Don't You Smell a Rat?

How Republicans deftly shift our focus.
by Kathleen Reardon

While the Democrats are finding themselves, debating whether they should have a set of grand ideas guiding specifics on issues as opposed to philosophical imprimaturs that Bill Kristol advises are too complex for the American people, Republican strategists are contriving prototype, sinister shifts of focus and flying them as trial balloons for the November elections.

Their strategy is again one of deflecting attention.

The issue of illegal immigration, though significant, has gotten to the point it's at because of Republican leadership. Business needed these workers and Republicans needed business. But now more important than cheap workers, especially for those who have gotten their millions and billions already, is retention of the political status quo. To keep the Republicans in office, to keep them from losing their lobbying jobs, perks and power the focus must shift to a common enemy as far away from Washington as possible. In short, it's imperative for the Republicans to focus on the criminals coming over the boarder to deflect attention away from the criminals running the country.

It's a simple persuasion strategy, really. Strategic shifts of focus of the clandestine variety worked in the last presidential election and could well work again. Democrats are big issue thinkers, we're told, and, as we know, fractured. Many current Republican leaders are collaborative, covert fear mongers. They work behind the scenes. If they can get immigrants into the streets irritatingly insisting upon rights near the November election, (recently a rather successful trial balloon), the burden of defending the party will lighten. Focus will once again be diverted to "scary" people. The irony here is that immigrants have been pouring over the borders for a very long time with all but a welcome mat from the Republicans. For security reasons alone, that should have stopped on 9/11. But it didn't.

While the Democrats find themselves, and I hope they do, and while they secretly drink champagne in anticipation of big wins in November, they'd better become a lot more effective at deciphering not so subliminal strategy. The November election could be like a rigged wheel of fortune primed with the issues Republicans want voters to fear.

Democrats are deluding themselves about November. Just watch. Their adversaries are masters at manipulating focus. If the illegal immigrants aren't sufficient, they'll think of something. The potential for another war, the fact that we're not even friendly with most of the world or respected, the growth of potential, competing superpowers, our inability to deal with disasters and obvious disinterest in responding to the needs of vulnerable Americans, and debt we're ignoring because supposedly "times are good," will pale by comparison.

Yep, I smell a rat for sure - and he just might be an "architect".