Monday, September 11, 2006

The Republican Plan For This Fall



It's going to be about two things: First, the fear, and second, the guiding of perceptions about everything. How they plan to do the fear bit is already quite obvious. Remind people of the fear they felt on 9/11, to keep the fear smoldering, then try to look like you're the only thing standing between Americans and total annihilation. Don't remind them that the air freight is still not being screened, though putting a bomb in the freight compartment doesn't even require finding a fanatic willing to die in the attack. Don't remind them that Osama bin missing is still...missing. Don't remind them of all the other people who have been killed in this little Iraq escapade. And so on. See how I can't do this stuff well? I'm supposed to frighten people from the other side, but I go all logical instead. Sigh.

The second part of the plan, about perceptions, is an easy one to see if you know to look for it. For example, first the government report finds that there is no relationship between Saddam Hussein and the Al Qaeda. As if we didn't already know that this has been found many times before. But then, on the very next day, both Dick Cheney and Condie Rice go out to reassert the old lie. Because perception is everything and truth is nothing.

Because perception is everything. That's why we are being spoon-fed Republican talking points without end. Including the "Path to 9/11". Note what the Providence Journal promo of the program says. So innocent, so willing to swallow, with eyes closed, the "truthfulness" of a docudrama designed and possibly even paid for by a group of fundamentalist wingnuts:

While most Americans are aware of al-Qaida's various terrorist attacks, they may not know of the connections between them or our government's response to them. This program shows you, putting everything in perspective, including reconstructed White House meetings on terrorism. The last one we see is one that took place a week before the 9/11 attack, in which President Bush's then-National Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice, reports that the president decided it was time to act against al-Qaida.

Want a lollypop, anyone?