The Veiled Chameleon: June 2004: Rubbing Salt in the Political Wounds

Rubbing Salt in the Political Wounds

Comedy Central has made a few Bush jokes as of late and I've discovered something: I have completely lost my sense of humor when it comes to Bush jokes. It's gone. Nothing there. Zip. Zilch. Zero.

I suppose that in the general case it's okay, positive even, to laugh at minor imperfections and foibles, but a minority of people have created a political climate such that there's a mean spiritedness to it. By and large, Bush jokes have become Bush bashing, rather than good natured ribbing and general fun. At that point, even the good natured ribbing takes on impolite overtones.

I can't help but notice that many Democrats are actually using over the top Bush bashing as a strategy. They are loudly rubbing salt into the wounds of those who oppose Bush's policies; take, for example, Gore's rant of a couple of weeks ago as a recent high profile example. These Democrats are deliberately trying, and trying very hard, to create a climate of "There is something wrong in America", or at least create that impression in the minds are hearts of the voters. Their hope, it seems to me, is that by creating a strong impression in the media that there is tremendous, even overwhelming, dissatisfaction in America, that America will be inclined to vote for change...of presidents.

I'm not convinced that'll happen, but it might.

People keep saying that the next election will be a very close race. I just don't get that feeling. I get the distinct impression that it's going to be a lopsided vote, perhaps even a landslide, but who it will favor is not exactly clear. I do think that the Democratic exacerbating of tensions will play a major part in whatever the result is. That strategy has just as much of a chance of backfiring on the Democrats, as a large portion of the voters will see the root cause of the dissatisfaction as being the Democrats' own stirring of the pot; they are likely to attribute whatever dissatisfaction that they feel with the Democrats' relentless overbearing complaining and posturing, rather than with what the Democrats complain about.

We shall see.