Dr. David Bowman On Arizona Shootings: 'Heroic Things Done By Normal People'

It's not like Obama and Democrats are talking about the real cause of and solution for the events on Saturday (expansion of mentaI heaIth services and gvn control legisIatio­n) -- Obama and Democrats are still making it all about "inciviIit­y".

Obama should be using the power of the bully pulpit, and the opportunit­y of the *shock&awe­* of last Saturday, and his poll numbers to call for the dramatic expansion of mental health services across the nation (how about now for reintroduc­ing the public option?) and for gun control laws.

If the Bush years taught us anything, it's that anyone can sell anything to Americans, if you're stolid and relentless in your sales pitch and tactics. If you keep at it, escalate your attacks,  don't take 'no' for an answer, never back away, you will wear the opposition down.  And if not during this term in office, then in concert or in relay with the next or a future presidenti­al administra­tion.

Bush-Chene­y-R0ve weren't geniuses, they didn't invent the strategy, nor was it something that political operatives didn't know or that political science students don't learn in poli sci 101 (or business majors at the Wharton school, or MBAs from Harvard).  Bush & R0ve were just more ruthless in doing what politician­s and the political parties had gone to great lengths to hide from Americans, been more subtle about.  

What Bush-Chene­y-Rove showed Democrats, though, was that there was no need to be subtle. It doesn't matter how you get the rhetoric, the spin, on the table, just get it on the table.  You don't have to go to great lengths to set up a logical or legitimate premise for it.  The shock&awe tactics of having surrogates fan out all over the air waves, with other diversiona­ry news stories competing for air time, will prevent opponents challengin­g you with logical analyses getting any air time, much less any traction.

What Bush-Chene­y-Rove also showed us was that when one party has control over both Houses of Congress and the Judiciary, there's no need to be subtle.  You don't even have to hide your intentions­.  You just do it, and ignore anyone who objects.  Obama knows this, and does it regularly to the Democratic base.
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