. Day in, day out. No matter if thirty other scandals intervened.

<snip>

[glitch]

3. We are not angry. We are FUCKING LIVID.

got that from another DUer, whose name is now sadly forgotten.

[Unmarked Poster]

4. I hear you

:)

[glitch]

6. Welcome to DU unmarked poster! nt

[MrPrax]

5. Ah come on...

Precisely what is the 'Left/Public' suppose to do that they are not already doing in spades...

The problems at this point with the Bush Admin. and it's so-called 'death of a thousand cuts' strategy is NOT the public, but the absolute refusal of the elected branches of government to fail to uphold the duty of their public offices.

Forget all the other positions on say Iraq and just look at the simple question: "where did all the money for reconstruction go?" That and that alone should MAKE elected representatives, regardless of their party, demand answers or roll out indictments. period. What's the public suppose to do that they are not already doing, short of taking up arms?

That's endgame...

The media is irrelevent at this point inasmuch as it is merely an electoral tool for free GOP propaganda.

The Media game IS either whipping up the masses for imperialist adventurism or 'dizzy the opposition' to accept power--politicians are suppose to look beyond obvious 'astro-turfing' and 'spin' and render judgement on the materials provided to them.

Apparantly the fellow here seems to think the elected officials of ALL parties don't have enough input.

To keep demanding that people STILL get behind loading the offices of elected officials with faxes and lobby groups is a 'grift.

The focus MUST be kept on the politicians and their positions or lack thereof...NOT in keep telling them shit they already KNOW.

[donkeyotay]

7. Best defense is a good offense. Crank up the Wurlitzer

and play the blame the Left stories. Are the DEMS going too far? Why can't the DEMS capitalize? Should this or that DEM apologize? Are the DEMS soft on terror? Why don't the DEMS know how to end the war?

That kind of shit. Look, since the DEMS don't control the House, Senate, WH, courts or the media, why not ask the people actually running things about their policies? Eh?

What are the ratbastard repo's going to do about their catastrophically failed policies? Are the ratbastard repo's going to hold their president accountable to the law and Constitution? Are the repo's going to hold the likes of Delay accountable? Are the repos going to look into bribery and blackmail, GOP donors writing legislation... all they have done to trash our country in a way that we might not ever get back what we had. GOP Accountability anyone?

[MrPrax]

8. Exactly...

These are dangerous times and the respectability of 'elected' democrats or whether or not, they vote correctly is kinda irrelevent at point.

You got it...the first paragraph you wrote, I would have disagreed with 3 years ago...but nope, your're right. Issues are in play that def. threaten the Republic and the tone of debate should be raised a lot higher...

I hate to say it...but people who are really concerned about this should be looking beyond whatever the DNC or the DLC think should be the best 'optics'.

Take an innocuous issue like SS--shit either they played it or they're incompetent idiots. You don't need much spin these days.