Wading through the Michigan Subconscious: It's a Dark Place Sometimes

Markos blogged the EPIC poll results. The conversation that ensued was enlightening, to say the least. Frightening would be a better word. All I know is, if I have to argue with people on my own side, I'm going to be exhausted by the time this is all over.

Now, arguing is what Kos kids do best. Perhaps it's what Democrats do best. "I'm not part of an organized party, I'm a Democrat", or however the saying goes. If you are going to stick your opinions out there, be ready to back them up. It's the same at every forum or blog. I'm no newbie to that. In fact, I like to watch it because it helps me to refine my somewhat scattered, emotional thinking and also teaches me new ways to look at issues. I don't necessarily like to post, well, because that gets in the way of my reading and tires me out. I like to lurk. I'm a bit lazy like that.

I couldn't just lurk on this thread. I found myself drawn in. I found myself having to stick up for Granholm, for my city, for my state. I found myself having to argue against the sentiments of what was basically a Dick DeVos commercial.

What disturbed me about this thread and some of these feelings being presented by people that are supposedly progressive is the subtle infiltration of the right's "loser" attitude about our state, and their misguided (and quite insane) propensity to blame Granholm. It seems to have seeped into our subconscious. You know what that tells me? Advertising works. Doesn't matter if the advertising is essentially lying. They have swallowed the bait and bought into the subliminal propaganda, and that is being reflected in their posting, in their basic attitude.

"Some people say Michigan's best days are over", according to Dick. Did you ever stop to ask yourself why Dick would say something like that? It's to get you to believe that "people" believe that about Michigan. Power of the crowd. The "sheeple", as it were. It puts you right in the negative without offering any proof that it is true. After all, who has said that? Nobody I know believes that to be true, or has echoed that sentiment.

Dick says he "hasn't gone negative" in his ads, but he has. Every single ad has had negative connotations about our state. He is not playing to his postions about issues, obviously, he is playing to the fear that exsists. That fear is being exploited at every turn.

Quite frankly, I am sick to death of hearing the whining about Michigan. Sick of it. Yes, we have lost good paying manufacturing jobs. Yes, times are hard in some areas of the state. No shit. It's a fact, it's done, deal with it. All of this is so much crying over spilled milk at this point. The only thing we can do is try to move forward.

Question is: What are we going to do about it? Are we going to support the person who is fighting to keep those jobs that we still have and create new ones at the same time? Or, are you going to bitch about the things that she supposedly hasn't done (and I'm still not sure exactly what she could have done in the face of a hostile legislature, a huge fiscal mess left by Engler, and bad trade policies that are killing American manufacturing) and play right into DeVos' hands? Are you going to ignore the good things and focus only on the bad things? Because that is exactly what the Republicans want you to do. Apparently it's working very well with some people.

Manipulation of the masses has been turned into an art form. It would be fascinating if it weren't so damn scary.

All I know is- we better get it together here on the left, and the Granholm people better figure out a way to combat this "loser" mentality that DeVos is exploiting for all it's worth. And they better do it soon. The natives are getting restless. Yes, it only seems late because DeVos started so early, but that doesn't matter, does it? Perception is everything.

One bit of good news- a Rasmussen poll shows a 44-42 lead for Granholm. (I can't link to it because it's a premium member service at this point) That seems more realistic that the EPIC poll.

Time to get this party started. To wait any longer risks those emotions becoming entrenched in the psyche of your own supporters.