In addition to being a Big Lie – not opinion or spin, but demonstrably false – remember that Republicans have a long history with dog whistle politics. In this case, it’s fascinating that they’re once again going back to the well of attacking individual “welfare” recipients. Historically, back in the “bad old days,” this kind of attack was meant to send a not-so-subtle message to white people about minorities. For instance, check out Waldo Jaquith’s take on the infamous “black hands” ad:
Another well-known [Republican political consultant] Scott Howell ad was the “black hands” piece – as it’s now known – that he created for now-Senator Tom Coburn in his 2004 race against Democratic Rep. Brad Carson. The two were running a tough, close race for the open seat, and, come October, it was anybody’s race. Scott Howell put together an ad attacking Carson. In the commercial, two TVs were displayed – the one on the left showing excerpts from Carson’s TV ads, the one on the right showing juxtaposed images, intended to contrast with Carson’s claims. Halfway through the ad, the narrator accused Carson of not being tough enough on immigrants or Oklahomans on welfare. Right when the word “welfare” was spoken, the television on the right displayed a pair of obviously-black hands, counting through a stack of cash. The message was that Carson, a Democrat, was on the side of poor, black, urban Oklahoma City residents, a demographic seen by some white centrists as an economic drain.
No, this ad by Romney isn’t nearly as blatant as that, but still, to be bringing up individual welfare (can’t mention the far, far larger CORPORATE welfare, which crony capitalist Romney clearly supports – god forbid!) in this campaign, not coincidentally against our country’s first African American president, and also when this hasn’t been an issue at all in the campaign nor anything people have been talking about, is…well, let’s just say it’s more than a bit suspicious. Add to that the fact that it’s an outright lie, and there you have Romney’s character in a nutshell: a) pathological liar who is b) willing to say ANYTHING to get elected. Why on earth would ANY American vote for that?!?
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