For those of you unfamiliar with the term, the "Overton Window" is the
range of policy options considered serious or respectable. The tactic of
moving this window rightward has long been practiced by the right,
particularly the Koch brothers, who, according to Jayne Mayer's recent biography, currently fund an organization with more employees and financial resources than the Republican party.
One of the most often-used tactics in moving this window is picking an artificially narrow range of alternatives, and insisting the most reasonable, even if it's right of the previously operative Overton Window, is the option to select. It's in line with Boss Tweed's dictum: "I don't care who people vote for as long as I can pick the candidates." This is what corporate-friendly Ami Bera relies on as he reminds voters that he's for women's rights, even though he's agreed with Republican policies often, and to the detriment of his constituents.
So all the Republican crazies are on purpose. They succeed by driving people into the arms of corporate-friendly Democrats, and policies like the Affordable Care Act (AKA "Obamacare"). Just to clarify: Richard Nixon proposed the ACA, the Heritage Foundation (one of the many right-wing think tanks) refined it, and Obama's opponent, Mitt Romney, first implemented it . Only one Republican actually voted for it, and the Kochs funded a primary opponent to eliminate him first chance they got. The R's insistence that they had nothing to do with it is part of the propaganda the moves that Overton Window.
Moving the Overton Window is why Republicans lose the popular vote, but their policies continue to govern the country. Brilliant, really.
And if you doubt the left is consistently underrepresented, even though its policies are popular, I recommend a couple of things. First, ask yourself: Why does that "liberal" newspaper, the Bee, have a business section, but no labor section?
Next: Why does the "lefty" columnist, Paul Krugman, discount Bernie Sanders (an authentic lefty) now?
See this for details. Seriously, if you read nothing else, read that link. It unpacks all the propaganda to disclose....[gasp!] facts!
Personally, I'd say Krugman is an excellent writer, and recommend his Peddling Prosperity as an excellent remedy for believing Reagan's policies (or Clintons') produced good economic results. Unfortunately, though, he is not what he proclaims himself to be. For one example, Krugman says repeatedly he's a Keynesian, but he touts IS/LM as a Keynesian model he follows, even though its author (Hicks) says not. See Steve Keen's Debunking Economics: The Naked Emperor Dethroned for a rather lengthy debunk of Krugman's pseudo-lefty position. Spoiler alert: Keen can't write as readably as Krugman, but is simply brilliant. I'd say he's this depression's Keynes.
So now you know about LINOS. (LINOs: Liberal In Name Only. With emphasis on the 1st syllable, pronounced “Lie”.)
One of the most often-used tactics in moving this window is picking an artificially narrow range of alternatives, and insisting the most reasonable, even if it's right of the previously operative Overton Window, is the option to select. It's in line with Boss Tweed's dictum: "I don't care who people vote for as long as I can pick the candidates." This is what corporate-friendly Ami Bera relies on as he reminds voters that he's for women's rights, even though he's agreed with Republican policies often, and to the detriment of his constituents.
So all the Republican crazies are on purpose. They succeed by driving people into the arms of corporate-friendly Democrats, and policies like the Affordable Care Act (AKA "Obamacare"). Just to clarify: Richard Nixon proposed the ACA, the Heritage Foundation (one of the many right-wing think tanks) refined it, and Obama's opponent, Mitt Romney, first implemented it . Only one Republican actually voted for it, and the Kochs funded a primary opponent to eliminate him first chance they got. The R's insistence that they had nothing to do with it is part of the propaganda the moves that Overton Window.
Moving the Overton Window is why Republicans lose the popular vote, but their policies continue to govern the country. Brilliant, really.
And if you doubt the left is consistently underrepresented, even though its policies are popular, I recommend a couple of things. First, ask yourself: Why does that "liberal" newspaper, the Bee, have a business section, but no labor section?
Next: Why does the "lefty" columnist, Paul Krugman, discount Bernie Sanders (an authentic lefty) now?
See this for details. Seriously, if you read nothing else, read that link. It unpacks all the propaganda to disclose....[gasp!] facts!
Personally, I'd say Krugman is an excellent writer, and recommend his Peddling Prosperity as an excellent remedy for believing Reagan's policies (or Clintons') produced good economic results. Unfortunately, though, he is not what he proclaims himself to be. For one example, Krugman says repeatedly he's a Keynesian, but he touts IS/LM as a Keynesian model he follows, even though its author (Hicks) says not. See Steve Keen's Debunking Economics: The Naked Emperor Dethroned for a rather lengthy debunk of Krugman's pseudo-lefty position. Spoiler alert: Keen can't write as readably as Krugman, but is simply brilliant. I'd say he's this depression's Keynes.
So now you know about LINOS. (LINOs: Liberal In Name Only. With emphasis on the 1st syllable, pronounced “Lie”.)
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