What's an analogy that's dramatic enough? Pot calling a kettle marijuana? A sniper calling a squirt gun a weapon of mass destruction? Britney Spears claiming Beyoncé makes the world uglier and less talented? I'm at a loss for words, a dictionary written in disappearing ink.
Gas blaming water for spreading fire.
Paul Ryan, jumping on the Romneywagon like a dog from the roof of a passing car, has joined those blaming President Obama for increasing political partisanship since he was elected. Of all the things R and R say... well, who can choose among them? It's really laughable.
Except that it's just another depressing part of their sad strategy to deceive the willingly deceived: identify Obama's strengths and demonize them; identify their own weaknesses and claim that it's someone else's fault.
They have at least two things going for them in promoting this ridiculous meme: political memory is a short as a lace-wing's life; and their voters are, by design, the most fact-averse in history.
South of Centralia WA, visible from Interstate 5, there's a billboard that constantly broadcasts and updates right-wing lies. On our way home from Oregon yesterday, we saw the latest: "Why is Obama trying to suppress the military vote?" It's the perfect example of how it works: a lie is produced, it takes wing on Fox "news" and right-wing radio, gets spread all over the wingnutosphere like nuclear winter. And when, as usual, it's thoroughly debunked, it doesn't matter: teabaggRs don't pay attention to the actual media. The lie remains embedded like an anal tattoo. Which is the plan.
Need I remind those who'll never get it: Barack Obama reached out to congressional Rs so much when he took office that Eric Cantor said that in six weeks they'd had more face-time with the president than they'd had in eight years of George Bush. He modified the stimulus to include too much in tax breaks to get their votes. He based health care reform, and carbon emission control on Republican ideas, to the ire of the left. Far after it was clear that Rs had no intention of cooperating on anything, in any way, lest Obama get credit, he continued to try. It's on the record. As is the meeting held by congressional Rs on inauguration day to plot the destruction of his presidency.
Barack Obama is responsible for the hyperpartisanship of the last three years the way Cantor Fitzgerald was responsible for the attack on the World Trade Center.
Well, okay, he does have to take responsibility for being black. And that explains a hell of a lot.
