The new right-wing tactic

I think I see the beginnings of the new right-wing political tactic to rouse their base. With the tragic murder of Dr. George Tiller, abortion is not their best issue right now; and gay marraige is on a roll and probably isn't either.

But Sarah Palin seems to have caught the breeze: stir up the base with the fear that all of Obama's programs are a design to gain control over the people, and even state governments.

In a speech in Seneca Fall, NY yesterday, she suggested that Obama is trying to impose big government as a tool of control.

"We need to be aware of the creation of a fearful population, and fearful lawmakers, being led to believe that big government is the answer, to bail out the private sector, because then government gets to get in there and control it," she says. "And mark my words, this is going to be next, I fear, bail out next debt-ridden states. Then government gets to get in there and control the people."

I guess creating a fearful population, and fearful lawmakers, being led to believe government is the problem, and to outsource to the private sector everything from auditing the books to fighting wars -- that argument is cut from a whole different piece of cloth.

So it's not going to be the social wedge issues but big government controlling your lives. Let's see, that'll work for gun control, regulations on the financial industry, temporary ownership of auto manufacturers, public health care plans, climate change, and probably anything else that Obama tried to do.

Problem for them: it will rile up their base, but it's a dwindling base; and if Obama is successful in even half what he tries to do, it won't attract the swing voters.

Well, at least it's a more honest, transparent disagreement: is government the problem or part of the solution? I'd like to see an election based on the proposition, clearly stated.

Ralph