A Train By Any Other Name
Can we talk? Not really. Not if we're Republicans it seems. We constantly stumble over words and pull our punches. When we occasionally do resonate, like Sarah Palin did with "death panels" we seem not to notice. Everybody in America knew exactly what she meant. Most everyone at least quietly knew she was right. But when the Democrats and their media howled and went after her personally, even war heroes like John McCain lost his voice. "Harry and Louise" scuttled whatever chance HillaryCare had. The "swiftboaters" obviously took a lot of wind out of John Kerry's sails despite outrageously false coverage and characterization by that same Democratic media cabal. And yet Romney ... you know what happened. Again.
Messaging is short and sweet these days, no make that short and caustic. To survive, the GOP must do what the Democrats do, including some plain old name calling. I offer this example, that we start referring to the seemingly unstoppable Southwest LRT multi-billion dollar boondoggle as the more descriptive Solyndra Commuter Rail Line.
Commuter Rail is actually the more correct term, since the Solynda line will primarily serve second ring surburban Park and Ride lots. Other than arriving at Target Field on the outskirts of downtown Minneapolis there are no "destinations" along the way, avoiding even Uptown. As such, it much more resembles the Northstar Commuter Rail Line, an undeniable failure in every way, especially financially.
The name Solyndra immediately brings that to mind, most well aware of the half billion in lost "stimulus" dollars. The Federal government was well aware of Solyndra's situation and went ahead anyway. And so it is here, our Minnesota government following the same public / private business model that seldom succeeds in general, and has no chance here. But our losses will likely be two or three times that of Solyndra. Maybe if we pound this drum loud enough, we can finally end this nonsense.
While I'm at it, forget this Green Line, Blue Line, Red Line silliness. Let's rename the Hiawatha LRT as the Jesse Line, after Governor Ventura who is as guilty as anyone for this project. The Central Corridor LRT could be the Julia Line, since it has something for every phase of Obama's fictional heroine's life, a tribute to the eyes wide shut liberalism of the two Mayors.
I'm not for the personal attacks the DFL regularly uses, but provably dumb ideas and absurd policy should be labeled quickly for what they are, in the most effective succinct ways possible.
Cross-posted and comments welcome at Speed Gibson.