Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

  • Shop
  • Subscribe to BMG
  • Contact
  • Log In
  • Front Page
  • All Posts
  • About
  • Rules
  • Events
  • Register on BMG

The Pathos of Denial

March 10, 2011 By steven-j-gulitti

You know as far as being honest about the role of the Koch brothers in Scott Walker’s anti-union efforts, it’s been more than somewhat amusing to see the elaborate kabuki dance of denial, self delusion and double talk that has emerged on the right since the Madison protests began. It seems that some of my good friends on the far right, a few who can clearly be classified as members of the fringe element, have worked overtime at trying to deny the very clear, apparent and undeniable role played by Charles and David Koch in what has become a Midwestern assault on public employee unions. Now at the risk of sounding too high handed, lets all understand one simple thing: If the Koch brothers found and fund an organization like American’s for Prosperity, and that organization’s leadership publically states that it is out to cripple public employee unions, then the link is indisputable and undeniable. That link would be undeniable when viewed by any intelligent and reasonable, right thinking human person, that is. I find the inability, on the part of some of my right leaning friends, to honestly admit the undeniable, a development that for me engenders the utmost pity for them in their self inflicted plight.

For you see every time someone denies established facts his credibility suffers as a result, to the point that it can be diluted to such an extent that it can never be repaired or even restored. All this at the cost of a great effort at vigorously denying that the Koch brothers are involved with these anti-union efforts, in spite of quotes from Dave Koch himself as to their role in founding and funding AFP and of AFP’s president Mr. Phillips and his hit man Mr. Hagerstrom of their desire to “cut the unions off at the knees.” This public denial of the obvious is something that can only be classified as deep denial and severe self delusion. I am sure that there are clinical classifications for this type of behavior, but that’s beyond my pay grade and professional certification. If it’s not the aforementioned then it’s just plain old deflection or outright fraud. Either way it’s a losing proposition for those who have taken up the fight of trying to publicly disentangle the Koch brothers from events in Wisconsin and beyond. This is particularly amusing as the Koch brothers themselves have never denied their involvement, even as their water carriers have been working overtime in an attempt to do so. That said, how much longer are those who are busy talking in circles amongst themselves going to continue to fool themselves as to the degree of impact that they might be having on the current national discussion? In reality, by continuing to deny the undeniable, they have effectively removed themselves from the larger discussion and are only talking to each other and reinforcing their continued self delusional fantasies as the rest of reasonable humanity has long since tuned them out.

Perhaps this affliction on the right that is the result of the heavy involvement of the Koch brothers and other big money players in the Tea Party Movement. Perhaps it has it’s roots in the desire of the Tea Party crowd to go on believing that the “movement” is actually a genuine grass roots operation rather than an organization pumped up with the money of the wealthy and puffed up by all of the free press It has received from Fox News. Perhaps all of this big money involvement, especially the part it played in the last election, has given rise to a certain uneasiness among the rank and file of the far right, suggesting that they have ceased to be in control of their own “movement”, if in fact they ever were. That uneasiness would in fact be very hard to cope with over the long term, especially when the interests of big money leave their little allies behind as they pursue their own specific interests. If that is in fact the cause of this complicated dance of denial, then that would go a long way to explaining things. Short of that explanation, I’m not sure that another exists out there in the realm of the real world.

Steve Gulitti

3/10/11

Please share widely!
fb-share-icon
Tweet
0
0

Filed Under: User Tagged With: americans-for-prosperity, fox-news, koch-brothers, madison-protests, scott-hagerstrom, scott-walker, tea-party-movement, tim-phillips

Recommended Posts

  • No posts liked yet.

Recent User Posts

Predictions Open Thread

December 22, 2022 By jconway

This is why I love Joe Biden

December 21, 2022 By fredrichlariccia

Garland’s Word

December 19, 2022 By terrymcginty

Some Parting Thoughts

December 19, 2022 By jconway

Beware the latest grift

December 16, 2022 By fredrichlariccia

Thank you, Blue Mass Group!

December 15, 2022 By methuenprogressive

Recent Comments

  • blueeyes on Beware the latest griftSo where to, then??
  • Christopher on Some Parting ThoughtsI've enjoyed our discussions as well (but we have yet to…
  • Christopher on Beware the latest griftI can't imagine anyone of our ilk not already on Twitter…
  • blueeyes on Beware the latest griftI will miss this site. Where are people going? Twitter?…
  • chrismatth on This site (will be disabled on) December 31, 2022I joined BMG late - 13 years ago next month and three da…
  • SomervilleTom on Geopolitics of FusionEVERY un-designed, un-built, and un-tested technology is…
  • Charley on the MTA on This site (will be disabled on) December 31, 2022That’s a great idea, and I’ll be there on Sunday. It’s a…

Archive

@bluemassgroup on Twitter

#mapoli

shocks legitimate businessman @shocks ·
6m

we’ve fucked up housing policy so badly that it’s making fuckin worcester expensive #mapoli #bospoli

Reply on Twitter 1620373810259312641 Retweet on Twitter 1620373810259312641 Like on Twitter 1620373810259312641 Twitter 1620373810259312641
headlineoptics Headline Optics @headlineoptics ·
17m

You’re paying for it: Massachusetts abortion hotline now offers free legal advice https://www.masspolicyreport.com/2023/01/31/youre-paying-for-it-massachusetts-abortion-hotline-now-offers-free-legal-advice/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter @masspolicy #MApoli #Massachusetts

Reply on Twitter 1620371068514111488 Retweet on Twitter 1620371068514111488 Like on Twitter 1620371068514111488 Twitter 1620371068514111488
projectbread Project Bread @projectbread ·
52m

Thank you, @senjehlen, for cosponsoring HD766/SD1013 and investing in the health and future of our children. Passing #SchoolMealsforAll is key to increasing equitable access to healthy, nutritious food for all students –so no child goes hungry. #FeedKidsMa #mapoli

Reply on Twitter 1620362251491315713 Retweet on Twitter 1620362251491315713 Like on Twitter 1620362251491315713 Twitter 1620362251491315713
headlineoptics Headline Optics @headlineoptics ·
2h

New jails are popping up coast to coast. These activists share how to fight back. https://www.masspolicyreport.com/2023/01/31/new-jails-are-popping-up-coast-to-coast-these-activists-share-how-to-fight-back/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter @masspolicy #MApoli #Massachusetts

Reply on Twitter 1620343385658916870 Retweet on Twitter 1620343385658916870 Like on Twitter 1620343385658916870 Twitter 1620343385658916870
massgopdaily Daily GOP News @massgopdaily ·
3h

Another one in the L column for Lyons as his last ditch effort to rid a vote against him (through appeal) fails. #mapoli

Reply on Twitter 1620335349993201664 Retweet on Twitter 1620335349993201664 Like on Twitter 1620335349993201664 Twitter 1620335349993201664
legislataapp Legislata @legislataapp ·
3h

Tweet summary for MA State House for 2023-01-30: 140 tweets from 46 legislators. Top words: jamieeldridgema, senjehlen, repjimoday, reproequity_now, progressivemass, senjasonlewis, erika4rep, legal, juliancyr, abortion. #mapoli

Reply on Twitter 1620332764472942592 Retweet on Twitter 1620332764472942592 Like on Twitter 1620332764472942592 Twitter 1620332764472942592
Load More

From our sponsors




Google Calendar







Search

Archives

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter




Copyright © 2023 Owned and operated by BMG Media Empire LLC. Read the terms of use. Some rights reserved.