MeanMesa's Mid-Term Autopsy

What Actually Happened?

Political psychology from the non-psychologist

Mathematicians think they can do practically anything...

More than a little unusual...[cartoon source]

Decades ago, infamous Australian fascist, Rupert Murdoch, had one of his rather sinister "moments of clarity." The conclusion that he drew from this "flash of light" was lethal for the democracy, but sadly, quite straight forward and obvious.

The decisions Americans make while filling out their ballots are based very directly on the "ideative product" which is currently in their minds at that moment. [An "ideative product" is something more than simply an "idea." It is a structure of ideas -- and memories -- formed from the complex activity in the cortical thought creating process in a brain. The term "ideative product" is useful because the usual words we use to describe this process -- such as "thinking" -- and its results -- such as "ideas" -- are confusingly over-general.] 

Theoretically, sensations of all sorts carry "facts" -- which are actually simply sensations which enjoy high credibility -- into the process to form "ideative products" which, thanks to their origins, generally enjoy roughly the same degree of credibility. When we have finished with the current collection of "ideative products," they become memories while we move on to process the next bunch.

There really is a "standard model" which can be used as a sort of "baseline" when we look at Murdoch's information twisting strategy. In that "standard model" a voter seeks out and selects certain "facts." These are usually quite specific when compared to what Murdoch's efforts want to create.

For example, a voter might look at the Federal Budget, see that it results in a deficit, and decide ["idea"] that spending should be reduced. This inquiry might very reasonably continue into areas such as "which spending should be reduced" and "what might be the consequences of reducing it." 

Of course such a line of inquiry will, in practically no time, "travel" through all manner of questions, the answer of one leading to the next. At the end of the process, a conclusion will emerge, and that conclusion will -- according to the "standard model" -- become the foundation for the decisions made on the ballot.

This is what we could quite reasonably consider to be an "ideative product." A very healthy mixture of curiosity, information, memories and probably a little emotion provided this "thinker" with a rational track to confidently formulate his decision.

Right here we should add one additional "ingredient" to the mix. The mental action that this "thinker" took to reach that decision was not a passive one. He wanted that decision, and he wanted to be reassured that he had reached that decision by using a "trustworthy" collection of his mental processes. Otherwise, he would not have done all these things, and, as a consequence, he would not have formed any decision at all.

When Murdoch was looking for a "window of opportunity" to gain useful control of precisely what would be forming that "ideative product" in the mind of a voter, this is the "window" he saw.

A single issue, or even a nice collection of issues, winding their way through the "standard model" would produce a traditional American voter. But, although this was the form the process had taken traditionally, the results had always been somewhat unpredictable. After all, only the structure of the "standard model" process is common to the mass of voters. The conclusions never were.

A proposition forming one of those issues could be "decided" any number of ways depending on what information was added, what memories were present and which type of emotions might be driving the process. This meant that, under more or less normal circumstances, a voter could "change his mind" at some point before pulling the lever.

This was the obstacle Murdoch would have to over come if he intended to be able to "count on" a voter with a large, poorly formed, contradictory "ideative product" -- which he was determined to establish -- to realize his ambitions. An "ideative product" comprised of thousands of minor supporting propositions which were, in turn, supported by thousands more minor supporting propositions and so on, would form a "sub logical" cloud of minor, dependent conclusions which might do the trick!

The word "minor" is emphasized for a reason. These "little" propositions were designed to be intentionally inconsequential. If one or two of them "faltered" just a little, the change in credibility would not "take down" a huge tree of other useful "little" propositions which were, perhaps very weakly, logically connected to it.

Think of an acquaintance whom you might describe as "85% red neck." The "85%" part comes from a few -- just a few -- positions which were not usually branded as "red neck" positions. You might comment on the apparent contradiction in "some" of your acquaintance's thinking, but you would let it go at that.

The propositions in the "ideative product" Murdoch dreamed of introducing into the electorate had to be only "loosely" counter dependent. Rather than the "big, definite ideas" normally formed in the "standard model," these "ideative products" would have to more resemble, say, a "cloud of sparrows." A few sparrows might flit off to look for worms, but the vast majority of the "cloud" would dutifully continue to fly with their fellows.

The "loosely counter dependent" connections guaranteed that most of the sparrows would remain with the flock. By hosting thousands of "minor" connections, Murdoch's voter could essentially be unable to change his mind. This is what is meant by the idea of "sub-logical" connections.

There was no "big lie" driving the mindless electorate a few days ago -- no massive deception patiently turning in the minds of voters like a stainless steel gear in a Swiss watch. A "big lie" faces the perpetual danger of "falling apart" once contradictory information becomes available.

The "Murdoch mechanism," on the other hand, amounted to thousands of little lies and represented poorly machined gears which were barely turning at all. If the teeth were ground off one or two of them here and there, the extremely low octane "logic" generated by the entire confused system hardly "took a noticeable hit."

The quite awkward, yet painfully constant repetition of Murdoch's propaganda was not enough to drive the thing to any really concrete conclusions, but it was enough to keep the tangled gears in motion in a convincing way -- so long as the questionable productivity of the entire machine was never questioned.

If the Democrats imitate their competitors and find the gumption to perform their own "post election autopsy," they will realize that the campaign should have focused on the entire "ideative product" that powered the mid term election to its disastrous consummation.

This "revelation" is not something new which can only be encountered exclusively by visiting MeanMesa, either. Practically every progressive pundit commentator was repeatedly expressing exactly the same idea for months. The campaign had to be run on the "big picture" of what the Democratic Party represents and the rather remarkable successes it has accomplished, but, thanks to owning the media, the narrative was dominated by talking points constantly reinforcing the confusing, indeterminate, cloudy "ideative product."

Unhappily, the current, less than notable, crop of Democratic candidates largely "took the bait." These shockingly uncreative campaigns were still playing as if it were 1960. The precise, devastating political error arose from their obsolete expectation that their opponents were riding on a wave of specific "bad ideas" which could be "corrected."

They kept throwing punches at the oatmeal, but it never went down.

2014: Lighting Up the Clown Car's Check Book

Sizing Up the 2014 Mid-Term

The past few weeks have seen a fascinating mayhem settle into the oligarch party's back rooms. What had undoubtedly been planned as an "ObamaCare Horror Festival" designed to usher even more hill billies and bigots -- puppets -- into the Congress, evaporated with the reassuringly material news of the ACA's successes.  While this, itself, may be have been a riveting development for many of us, perhaps the more interesting side of the story is the carefully obscured chaos now lodged in the fractured GOP's tactical branch as it confronts the "topic vacuum."

Patiently running along side of the relief providied by the ACA announcement have been mildly promising, potential focus points for the Democrats.  When the oxygen slowly re-entered the room after the ACA hate frenzy ground to a halt, we have seen glimpses of 2014 mid-term election issues being timidly trotted out for "traction checks."

The President has been touting the minimum wage proposal.  The Attorney General has been fiddling with the possibility of doing something about the anti-democracy, voter suppression in the red states.  The DOJ has finally emerged from its "corpse like" stagnation to execute a few "fly-bys" at the egregious corporate pollution and state government complicity way down in bright red "cracker country."

There have been even fainter "rumors" about issues such as immigration, renewable energy and climate change.

All of this is evidence of the Democratic Party's "fishing expedition."  The "fish" the Party is frantically courting is the "fish" which might, possibly, inspire the politically exhausted Democratic voters to actually quit complaining and visit the polls this November.  Granted, the voice of the Democratic Party is barely audible through the well lubricated obedient screaming of a wholly owned corporate media, but the hope is, clearly, that some vestige of "traction" within the Democratic Party's traditional base might stumble into the light somewhere.

This not particularly optimistic vision MeanMesa sees in those reflective moments when the geezer is speculating about the rapidly approaching mid-term.  However, this post wants to propose something rather arcane which might "inject a little life" into what, frankly, is beginning to look like just another round of "more oatmeal."

Assisting Every Democratic Candidate 

Running for Anything, Anywhere

Discovering a great new "fishing hole"

Continuing with the general description of the "political world of the day" begun in the section above, there is something very interesting out there -- something which seems to presently suffer from being very inaccurately considered, a political possibility which could make a very large difference once it is stripped of its "mis-definition."

We have to look a little "more coldly" at this idea of "traction." After all, it is the "holy grail" floating around in those rooms behind the glitzy offices of the think tanks and the political campaigns. If the tacticians, cronies, "powers behind the throne" or even the idealists can cook up a political PR gambit which can excite voters, electoral success is "just around the corner."

All the items mentioned in the introduction to this post have been ceremoniously dragged through the murky waters of the 2014 political environment like triple cleft hooks looking for halibut.  The "amounts of traction" generated by any specific "bait" has been depressingly modest at best with the possible exception of the minimum wage proposal, but even that one, while promising, has not proved to be a potential "barn burner."

So, what political issue might possibly fill this void?

Even before we dive into that question, we should also, probably, acknowledge the unavoidable reality that "traction issues" are almost always the incendiary consequence of media coverage. Gazing back into the wreckage of the recent past, the tea bags have been "carrying the day" on this count for years.

Hence, the irony.

Further, this "irony" is not some complicated academic mousetrap, either.  The irony here derives from precisely the same issue which is the foundation of all those "tea bag" successes.  If you are a Neo-Republican oligarch, the inescapable "bite" of this irony arises from the fact that it has taken residence in your lap.

Hundreds of millions of dollars has flowed painlessly from the oligarch billionaires into every empty cavity of the political discourse. A million dollars per week has "mysteriously appeared" to buy corporate media time to discredit the ACA -- every week since the "debate" started five years ago.  Millions of dollars have oozed from the "McDuck Money Bins" into the personal coffers of the most famous of the FOX "mouth junk" experts and other wing nut, opportunistic miscreants.

The new White House where the old democracy is stored. [image source]

Freedom Works, Heritage Foundation, Americans for Prosperity, ALEC and a rancid collection of dozens of others have been awash in billionaire cash while cravenly duping American hill billies out of a few bucks a week from their SSI checks.  Threats of "cash tsunamis" lurk in the shadows behind the raunchy bigots in ties infesting the US House, terrifying them with primaries so expensive that their continued obedience is as solid as the pad lock on a cast iron cell.

So, what political issue might possibly fill the "traction" void?

Filling the 2014 "Traction Void"

With billionaire cash!

MeanMesa has always been fascinated with the startling credibility of organizations such as REAL CLEAR POLITICS and MEDIA MATTERS [Get acquainted by visiting the home pages of these two at these links: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/ and http://mediamatters.org/] However, these two examples are cited here only to represent a "defining guide" about what will be proposed.  The quality, objectivity and accuracy of organizations such as these will "round out" MeanMesa's vision for what comes next.

So, what's the plan?

Another new organization must be constructed with all the redeeming qualities of the examples cited, but one with a slightly different mission. Indulge MeanMesa for just a few more lines in this post, energized by the promise that everything will be "laid out clear as a bell" very shortly.

American voters, even the information challenged bunch, have a growing suspicion that the uber rich have been manipulating them.  The designers of that well financed "manipulation" had promised their anti-democracy masters that this "suspicion" would remain manageable long enough for the "money boys" to permanently plant themselves as the new American nobility before the "little people" would even think about grumbling.

However, those craven manipulation schemes have run into a bit of overly "shallow water" down there in the cess pool as of late, and -- predictably -- that troublesome "suspicion" has begun some "free range wandering."  Even the famously mild mannered President has been repeated harping about the "election crimes" division of the GOP's ambitious little sold out governors.

Elsewhere, some of the outrages the oligarchs have dreamed of inflicting on unsuspecting Americans -- that would be "suspicion-free" Americans -- have unfolded rather awkwardly "ahead of schedule."

Exploding unregulated fertilizer factories, leaking coal ash pits, crimes committed by crazies carrying guns in the vacuum of back ground checks, revelations that giant, profitable corporations pay no income taxes and tens of millions of uninsured poor people gazing longingly across their state borders are just a few of the more illuminating examples.  The oligarchs wanted all this, but they didn't want it until their political power had become undeniably permanent.

Well, there is one other "little matter" the oligarchs didn't want splashed on the front page of Raccoon Holler's weekly newspaper, one other "little matter" that is, actually, beginning to appear there.

That "little matter" has to do with the castrated efforts of the Duke Energy governor smooshing the coal ash problem; that the little Texan Governor saying that the other 45 wooden fertilizer plants "didn't need no regulatun';" that Senator McConnell's arrogant presumption that "ObamaCare hatin' 'mericuns" in Kentucky would rather eat live frogs than have health insurance. 

That "little matter" accumulated even more road rash after Rachael Maddow -- not to mention the New Jersey State Assembly and a handful of ambitious Federal Prosecutors -- gleefully eviscerated GOP Golden Boy, Christie, over screamingly crooked "business deals" apparently all across New Jersey.  Worse, even the hill billies, watching the scene unfold on the tv's in their American Legion beer halls, "got thet funny feelin'" as Republican Presidential wanna-be's dutifully kissed the giant diamond glittering on Sheldon Adelson's Las Vegas pinky ring.

Oooops. Someone "let the stink out" way before the scheme planned to "let the stink out."

This "suspicion" which has manifested itself in such an unexpected growing presence among voters is, as is usually the case, not yet driven by specifics.  It is what Jimmy Carter called a "malaise."  Yet, "death by a thousand cuts" is still death.  The reckless behavior of the oligarchs as they slide into a very visible blood frenzy has been exposing too much -- way too much.

This is where the new "traction" comes into play, and this is where MeanMesa's proposition becomes -- at least for the oligarchs -- delightfully dangerous.

MeanMesa's Plan for a Happy 2014

If it's not a halibut, what is it?

We've been thinking about a new version of Real Clear Politics or Media Matters, so we should probably start right off with a catchy name.  Just for a convenient suggestion, let's consider CASH TRACK.  But, what would CASH TRACK actually do?

CASH TRACK would be a "research organization" capable of doing the heavy lifting with respect to determining the source of the cash which was flowing into a candidate's war chest. Every candidate with a "mysteriously generous" amount of cash to spend or who has "deeply concerned friends" who are anxiously purchasing massive amounts of "ad time" to torpedo his electoral opponent would be a target.

As CASH TRACK's research moved along in these investigations, a careful record of what was found and where it was found would be maintained.  When the investigation had reached a state of "mature fertility," the entire record could be placed in the hands of the political opponent who had been suffering from the well financed attack campaign up to that point.

The fact is that many quite acceptable candidates simply lack the resources to undertake such a search on their own.  Many of them, although quite well-intentioned and quite determined, don't enjoy the in-house expertise or financial resources. CASH TRACK could put a very nice package of credible information into the mix, already verifiable and prepared for a counter attack campaign.

MeanMesa realizes that the oligarchs have already ordered the Supreme Court to protect the origin of all this stinky anonymous money.  It's not a secret that secret PAC's are running loose in the alley behind ever bank and brokerage house in the country as a result.  Also, secretive billionaires such as Adelson and the Koch brothers are simply handing out six-digit checks as they pursue their own futures at everyone else's expense.

Not even the most resourceful, seasoned investigator is going to be able to penetrate this carefully engineered fog completely, so there will inevitably be plenty of money that not even CASH TRACK could track.  However, even if CASH TRACK's "tracking" penetrated as far as it could before hitting a blind alley, much more information would become accessible to voters with respect to "who was financing whom."

Americans of all political persuasions are growing increasingly suspicious that their elections have been "bought and paid for."  The fascinating aspect of this is that is truly represents a "non-issue" issue.  As a voter, you needn't be a liberal, evangelical, rancher or union boss to feel the "bite" of this one.  While such a variety of folks might disagree on practically everything else, they might agree that it would be nice if their vote actually counted.

This proposal would not remove the cash from our broken electoral system, but it would shine a light on it.

A very, very bright light.