“Channel your fury.” That was the subject line of one of the hundred-plus Democratic fundraising emails in my inbox on Sunday. Was it from MoveOn? Nope. From Bernie Sanders 2020? Nope again. It was from the Democratic Governors Association.
And that’s why Republicans are making such a big deal about Democrats being angry, or one of the reasons anyway. Sure, they want to use the “Democrat angry mob” attack to rally their base by conflating the Democratic Party with their usual grab bag of scary people, the immigrants and gangs and just about any people of color — you know, the usual suspects in the Republican “Be very afraid, they’re coming to get you!” campaign. But as important, they don’t want Democrats to use anger to rally their base. The DGA email says Democrats have to “channel all our fury into fighting as hard as we can for the next 23 days until Election Day,” so Dems will vote in large enough numbers, they’ll win close races. Republicans expect that kind of talk from lefties like MoveOn and Bernie Sanders. But when it comes from the usually staid, measured Democratic Governors Association, that’s scary.
Anger and vitriol are supposed to be exclusive Republican weapons used to pummel Democrats into submission, according to Republicans anyway. They know anger works. It gets voters’ adrenalin pumping. It’s especially effective when Democrats respond as they have historically, with measured tones, using logic to explain why Republican anger isn’t justified.
“See?” the aggressors crow after a weak Democratic response. “Republicans are strong, we know how to fight! Democrats are wusses.”
When Democrats get mad, they’re out of control, hysterical, even dangerous, according to Republicans anyway. When Republicans get mad — again, according to Republicans — it’s justifiable outrage, righteous indignation from the patriotic, moral Republican party against the unpatriotic, immoral Democratic Party. That’s why Mitch McConnell can rage at Democrats on the floor of the Senate for their angry “partisan attacks” on Brett Kavanaugh, and that’s OK. That’s why Orrin Hatch and Lindsey Graham can scream during the Kavanaugh hearings, railing against Democrats’ anger. They’re fire-and-brimstone preachers exhorting fellow Republicans from their senatorial pulpits. Democrats are sin incarnate. “We rebuke and cast out the demon Democrats in the name of the Lord Republican Party!” God is on their side.
Kavanaugh wasn’t standing in the pulpit when he unleashed his angry, tear-choked tirade against Democrats in his opening statement following Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony. He was the wrongly accused victim whose anger was justified by Democrats’ unjustified anger, which sprung, according to Kavanaugh, from Democrats’ “apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election . . . [and] revenge on behalf of the Clintons.”
Somehow, Republicans angrily denouncing Democrats’ anger isn’t hypocritical, according to Republicans anyway. And they know it works. Republican politicians were cheering in front of their televisions watching Kavanaugh hurl accusations at Democrats. They cheered even more when Trump attacked Blasey Ford at a campaign stop. They knew the anger and derision are what put Kavanaugh’s nomination over the top.
Republicans are used to controlling Democrats by criticizing them. Historically, Democrats cave under pressure, for fear they’ll be criticized again. (When Republicans are criticized, they double down and turn up the volume.) So it’s reasonable to assume Chuck Schumer will lead the cave-in once more, resuming the cautious, muted tones Democrats have used in the past. But when the Democratic Governors Association tells people to own their anger, to “channel your fury,” maybe this is one time Democrats aren’t planning to buckle. Maybe.
A Trump-isn’t-really-angry-except-when… note: Trump yells a lot when he’s out on the stump, but he isn’t really angry, and Republicans know it. He’s putting on a performance. He’s a standup political satirist taking his show on the road, playing to rabid, adoring crowds. His audience loves him the way audiences love, say, Chris Rock. Trump knows how to use exaggeration and hyperbole to maximum effect. He’s a gifted storyteller with a great sense of timing. He updates his material to keep up with today’s headlines — or, in his case, to become tomorrow’s headlines. That’s why people line up to see him everywhere he goes.
During the campaign, when Trump yelled “Get him out of here!” at protesters, did anyone think he was really angry? He was having fun, and so was his audience, though their “fun” came from being able to act out their anger knowing they had safety in numbers. They were a bunch of guys driving around at night looking for someone to beat up. Trump was the driver who gets more fun out of being the leader than the beatings. Occasionally he’d look at his audience, wink and say, “We have a lot of fun here, right?” He never doubted what he was doing for an instant.
Trump’s audiences love his act, and they know their part. They wait expectantly for the moment they get to shout those three syllable cries which are regular features of the rallies: “Build the wall!” “Lock her up!” “U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!” It’s all part of the fun.
The only time Trump gets genuinely angry is when he’s under attack. Then it’s for real, he’s not kidding around. He retaliates viciously against his opponent until his victim is eviscerated, then he fist pumps and preens for his audience like a boxer who just delivered a knockout punch.
This article appears in Oct 11-17, 2018.
Y’know, I can always tell a David Safier piece just from the headline. And like so many, this one is filled with BS. Yep, Trump may talk big, scary talk, but excuse me, it’s not the Republicans smashing windows in Berkekley. It’s not Republicans running people out of restaurants. It’s not Republicans blocking streets in Portland. It’s not Republicans screaming and clawing at the doors of the Supreme Court. And it wasn’t a Republican taking pot shots at a Congressional (Republican) baseball team. So quit the crap, David. I haven’t heard one Democrat admonish “the mobs” for their outrageous actions. That, in itself, is outrageous.
“Republicans are used to controlling Democrats by criticizing them. Historically, Democrats cave under pressure, for fear they’ll be criticized again. ”
Really, what planet do you live on? Talk about fake news. You really ought to be ashamed. But the Left doesn’t understand shame, does it?
I was thinking exactly the same thing. Thank you wasateacher, well said. The new democratic platform is based on lying to themselves.
The Great Social Reformer: Political Consequences
Jesus Christ was a Social Reformer. He recognized the Inherent Diversity in Human Society and advised others to accept/respect this diversity; Love your Neighbor as yourself by helping others when assistance is necessary. But, there was a Active Tough side to this Social Reformer as well as indicated by his Forceable Rejection of those who are Cheating Others as unacceptable in Society. In both instances, we should accept His Advice and follow His example.
Donald Trump and His Supporters are the Antithesis of this Social Reformer; supporting Bigots and Racists and the Unfettered Accumulation of Wealth at the Expense of Others in Society.
In the Upcoming Elections, the Political/Social Agenda of of Donald Trump and his Supporters MUST be rejected!!
Fury over what? For breaking your cultural trap? For 38 years and more you all have brainwashed people into believing that the rate of taxation of economic growth doesn’t affect the rate of growth.
That’s your real fury.
You have a great gig trapping Black and Brown people on welfare. Now, they are escaping at the rate of 130,000 per month.
In the last 20 months, Trump has set 13 all time records for combined Black and Hispanic employment. 3.7 million people have left food stamps. And, the jobs are at higher wages than in 2016, contrary to all the screaming in the press.
You all are foaming at the mouth. If this goes on for another 12 months, you are finished. And, its going to continue, not just for another 12 months, for another 6 years.
According to Gallup, over 140 million of the planet’s 7.3 billion are actively planning to move to the U.S. that’s more than enough to sustain 4% growth.
And, that number is going to get much larger, much larger.
And, with Trump’s tax reform, more than 450 million workers in China, 300 million in India, a 110 million in Europe and 160 million in Latin American’s would see a 100% tax reduction by moving to the U.S. Thats not 100% of a small number, thats 100% of a large number. All these countries have high tax rates on what we would describe as lower middle class incomes.
less than twenty countries of the world had a Reagan revolution.
Those successfully making it to the U.S. are likely to be their most ambitious and industrious.
In network theory terms, it’s called checkmate. We now have an absolute and irretrievable advantage over all other networks. Much like Google in search and Facebook in advertising.
And, the result is likely to accelerate over time, not slow down.
Instead of being furious, you should be puzzled and bewildered.
jhupp They just want to make us Venezuela. And that is nothing more than a plan for destruction of America.
Francis, I loved how you wove biblical history into your presentation. But please tell us how the racists and bigots provided more better paying jobs and the lowest unemployment rates in the history of this country.
If you can’t that’s ok.
has anybody heard from david garcia? I sure haven’t
David who? He is marching towards a 30 point loss. What a terrible campaign he attempted to run.
Thats it, David, stir up the anti-religious sentiment in your base with your snide references to Republicans and their righteousness, preaching, and pulpits. Watching the Dems try to work up more angry bigotry before the midterms gives the impression that they are running things according to this script: they go low, we go lower. But what else would you expect? It does not take much time spent in the company of Democrats to recognize that they have no meaningful standards for themselves. Its all about pandering, feeding the network, and throwing a cloak over what their favored politicians are doing in office that gives the lie to what they tell the voters they stand for. Sad, and getting sadder by the hour.