Couldn't stop the fear

One of my friends has told me that I shouldn't get to upset when someone of the right says something wrong. But sometimes I just cannot help it. Take, for instance this statement by Del. Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave, and the chair of the Republican caucus in the Virginia House of Delegates:

One thing I heard during the campaign was that Republicans were trying to use fear to motivate voters. I didn't hear that personally, but I suppose the argument has to do with the president saying that he supports traditional marriage, for example. But even that wasn't that big an issue, at least in terms of the Bush-Cheney campaign.

Didn't hear it personally, Steve? Let me refresh your memory:

"It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on Nov. 2, we make the right choice, because if we make the wrong choice then the danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States," Cheney told about 350 supporters at a town-hall meeting in this Iowa city.

Note that Steve then makes a disconnect to traditional marriage as a fear tactic. Then he says even that wasn't a big issue. I seem to recall a certain President spending days fighting for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that bars gays from getting married. That would make it a big issue.

What scares me most is not that people like Steve make statements like this, but that they actually believe them. Steve didn't hear the fear tactic because he didn't think Cheney's statement was one of fear, but of truth, and that it wsn't out of line to suggest at all.

Those that voted for Bush really felt that their man, the man who ignored all warnings leading up to Sept. 11th, the man who has proclaimed repeatedly that it is a matter of when and not if we get struck again, the man who is willing to watch a reform bill to better protect America with bipartisan support languish because he doesn't want to goad GOP leadership in the House into an uncomfortable decision, their man was the only one who could stop another attack on America. And to proclaim as much makes perfect sense as well.

There's was a fanatical devotion to a man who, despite a failure during his tenure, was the man to keep them safe. That, ultimately, was what got Bush elected again. Fear of terror and incumbancy. None of this moral values crap. They sold their man as the savior to their fears, and didn't care how immoral they had to be to do it.

Sadly, 51% of Americans who voted didn't seem to care.