The Democrats have certainly gotten their act together in their effort to define themselves. Throughout this election the Republicans have failed to define their opponents as they so successfully did with Kerry and Gore. For that I appreciate how they are rediscovering their spine.
No doubt this is a finely crafted bit of propaganda. That in itself does not make it evil. Propaganda is just political persuasion. We all need it. This half hour infomercial is full of symbols and personal stories that reinforce a lot of classic (and perhaps deceptive) images of America: wheat fields, auto workers, multicultural civil society, etc. This is as white and mainstream a portrayal as you would get in the most banal Disney film on the Family Channel. Is this supposed to dupe me into accepting some kind of “friendly fascism“?
As an exercise, we could certainly deconstruct this ad and scribe a book about American myths. But that’s not my reason for writing. What I was feeling as I watched is a qualitative difference in energy that I find welcome, and revealing. I think the scare tactics of Bush and Co. worked under a certain context, that of 9/11. But it’s apparent people want solutions, not fear.
When Palin came on the scene and gave McCain his big bump, I was sure that once again the scared ex-burbans would control our fate, the same populous that bought into the commuter car myth and into the housing bubble, the same high-metabolism, petrochemical prefab reality lining America’s highway corridors, a disembodied reality that’s coming to an end (for visual proof, notice how almost all the people in the video are overweight– a bodily representation of living beyond our means). That was supposed to be Palin territory, and the Republican’s sure bet that people would vote for no change out of a fear of acknowledging that their lifestyle has come to end.
If there is one thing the Republicans have mastered is denial, a lack of self-criticism, and the rhetorical skill to mask their true agenda. This doesn’t mean the Democrats are the good guys riding in on the white horse to save our crumbling Western town and to stave off the raiding Indians. But I genuinely feel like the will and energy is now apparent to fix our problems, symbolized by how Obama rolls up his sleeves.
It has been shown that political ads, for the most part, shore up and reinforce the base to help reconfirm and solidify those who intend to support you. Very little of them actually change people’s decision, but it does work on a small percentage. The Democrats are now targeting these undecided ex-burbans, to whom I say, get off the fricken fence. The mythical undecided voter has become the symbol of American ineptitude. If there is a person out there who does not see at this point that the national superjetliner is crashing, we are truly doomed. And it’s not terrorists taking it down. It’s just out of gas, and we have no one to blame but ourselves. Are we going to let hysterical alcoholic first class passengers take over the controls, or let skilled pilots glide the plane for a softer landing? Ultimately I don’t like this metaphor because it implies the solution is trusting the skilled technicians to solve our problems, when in fact what it takes is our collective wisdom and combined creativity. Can we rebuild the plane in midair? That would be interesting.
In Italy fascism is on the rise. So for now it feels good that maybe I can make a difference in my home country to help it choose a different path. For once I feel like I’m not voting for the anti-Republican, that is, casting a negative vote. I feel like as imperfect as the process is, this is a step forward towards reclaiming democracy.
I remember the feeling in NYC after the last election. I don’t want to see everyone walking around like zombies as they did four years ago when Bush with his so-called mandate and political capital strode back into washington in his stretch limo Hummer and blackhawk escort.
I implore you to your bit and change the energy. Vote. Please. The world is begging you to do it.
