Constitution Day Came and Went...No Sarah

Self | 9-17-11 | Self

[CincyRichieRich]

Constitution Day has come and gone. No sign of Sarah. Frustrated? Yep, I am. Dissappointed? Yep, I am. Do I have a clue what she'll do? Nope. I'm starting to doubt, though, that she'll run. I'm starting to think she's holding out for Perry's VP slot, but pounding on him may not sit well...but Bachman seems to be doing that well herself and deflecting blame. I don't know, I'm flustered a bit. Thanks for listening out there in Freepland. What say or predict you?

[Norm Lenhart]

How cute! Junior learned how to cuss on Daddy’s computer! Bless his little underdeveloped heart.

[NavyCanDo]

Never thought I’d say this, but so far Newt is the only candidate to impress me. And I don’t even like the guy. Except for him, I don’t see a take charge Leader in the whole bunch. I would welcome Palin to jump in and mix it up a bit. God knows the GOP field need a little excitement.

September, October, or even November , I don’t care.

Go Mama Grizzly!

[Windflier]

We are basically arguing with people that have no interest in anything other than their own opinions so what’s the point?

The PDS posse has become more sophisticated than they were a year ago. Back then, they just hurled invective at Palin, and made total asses of themselves. They were easy to spot by their unhinged behavior.

Some time since the Republican primary started up in earnest, they started posting repetitive anti-Palin talking points, ad infinitum, but eased up on the invective. They now sound more like paid political operatives, although I doubt that's true of most of them.

For what it's worth, I think a lot of the long-time anti-Palin crowd are just stuck in a rut of their own making, i.e., they've taken such a hardline stance about her, for so long, that it's impossible for them to back off of it now - even in the face of overwhelming reason and logic.

It comes down to simply being right for the sake of being right. Nothing more. In that wise, it has more to do with psychology than with the subject matter at hand. We may as well be arguing over sports. These battles can rage until we all drop dead from old age, and they still won't be resolved, because it's not the facts, or any sort of reason that matters - it's simply about defending ones point of view to the death, if need be.

I'm perfectly capable of shifting my viewpoint on any politician if they give me sufficient cause to do so, but Sarah Palin has not done that. On the contrary, she's reinforced everything my instincts first told me about her, from day one. I honestly do not feel that I'm reflexively defending her. She's given me actual reasons to support her, so it's not about arguing in her favor on a stimulus-response basis.

I'm getting long-winded here (again), so I'll end off by saying that I think most of us Palin supporters are arriving at the same conclusion at the same time, regarding these interminable internecine battles about her. We know that her announcement is imminent, and that the time for debate about her potentials and worthiness to hold the office of president, is over.

[Windflier]

EFF u 2

Randy, I'm on your side. Consider that last post a friendly tap on the shoulder.

[Windflier]

Appreciate the props, Lenny. I’m learning to lay back like you ;-)

[Springfield Reformer]

It occurred to me that I was engaged in an activity that I didn't have the slightest interest in, so I simply walked away and left it to spin all on its own.

I'm getting there too. The ultimate objective of the focused PDSer is demoralization. Engaging in protracted debates with them is not unlike deliberately listening to hours of Tokyo Rose then writing her a nasty-gram about how wrong she is. The truth is, it doesn’t matter how well formed your argument is or how right you are. They win, by virtue of sucking you into endless hours of argument you can never win, because your arguments go in one ear and out the other. No effect.

The flip side is the readership of FR. There are lots of people who come here to find out what the buzz is, to see the candidate research play out in a real debate. We are the conservative simulator for experimenting with political ideas. We are lurked by major news organizations, and more importantly, by the leaders of conservative talk. I know this is true because I've heard it referenced by Levin and others.

So we have a real dilemma. Do we fight to the death every appearance of PDS here on FR, and waste our days with arguments that cannot be won because there is no real engagement, or do we cede the field for the next few weeks at least, knowing that in four weeks or less, Sarah will herself resolve the bulk of the argument by the utterance of two simple words, "I'm in," or "I'm out."

Unless someone can convince me otherwise, here is my position. The lurking community is important. Many of them are the Palin base whose energy will be needed in the boot on the ground phase of this project, so falsehoods that would cause them to stumble should be met head on, as usual.

But time has value, and when I start to feel like I'm going in circles, and the best arguments have already been put out there for all readers to consider, it's time for me to pull back, and let the PDSers flail away all by their lonesome.

Am I missing something, or does this seem reasonable?

[calex59]

What the he** is it with you and the damn meows you keep sending to RL? Are you some kind of pu**y or what? Only little kids do sh** like that. You have something to say to him then be a man about it.

[Norm Lenhart]

“These battles can rage until we all drop dead from old age, and they still won’t be resolved, because it’s not the facts, or any sort of reason that matters - it’s simply about defending ones point of view to the death, if need be.”

I’d said this on another thread but this reminds me of the pic of the guy sitting at the computer in the dark while his impatient wife stands behind him. The caption reads “I can’t go to bed now!!! Someone is wrong on the internet!!!”

Every time you/everyone sees a PDSer on a troll binge, think of that pic and have a good laugh at them because that’s exactly your point summed up in one perfect picture Windflier ... to perfection ;)

[Norm Lenhart]

It’s sarcasm directed at his Viking Kitty comments.

[calex59]

It’s babyish is what it is. Of course that is just MO and probably not worth much.

[LaybackLenny]

Amen.

To coin a phrase: "Just say NO", and move along.

[Norm Lenhart]

Nope. Dead on agreement. Make the point, call them on the BS, invite the lurker/readers to reference said troll’s post history (they really hate when you do that, trust me ;) proving that said troll is indeed a troll, and that’s the best we can do.

Endless circular arguing is indeed pointless. We don’t have to cede the field, just play it wisely.

[Gargantua]

Make my day, constipated grinkie.

8^D

[Norm Lenhart]

Nope. Not really. But your point is taken. Ignored, but taken.

[PhiloBedo]

Thanks FReepers for some entertaining reading, tonight!!

[ReignOfError]

ESTRAGON: Let's back a candidate.
VLADIMIR: We can't.
ESTRAGON: Why not?
VLADIMIR: We're waiting for Sarah.
ESTRAGON: (despairingly). Ah! (Pause.) You're sure it was here?
VLADIMIR: What?
ESTRAGON: That we were to wait.
VLADIMIR: She said by the tree. (They look at the tree.) Do you see any others?
ESTROGEN: What is it?
VLADIMIR: I don't know. A willow.
ESTRAGON: Where are the leaves?
VLADIMIR: It must be dead.
ESTRAGON: No more weeping.
VLADIMIR: Or perhaps it's not the season.
ESTRAGON: Looks to me more like a bush.
VLADIMIR: A shrub.
ESTRAGON: A bush.
VLADIMIR: A—. What are you insinuating? That we've come to the wrong place?
ESTRAGON: She should be here.
VLADIMIR: She didn't say for sure she'd declare.
ESTRAGON: And if she doesn't declare?
VLADIMIR: We'll come back tomorrow.
ESTRAGON: And then the day after tomorrow.
VLADIMIR: Possibly.
ESTRAGON: And so on.
VLADIMIR: The point is—
ESTRAGON: Until she declares.
VLADIMIR: You're merciless.
ESTRAGON: We came here yesterday.
VLADIMIR: Ah no, there you're mistaken.
ESTRAGON: What did we do yesterday?
VLADIMIR: What did we do yesterday?
ESTRAGON: Yes.
VLADIMIR: Why . . . (Angrily.) Nothing is certain when you're about.
ESTRAGON: In my opinion we were here.
VLADIMIR: (looking round). You recognize the place?
ESTRAGON: I didn't say that.
VLADIMIR: Well?
ESTRAGON: That makes no difference.
VLADIMIR: All the same . . . that tree . . . (turning towards auditorium) that bog . . .
ESTRAGON: You're sure it was this evening?
VLADIMIR: What?
ESTRAGON: That we were to wait.
VLADIMIR: Drudge said Saturday. (Pause.) I think.
ESTRAGON: You think.

[Windflier]

So we have a real dilemma. Do we fight to the death every appearance of PDS here on FR, and waste our days with arguments that cannot be won because there is no real engagement, or do we cede the field for the next few weeks at least, knowing that in four weeks or less, Sarah will herself resolve the bulk of the argument by the utterance of two simple words, "I'm in," or "I'm out."

SR, your question begs all of us to search our hearts and consider the greatest good for the greatest number. I read a call to duty between the lines, there.

I suppose that I'm simply flagged from (literally) years of battling it out on this forum on Sarah's behalf. I can name maybe another dozen or so posters who have likewise been as dedicated to holding the line against the idiotic attacks and flagrant mis-characterizations of Sarah Palin that have graced these pages for the last two and a half years.

It's been a long and brutal slog for us, and as Norm said, we've been compelled to answer the same stock PDS attack points over and over, and over again - with the same facts, logic, and reason. After a while, it begins to feel like Bill Murray's "Groundhog Day". The battles are utterly predictable, and never-changing.

But, back to my point.... I hear in your post a call to rally the troops for one final push against the horde. I hear you.

In my view, the best response on our part should be indirect. By that, I mean, stop addressing the wind-up dolls directly, and simply post our best thoughts to the original poster, or to All. Stop engaging the trolls, operatives, and the deranged directly, as there's NO profit in it.

I guess I'm saying that we staunch SP supporters ought to seriously apply the "Don't Feed The Trolls" policy from here, until Sarah's announcement.

What do you think?

[Norm Lenhart]

But the 2012 election is more than an absurdist play is it not? Surely waiting until a candidate reaches the end of her self announced timeframe (more than a year out from said election no less) a couple weeks can’t seriously matter...

If so, how?

[Eye of Unk]

I have and will pretty much continue to refuse feeding the trolls.

All I know is that we are on a long march all together and their are some who are getting weary.

Fortitude and stamina is what differentiates many from winning the game.

But its plain to see by Sarah staying tactically hidden on the field of battle the snipers have no target, that is perfectly fine with me.

[Windflier]

...this reminds me of the pic of the guy sitting at the computer in the dark while his impatient wife stands behind him. The caption reads “I can’t go to bed now!!! Someone is wrong on the internet!!!”

I saw that cartoon last week and laughed so hard, I nearly cried. That artist captured my point perfectly.

As I said in my previous post, we're not dealing with rational argument here. Those with the most strident anti-Palin views around here are also the most likely to haunt the Palin threads, saying the same things over and over again, despite endless replies to them that defeat their arguments.

It's a psychological phenomenon we're dealing with - not politics. It's got a clinical description, too. It's called Palin Derangement Syndrome.