They’re down, but they’re not out.  Yet.

It’s time to put the GOP out of its misery this election cycle by standing up for REAL America, and against the GOP’s Corporate America.

Don’t believe me?  You think that running against corporate America is a bad idea?

Well, don’t take MY word for it.  Take the word of Frank Luntz.  And the words of his Republican friends.
Lost in the already much discussed New York Times article about the Living Wage vs. Productivity gap are some flatly AMAZING quotes from the GOP side of the aisle.

But polls show that Americans disapprove of President Bush’s handling of the economy by wide margins and that anxiety about the future is growing. Earlier this month, the University of Michigan reported that consumer confidence had fallen sharply in recent months, with people’s expectations for the future now as downbeat as they were in 1992 and 1993, when the job market had not yet recovered from a recession.

“Some people who aren’t partisans say, `Yes, the economy’s pretty good, so why are people so agitated and anxious?’ ” said Frank Luntz, a Republican campaign consultant. “The answer is they don’t feel it in their weekly paychecks.”

Gee…you think, Frank?  Maybe if you keep helping enough voters believe that the Estate Tax is wrongly named, and call it the Death Tax instead to get it repealed, the average American will have more money in their pockets.  No?  You mean the billionaires are keeping it all and the little guy is getting screwed?  Unbelievable!  Where’s the trickle down when we need it!?

But it gets even better.  Here’s the money quote:

But Mr. Luntz predicted that the economic mood would not do significant damage to Republicans this fall because voters blamed corporate America, not the government, for their problems.

You hear that, you timid DLC Democrats?  You hear that, you populist-message-averse moral midgets of the “centrist” left?  That’s the horsey’s own mouth talking.

The horsey is letting you know in NO UNCERTAIN TERMS that the same Corporate America that is buying America lock, stock and barrel in a Hostile Takeover through the ventriloquist dummy of the Republican Party, is viewed completely separately from that Republican Party.

The same Corporate America that is lining the pockets of everyone from George Bush to Rick Santorum’s lowliest staffer is going to get away with the wholesale purchase of the government, and the public isn’t going to call them on it.

And the same GOP that has been trashing and ruining our Government by selling us down the river to the Corporate fat cats and then telling us, “See? Government doesn’t work!”, are going to get away with dissociating themselves the very government they created as if the disaster happened all by itself.

It’s time to grow some balls (figuratively speaking) and TIE THIS ELEPHANT TO CORPORATE AMERICA–AND RUN AGAINST THEM BOTH.

There are two economies out there,” Mr. Cook, the political analyst, said. “One has been just white hot, going great guns. Those are the people who have benefited from globalization, technology, greater productivity and higher corporate earnings.

“And then there’s the working stiffs,” he added, “who just don’t feel like they’re getting ahead despite the fact that they’re working very hard. And there are a lot more people in that group than the other group.”

Two economies: one for the working stiffs, the other for Corporate America.

And yet, according to Frank Luntz, the working stiffs will rail against Corporate America, while voting in their favorite Gods, Guns and Gays politicians.

And he’s right.  They’ll do exactly that.  Unless, of course, some progressive politicians with a fucking spine step in draw the connection for the voters.

I’ll close where the article closes–with a quote from Treasury Secretary Paulson that would be hilarious if it weren’t so tragic and infuriating:

“Many aren’t seeing significant increases in their take-home pay,” Mr. Paulson said. “Their increases in wages are being eaten up by high energy prices and rising health care costs, among others.”

At the same time, he said that the Bush administration was not responsible for the situation, pointing out that inequality had been increasing for many years. “It is neither fair nor useful,” Mr. Paulson said, “to blame any political party.”

Oh…I think it’s fair alright.  It’s true that the disparities were also growing under Clinton–though slower than they are now.  Then again, Clinton’s DLC policies allowed for NAFTA and a host of other anti-worker legislation.

But whether or not it’s fair–and it is–I’ll be damned if it isn’t useful.  I can guarantee you Frank Luntz would use it.  Of course, the Bob Shrums and D.C. Democratic consultants have such a better track record than the likes of Frank Luntz, that I’m sure they know what they’re doing.  They’ll just come out with a fany slogan like “Six for ’06” or “Let America Be America Again” and everything will be fine and dandy…

What are you waiting for, Reid and Pelosi?  A graven invitation?  

The GOP is running scared.  The door has been left wide open.

It’s time get some balls and walk through it.  It’s time to run an old-school, Huey Long populist economic campaign to go along with a national-security Withdraw from the Occupation of Iraq campaign.

It’s time to draw the distinction between REAL America–owners of the DEMOCRATIC party–and CORPORATE America, owners of the GOP.

Or we can play timid and watch Frank Luntz laugh.

Your choice.

[Cross-posted from My Left Wing, and Daily Kos]