Monday, December 20, 2004

Corrupt Wall Street Elites Will Destroy Social Security

To: Josh Marshall, Talking Points Memo
Fr: Spocko, Spocko's Brain
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Just read your post on Social Security. I’ve been thinking about this a lot ever since I heard a very depressed Paul Krugman talk about this issue right after the election. He said, "They’ll figure out some way to cook the books to make it seem like a good thing to do."

This administration will use the same methods and tactics for this campaign to destroy Social Security as they did with the build up to war and the election of the President. We need to fight back in methods that have proven effective. And one of the issues that you are getting at with your post about the organized groups is they have the trained spokespeople and the money. Will it take an emotional appeal to people who only watch TV to convince them that this particular plan is bad? Will it take aggressive smart people to argue with the paid off elites from AEI, Heritage and other stink tank clones on the bullshit morning shows? Will it take getting the evangelicals to come out of the shadows and say, "Destroying Social Security is not in Jesus’ will."? It will probably take ALL those methods and more.

Rove had an insightful comment that they should create campaigns to reach people who "watch TV with the sound off." I also think that they understood the power of the 24/7 articulation of fears and selfish supportive arguments from Rush, Hannity, Savage and their clones. In this campaign both the "TV with no sound" audience and the talk radio listener need to be reached and the negative messages they get from Rove and Rush must be neutralized and a different message given to them to put in it’s place. Maybe something like "Do you want the corrupt Wall Street elites to steal your children’s money? They will. They will lose it like they did in Enron. They will lie to you like the analysts did who lost all your 401K money. These are the people who are going to throw away your hard earned money. They do it all the time. Vodka-urinating ice sculptures anyone? You say you don’t trust government but can you really trust THESE people? (Images of perpwalkers follow.)

An effective campaign would understand the power of funny flash ads and smearing swift boat ads. People need to think about this campaign to "destroy social security for a kickback to the securities industry" like a presidential campaign, because that is how the Bush Administration will run the support for it.

I had the idea of creating a funny flash ad that talks about what Social Security was created for, and why the president wanted to destroy it "in the name of reform". It would have some songs some funny pictures and make a point or two about what a bad idea this was. But I don’t have the technical knowledge to create it and push it out (not to mention the money.) But remember how MoveOn got people to create all those Ads for the presidential campaign? Maybe the 527s with leftover money could ask for creative people to do the same with ads about Social Security. Think about the coverage Jib Jab flash ad got. MILLIONS saw it, I’d hire those guys to make one on Social Security and why the president wants to destroy it.

Oh and HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you! (I didn’t say Merry Christmas just to piss off the creators of the fake Christmas controversy.)

Spocko. Author of Spocko's Brain, the blog that is sweeping the nation. Now with 6 readers!

4 Comments:

Anonymous said...

You've got a great idea! I'd love to see you put together an ad. Can you give us a rough draft?

GradeSchoolTeach

7:14 PM  
Sarah Grimke said...

I love it! Let's make some sort of catch phrase to make the response to Wall Street stock brokers the same as when you mention the word 'trial lawyers' to Republicans! Great idea, Spocko!

9:08 AM  
Sarah Grimke said...

Oh, and Merry Christmas to you as well! Have a wonderful holiday!

9:09 AM  
Anonymous said...

On the Christmaas topic, we at the latin club are designing t-shirts for sale. One suggested one is the "Saturn is the Reason for the Season" and "Take the Christ out of Saturnalia." Merry Saturnalia!

Latin Scholar #8098

5:05 PM  

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