Advantage Left

I don't remember ever discussing politics with someone who supported BushCo, though I have had someone shout at me: "Why do you supporting Saddam Hussein?" while I was protesting the war in front of our Post Office. So, he no doubt was a supporter. Whenever I see someone who has had the good fortune to meet a member of this increasingly rare breed in the flesh, I can't help but imagine myself in that position too. One of the things that came to my mind was that these types have both a disadvantage and an advantage over those of us like us.

The disadvantage is that their policies are actually unattractive to the majority of citizens i.e. if voters actually knew what was in store for them they wouldn't vote for the Right. However, the advantage is that they don't feel constrained to tell the truth about these policies. So, simply lying to, confusing, distracting or frightening voters often succeeds in getting them elected. I think that it would be rather effective to say, when confronted with one of those over-simplified bogus assertions they tend to make, something like: "My opponent has an unfair advantage: he can make things up and claim them as facts without worrying about accuracy, logical consistency or even coherence. Whereas I have to try to remember the facts correctly, explain their subtleties (dare I say: nuances) and be fair in my presentation".

I wouldn't lie even to win. It's something my Mum taught me -- something about self-respect. While some might think that that's a disadvantage, I think that it's actually easier when I'm telling the truth. I do a better job and I feel (and sleep) a whole lot better... win or lose.

I read something in the Lincoln, Nebraska Journal Star tonight that reminded me of this. Some poor Republican made the mistake of telling the truth. The New Nebraska Network observed:

When Eschliman talks about substantially cutting funds for public parks, libraries, and swimming pools, she's just being honest about the Republican party's priorities. It just so happens that when Republicans are honest about these things, they reveal themselves as completely out-of-touch with mainstream voters and their values.

Sure, people like to complain about paying taxes, but not to the degree that they're willing to give up those things that so enrich our quality of life and give our communities character. Eschliman and her like may prefer to see that money returned to citizens for investment in real estate and the stock market, but real people accept and embrace these limited trade-offs of their private gain for the public good .... a concept the true Republican ideologue simply can't grasp.

[...]

Of course, Eschliman now claims this letter was mistakenly released to the public. It was a mistake to be up-front and honest about the Republicans' true agenda for the city of Lincoln and for government in general. With her party hungrily eying Lincoln's mayoral race in spring 2007, don't expect them to be so honest again.