Political Bingo
Everyone that has worked in industry would have had a ball if we had known about this invention. Apparently there is a group that will allow you to make your own bingo cards. Inside you can put certain catch phrases that we always hear in whatever industry we happen to work in. Just imagine the hilarity of hearing someone yell, “bingo!” in the middle of a staff meeting.
One of the games of conservative politics is the game of identity politics. Whatever you do, don’t run on your record. This is particularly true in Texas where Republicans have controlled statewide politics for 25 years. It’s kind of hard to saddle your problems on your opponents when they haven’t held statewide elected office this century.
So, you play identity politics. For Dan Patrick, your opponent isn’t Mike Collier. Collier is a mainstream Democrat that is hardly radical. At least he doesn’t have anything on his legislative resume that would scream radical. So, we tie him to every “dangerous” liberal we can think of in order to scare people from realizing that Republicans have done a perfectly good job of screwing up Texas on their own.
So, we link him to Joe Biden and his America. Let’s ignore that Biden inherited a nation where you could literally see the dumpster on fire. Let’s ignore that we have had record deficit reduction, job creation, and solid economic growth. Let’s ignore that COVID is now under control and the vast majority of the population got vaccinated in short order. Let’s ignore that our reputation around the world is coming back. Let’s forget about all of that. Mike Collier is not Joe Biden.
Then, we link him with AOC and “her Green New Deal”. Let’s forget two things immediately. First, let’s forget that most people couldn’t accurately tell you what’s actually in the Green New Deal. Secondly, let’s forget that the GOP can’t go three minutes without complaining about gas prices and our dependence on foreign oil. Yet, begin suggesting policies to move to alternative energy sources and you are a radical. Mike Collier is not AOC.
Then, we link him with Nancy Pelosi and California. Apparently, California is some kind of hell scape with zombies and the purge simultaneously coming to kill the residents there that haven’t already been radicalized. In actuality, they mentioned sanctuary cities, weak immigration policies, and cheap bail. Goodness knows we don’t want to be like those vegetable eating commies over there in California. They cannot produce quotes Collier of saying any of these things. He’s a Democrat. Nancy Pelosi is a Democrat. It must be so.
The candidate running against Lauren Boebert was so fed up in their debate about her mentioning Nancy Pelosi that he finally had to keep repeating his own name. This is Mike Collier. He’s running for Lieutenant Governor. Joe Biden isn’t running. Nancy Pelosi isn’t running. AOC isn’t running. I haven’t heard about “woke” policies, boys playing girls sports, or sanctuary cities, but if you had those on your bingo card you are today’s winner.
It’s the same all over. When the Rubio ads began, I wondered why he seemed to be running against Biden and Pelosi. (I voted Demmings and Crist).
They’ve got nothing. Only more and more ooga-booga will do the trick. Keep the rubes skeert – that’s the ticket. Remember pilgrims, the sky is always falling in Magaland.
1The game has been around the corporate world for years. It is called Buzzword Bingo.
2Yup, repugnantican candidates do exactly the same here in Oregon and SW Wa- have nothing to say about anything positive they might do (which would be lies if they did) but show pictures of all the Democrats they demonize including those you mentioned. The election and end to their campaign ads can’t come soon enough. Of course I’m very concerned about what comes next here and nationally.
3I wish Betsy would stay in her copter and fly the middle of the road. Buzzword Bing: At Boeing you always knew trouble was coming when somebody uttered the word “SYNERGY”. To which I replied: Think how synergistic it would be to have ONLY ONE manager!
4It’s sooo easy to take down, err debate a Republican because all they have is ‘Lies and Blame the Democrats’. But the majority of the public will never hear that because Conservatives control the MSM, they control the message.
Oldie but goodie …
“Republicans can NOT win on the issues. They’ve got NOTHING. All they have is a divide and conquer class war that pits ignorant racist and bigoted people against the rest of us in a meaningless battle of wedge issues and the already proven to fail George W. Bush agenda again of tax cuts for the rich, deregulation, privatization and war profiteering and nothing else, so all they can do is blame black people, gays the government, anybody and everyone else for their own failings. The party of personal responsibility, my ass.”
5https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2012/01/09/1053088/-An-open-letter-to-the-people-who-hate-Obama-more-than-they-love-America
John in Lake O- I hope Phil Mr Nike wasted a bunch of money (though just pocket change for him) supporting Betsy and now Drazen, however the election for governor is one I’m very concerned about. Betsy didn’t have a chance in this election and should have told the truth- her goal was always to elect a repugnantican gun toting, anti women’s reproductive rights magat as Governor.
6Carol wyatt is right, this game has been around for at least 40 years. I and my then-young colleagues had versions for faculty meetings (AKA faulty meetings). However, yelling Bingo! while some crusty old fart droned on was too obvious, so whoever won would drop a pencil on the floor. We switched to group email when laptops became common – the dinosaurs just could not figure out how the junior faculty could quickly form a voting bloc during a meeting.
I once insisted on adding a square for “Professor X pulls off his shoe and puts it on the table to rethread a broken shoelace”. Took three years for it to happen, but it finally paid off. I know and deeply understand cheapskates.
7Surly,
We carry a sack of bricks to our faculty meetings. If any teacher raises their hand to make a point or ask a question we throw a brick at them. It’s amazing how few questions there are and how much quicker our meetings have been going.
8The Repugs around here are doing the exact same thing: terrify the voting public but never, ever reveal whatever to actually help the vast majority of that voting public. Joe and Barack are on the right track.
9