I cannot say this enough. The policy front speaks for itself. But the meta-politics is real. It's a big. But it's something Democrats have great difficulty with.The . . . the what? The meta-politics. What the fuck is that? I mean, it's like, it's uh, it's politics that's aware that it's politics? It's politics made conscious of its own artifice? Politics crafted to deal with its own politicsness? A screaming comes across the sky, you losers. Fin.
Josh Marshall
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Scott Brown Day, a Continuing Celebration, Part II
Labels:
Netrootsia,
Scott Brown Day,
the Donkle
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18 comments:
Hosea Micro-Marshmallow imagines himself wise and deep.
He's more like a sunshower rainpuddle on a perfectly flat sidewalk.
We were never interested in politics qua politics...
I don't understand your confusion, IOZ. Meta-politics is clearly defined in the next sentence: "It's a big."
My God, I am enjoying this way too much. I didn't realize just how much I hated the Democratic Party. Now the Schadenfreude is almost overpowering.
meta politics = "you suck our cocks and also pay us a thousand dollars."
Maybe politics of changing politics, like adopting a new constitution or the idealized essence of Obama.
Maybe Laszlo Jamf got his hands on Marshall when he was a child.
Marshall first started using the term "meta-politics" in this post here:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/003295.php
The post was written during the 2004 Presidential campaign, at a moment when Kerry was starting to defend himself against the attacks on his wartime record.
Marshall thought that this was significant and explained its significance in this way:
"There is a meta-debate going on here, one that I'm not sure even the practitioners fully articulate to themselves and one that I'm painfully aware the victims don't fully understand.
Demonstrating Kerry's unwillingness to defend himself (if Bush can do that) is a far more tangible sign of what he's made of than wartime experiences of thirty years ago.
Hitting someone and not having them hit back hurts the morale of that person's supporters, buoys the confidence of your own backers (particularly if many tend toward an authoritarian mindset) and tends to make the person who's receiving the hits into an object of contempt (even if also possibly also one of sympathy) in the eyes of the uncommitted."
It's rehashed Gregory Bateson and good practical political advice, if all you are interested in is winning elections.
Julian
Mark your calendars. January 20, 2010 is the day politics became self-aware.
Marshall is arguing that the substance of a political disaster means a lot less to the average voter than how the weakened party responds - do they panic, or they fight back?
Fwiw, it looks like Marshall is about to give up on the Dems altogether.
Julian
Thank you IOZ, Josh Marshall often gets a pass for some of the (somewhat) aggressive reporting on his site, but I called him out way back on his one-sided coverage of some Israeli breathing-room blitzkrieg or other and he's banned me since...
Nudgement Day!
Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you!
Perhaps the Republicans will send a terminator back in time to kill Josh Marshall's mother before he was born.
Of the first four, I'd have to say that this post takes the cake. Though Ezra's is close...meta-politics? What the fuck are you, some kind of park ranger?
@Agi - that movie would be called Killing Sarah Marshall?
thank you thank you
I think by "meta-politics" he actually means "politics," and by "politics" he actually means "policy." It's how they look vs. what they achieve.
Rowan ftw.
now everybody-
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