The Republican Tragedy Strategy
This is the Republican Tragedy Strategy that Republicans use, most recently in the shooting at the congressional charity baseball game in which Steve Scalise was wounded.
1. Tragedy happens in which Republicans or the right are the victim, or at least they claim they are the only victim.
2. Republicans insinuate that the vile act might have been perpetrated by a progressive/liberal or person who is
part of a group that is part of the progressive/liberal coalition, or at least is perceived.
3. They nonetheless "invite" progressives/liberals and/or democrats in for a Kumbaya moment in which it is announced that we are not really Republicans and Democrats, but we are all Americans and that we are all in this together. Or as Paul Ryan said, "An attack against one of us is an attack on us all."
4. They wait for Democrats to genuinely fall in for it.
5. They wait while the media runs stories of how all members of congress, even those that refused to do their work
during the last few congressional sessions, are mostly or all really hard working, good Americans who are in office to serve America and to make life better for their fellow citizens. Certain congressman tell heartwarming stories of
their good relationships with their fellow congressmen from across the aisle.
6. Meanwhile, right wing talk radio does it job, further mining the accusations in the minds of their listeners.
7. The Republicans then use the moment where Democrats thought that we were all supposed to be ultra-civil, and that perhaps, a new more respectful political climate had developed in Washington and the Country, to stab Democrats, Liberals and Progressives fully in the back by blaming them for the tragedy in the first place. Usually this is done by one or two Republicans, blurting it out. Sometimes he or she kind of sort of says that they are sorry and that they said it in the heat of the moment. We are all supposed to understand. In this day and age, maybe Trump will get his word in too.
8. If anybody doesn't understand, say Nancy Pelosi, and dares to say that such accusations are inappropriate, Republicans rush to accuse that person, meaning the Democrat, of shrill partisanship, and of course, of politicizing the moment in a way that is dishonorable for a Congressperson to act. And, of course, in a way that Republicans never stoop to. They may attempt to summon up memories of Ronald Reagan.
= new reply since forum marked as read
