citixen jello5929 December 03 · 04:42:55 PM

The only realistic alternative that could do the job, and ramp up fairly quickly, is one that might seem a bit distasteful when compared to the past, but what’s the alternative? The Dem party needs a more deliberate and active messaging apparatus. To put it bluntly (and a bit crassly), the Democrats hopefully will understand they need to leverage the ‘theater’ of the moment that is coming. The contrast that will make between voices of reason vs voices of dementia will be obvious to a national audience. But more to the point, the House Democrats need to understand that, more than just an investigation, this is a critical teaching moment. They have, or could create, a kind of Congressional bully pulpit—by day given over to the public hearings of various committees and testimony, by evening on the CSPAN cameras giving BookTV-style history and civics lectures. The House schedule could be surrounded by a production (to the extent possible) of interviews, commentaries, speeches, etc, by the members themselves. They need to orchestrate this mother. The Senate would likely respond in kind to counteract the House message in some manner, and there would be a volley — perhaps going on for months?—of ‘alternative information’, alternative from any of the privately-owned media networks, direct from the floor of the House and Senate chambers by the representatives themselves, teaching some civics lessons, challenging each side’s understanding of the law, and what self-governance requires if it is to be sustained.

I’m willing to bet the Republicans have far fewer reasonable, or capable voices to meet those of the Democrats, who would be lining up at the microphones to bring a passion into calls for waking up to the responsibility required for good governance. The GOP arguments are guaranteed to be old, circular, and simplistic; their conclusions self-serving. [We already know (because its being reported) that despite the mid-term ‘shellacking’, the GOP has no plans to change message]

Democrats, as a group, know why they entered public service, and it isn’t to handicap our public institutions. Dems have a better command of language and history, and a national audience with eyes open wide and listening closely to ‘the nightmare’ we’re about to enter, as Charles Blow is talking about, unfolding during an era of Democratic-controlled House and series of public investigations. I think there’s a unique messaging (and branding) opportunity that could be leveraged almost for free, beginning with CSPAN and continuing with social media on a daily basis, if the Democrats are willing to use the tools. Show America what the majority sounds and looks like. Show them who gives a shit about government and what its purpose is and why that’s important. Now more than ever.

I believe lots of Americans need to be reminded that there is no Virtue in ‘my country (or president) right or wrong’. And there are a million ways to bring that message.