Listening to Obama's latest campaign / policy speeches recently, all I can think of is the Shakespearean quote: "Me thinks thou doth protest too much." (Hamlet, Act III, Scene II)
Another Obama observer, James E. Rogan, writing on World Net Daily points out the following techniques of the Progressive President:
"Attack opponents endlessly, but always end the attack by saying you want to 'work with them,' and demand they end the 'bitter partisanship' infecting Washington";
"Keep telling your story, no matter how much evidence (or poll numbers) undermines the claims";
When the voters respond initially with shock or disfavor, keep pressing forward. In time, they'll grow tired and bored with the irritant. Given enough time, there is a good chance they'll turn their ire on the people holding you accountable for whatever shocked or irritated them in the first place."
Not just for the federal politicians, today in our local newspaper I saw the same exact technique deployed by the insistent toll road promoters in Gaston County. The chairman of the local Economic Development Commission says, "We haven't done a good job of educating folks." He says further, "The education starts today."
The subject is an ongoing controversy over a proposed toll road in Gaston County called the "Garden Parkway." This argument has been going on for a few years now. There is great opposition to this toll road. People have given many facts to support NOT building this toll road. The math doesn't add up. The Greenville, SC toll road ( a similar project) is bankrupt. The projected use of the toll road is way over stated. And last but not least, the people who live in the area of the proposed toll road do not want it or need it. Yet today we read that the proponents of the toll road just think they haven't done a good enough job "educating" the public on the benefits of this boondoggle. Yep, folks need to be "educated" to support the agenda of the developers who really really really want this road. One of the developers is a recently retired state legislator, Senator David Hoyle, who used his influence to get state approval and money for the road. His family-owned land development business just happened to buy some of the land adjacent to the proposed toll road. How coincidental! Hmmmmm. I guess he figures the state of North Carolina can fork over tons of money to prop up his family business of development next to the new toll road.
The famous Senator Hoyle is buddies with the movers and shakers in Gaston County. He has enlisted the Chamber of Commerce to support his toll road. He has the Economic Development Commission on his side. He has kissed all the right people and put his hand right into the state transportation till. The taxpayers of North Carolina are forced to guarantee the gap funding for the road to the tune of $1.4 billion, 35 million per year, for 40 years.
The arguments of the proponents are getting pretty silly, actually. They say this toll road will create 20,000 jobs in Gaston County. (Doubtful.) They say the toll road will pay for itself in just 40 years. ( JUST 40 years? and that math really doesn't add up even if people are willing to pay $5.50 tolls to travel 22 miles one way, double = $11.00 round trip.) They say the toll road will promote population growth in the southeastern section of the County, mostly for the sake of commuting back and forth to Charlotte. (If that is the case and a road is needed, then it does not need to be a toll road, but a public road paid for through normal tax channels.) The toll road promoters hired a government employee at a government university to provide an economic impact study to support Hoyle's toll road. How surprising then that the study regurgitates all of the proponents supportive arguments. This was done to combat an environmental study that showed the toll road will facilitate jobs in South Carolina, not North Carolina, by providing access farther south across the state border. The toll road folks couldn't let that stand, now could they?
The citizens of Gaston County, for the most part, live here because it is just out of the major megalopolis forming around Charlotte and is still somewhat rural. Most people living here are not interested in massive growth, but just want reasonable economic policies. Gaston County taxes are the highest in the state already. So even if the toll road were to bring the "massive" population growth to Gaston County, people here in Gaston County are not too keen on that idea.
But we must be "educated" on the Garden Parkway. As Mr. Rogan above describes the technique, "Keep telling your story, no matter how much evidence undermines your claims." The point here is that these types of political animals are relentless. They have dollar signs in their eyeballs. They don't give up, even when the facts stare them right in the face. Because if they lose the argument, they can't stiff you with the bill. They will sell you a pig in a poke. They will try to tell you they can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear in order to get your money to finance their purse. I think I am about at the number three level of the technique above. I'm tired of it, bored with it, and irritated as all get out. But I'm not turning my angst towards the people against the toll road. I'm just really tired of the spoiled brats soaking the public with lies for the sake of their own pocketbooks. Mind-numbing din. They just don't stop.
GO HERE for more information on the Garden Parkway
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There is, it seems, always someone who wants to scam the system and for a price there is always a politician or two glad to help out.
ReplyDeletegood luck, Cheryl. It sounds like your Tea Party has a lot to do on the local level.
You are not kidding, Jim. We do have our hands full here. I'm just getting started with the tea party group here and hoping we can fight back at least somewhat. I'm sad that there are these types of political scammers all over the country these days..not just here. We are in for a long, drawn out, scrap to get these types out of power.
ReplyDeleteEvery town I've ever lived in has the core group of power brokers who have their own agendas. Now though, they have figured out how to game the federal handouts and state legislatures to grease their skids. Really frustrating.
Hope things are good with you....