How To Manipulate Gullible Voters

Now we can see how American voters have been manipulated by Right Wing spinmeisters during the past four years. And we know some of the propaganda tactics we can look forward to during the midterm elections next year and the 2008 presidential election.

Conservative strategist Frank Luntz has written a 160-page playbook for advancing the right-wing agenda; and the document was leaked to the media.

When conservative candidates are asked about the economy, Luntz’ advice is “resist the temptation to use facts and figures.” Instead, candidates are told to continuously invoke 9/11. Luntz wrote “Much of the public anger can be immediately pacified if they are reminded that we would not be in this situation today if 9/11 had not happened.”

Reciting the 9/11 mantra serves two purposes: If people are terrified and paranoid about terrorism, they’re less likely to be focused on the economy. And, if job losses and the trillion dollar deficit can be blamed on 9/11, that let’s the Bush administration off the hook.

This is pretty much what we’ve been getting since 2001, and it’s nice to know what we can look forward to. There’s some speculation that this document was leaked on purpose just to confuse the opposition, or to send an intimidating message of “see what we‘re capable of doing.” But the information seems consistent with the tactics we’ve already seen, including their current $10 million Big Lie campaign against AARP.

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And now, to lighten up the mood with a little humor:

Click here and here for a tongue-in-cheek view of the abstinence programs being touted by the Bush administration.

And, for a side-splittingly hilarious imitation of a Far Right mouth-foaming Bible-thumping snake-handling maniac, check this out. Uh, at least I think he’s just kidding…