Calling Out the
Political Bullies
By Frank
Salvato
In the wake of the
disgraceful yet defining full-page MoveOn.org ad in the New York Times,
the one that denigrated Gen. Petraeus, we stand witness to the benchmark in
today’s political tactical maneuvering, the Bully Tactic. Increasingly,
political operatives and zealots alike are turning to the coercive tactic of
bullying those who aren’t on-board with their candidates or agendas. This
benchmark signals some of the darkest days in American politics.
Organizations like
MoveOn.org have employed the Bully Tactic quite effectively. By utilizing
deep-pocketed, agenda-driven benefactors and exploiting small donor advocates to
advance their special interest causes, especially through the mainstream media,
MoveOn.org has achieved it goal of placing their special interest demands above
the will of the majority in our nation. By creating the illusion that they know
what the “America people” believe they, in many cases, succeed in swaying public
opinion using less than accurate information and propaganda.
But MoveOn.org
isn’t the only organization that employs the Bully Tactic.
CAIR and the ACLU
have successfully employed the Bully Tactic, using it as a tool in
litigation.
There doesn’t seem
to be a week that goes by when we don’t hear about the ACLU suing one city or
another over the Establishment Clause. Recently, the ACLU won a decision in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
that would mandate the removal of a memorial cross from a World War I Veteran’s
Memorial in California’s Mojave Dessert. The fact that they recoup court costs
and legal fees each time they successfully sue an organization, municipality,
state or the federal government means that they make the taxpayers, you and I,
pay for litigation that the overwhelming majority of us would never want
advanced in the first place.
CAIR has taken to
the practice of “Litigation Jihad” as their favorite form of Bully Tactic. From
suing airlines for removing indignant radical Muslim clerics for taunting the
other passengers to threatening to sue Robert Spencer, director of JihadWatch and a noted
authority on the subject of radical Islam, each and every time he speaks on his
chosen topic of expertise – thus depriving him of being able to make a living –
CAIR employs the Bully Tactic ferociously in spite of the fact that their
membership has dropped to less than 2000 members since September 11, 2001. The
deep pockets of the Saudis make sure that CAIR can financially outlast anyone
they choose to sue.
But the Bully
Tactic isn’t exclusive to the radical Left or the Radically Islamic.
Recently, a noted
new media writer, JB Williams, had to pull down the on-line poll on his website. The
poll asked, “Which GOP candidate do you support for president of the United
States?” After a short period he came to realize that US Rep. Ron Paul
supporters had spammed his poll thus making what should have been an “on your
honor” poll worthless. The same thing happened to a candidate poll that I had up
at my publication, The New Media Journal. When ardent Paul supporters were
confronted with this embarrassing reality (you know, most webmasters know how to
see if someone is spamming an on-line poll or not) they opted not to acknowledge
that they were being overzealous in their support for a candidate which they
have been supporting election cycle after election cycle. Instead they launched
into attack mode claiming censorship and bias, demanding that their candidate be
included.
I don’t know about
Mr. Williams, but I don’t react well to demands by people who should be asking
kindly for their position to be considered. I will not bow to bullying from any
political group, in this instance Libertarians masquerading as Republicans.
Sadly, in this instance, an ideologically honest man – whether you agree with
Paul’s platform or not – has become tainted by an over-zealous support group.
With each passing instance of bullying by his supporters, his chances of being
considered a serious candidate erode.
Which brings me to
the Republican Party. They too are guilty.
I can’t tell you
how many times the Republican National Committee and the Republican Senatorial
Committee have called me to brow-beat me for a donation. These calls really
can’t be considered unsolicited as I was very active with the Republican
Presidential Task Force, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the
RNC during the last two election cycles. That said, I have always considered
myself a good foot soldier.
But as soon as this
presidential cycle started the GOP telemarketers started to call. They hadn’t
done any homework to find out who was on the list, they just called and started
reading from the script.
“Hello Mr....ah,
Salvato? This is Julie with the Republican National Committee. You know Hillary
Clinton is running for president...”
Yeah, I think I
know that. I know that because I am a precinct committeeman here in my township.
I know that because I have supported with the Republican Presidential Task
Force, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the RNC for over ten
years. I know that because I write about it on an almost weekly basis.
“Um, Mr....ah,
Salvato, may I call you Frank?”
No.
“Um,
Mr....Salvato, could you please make a $250 dollar contribution today. You know
that Hillary Clinton is running for president and her Socialist healthcare
stance is...”
Actually, I can’t
afford to make a donation today. Thank you for calling.
“Um,
Mr....Salvato, if you could just see your way clear to making a $150 donation
today, it would really help because, you know, Hillary Clinton is running for
president and she hates our military and...”
I believe I said
no. I can’t afford it right now. When the election gets closer I will consider
making a donation. I do my part by knocking on doors and informing my precinct
and writing commentary on the issues surrounding our political environment so.
No, today I can’t but I’m doing my part so, Thanks for calling.
“But, Um,
Mr....Salvato, can I call you Frank?...Hillary Clinton is running for president
and she and Michael Vick eat little baby puppies. Your $50 donation today will
keep Hillary away from those precious little puppies...”
It’s usually at
about this point when I lose my temper.
The Bully Tactic of
unmercifully squeezing every last penny out of not only rank and file
Republicans and Conservatives but of organizational foot soldiers is the most
irritating Bully Tactic of them all. Not only is it irritating, the gratitude
for what is done is non-existent. Our thanks is a GOP leadership
that refuses to secure the borders when we demand they do and being called “the
loud people” by those we helped to elect.
Here’s a thought,
perhaps if those same telemarketers were trained on how to explain the issues,
on how to advance the knowledge of those they call about the issues, perhaps if
they offered a bit of information that would advance the platform or help those
they call better understand why voting Conservative is the better choice, maybe
then they would be doing the good ideological work of helping to elect
Republican and Conservative candidates.
By utilizing the
Bully Tactic in campaign fundraising, the GOP – in all its organizations –shows
a lack of respect for those that have loyally supported their efforts in the
past. In protest, I will only be donating politically to my local candidates
this election cycle.
Perhaps campaign
finance should be restructured so that national committees have to raises their
money from the candidates and not the voters. They could require that every
elected party member contribute a percentage of their campaign finances to the
committee and that would serve as the funding for less than fiscally solvent
candidates around the country.
If nothing else,
this would keep me from having to know that Hillary hates puppies.
Related Reading:
American Legion Blasts 9th Circuit's Cross Ban
http://www.earnedmedia.org/al0910.htm
Robert Spencer
http://www.jihadwatch.org/spencer/
We
the People: The Buck Stops Here!
http://www.newmediajournal.us/staff/williams/09062007.htm
