The first shows a bunch of hard-working middle- and lower-class people doing their normal things. Suddenly, a wooshing sound from up above is heard, and money is vacuumed out of their pockets and purses, money gets sucked up into the air, where obese plutocrat types (think Monopoly guys) are grabbing the money and laughing. A voice over says that Republican policies of the Bush administration have all sought to take money from the poor and middle classes and give them to the rich, citing the tax cuts, Social Security, bankruptcy law, tort reform, etc. as points. Recommends voting for candidates who believe things should be tipped the other way. Frequent use of words like "greed" and "gluttony" and "unfair" should be included.
The second has a quasi-military organization driving around with a personnel carrier, going door to door in a tasteful suburban neighborhood. The agents ask questions like "What religion are you?" and if the answer is "wrong", they get thrown in the van. The questions get more specific, like "Are you Christian?" and if the answer is "yes", then "What kind?" to which the answer might be "Catholic" and then they get thrown in the van too. Questions about sexual orientation, legal drug use, gun ownership, books read, shows watched, etc. Again a voiceover saying that current executive branch policies are leading to a world where people can get thrown in jail for what they believe or who they love and that we need to change it.
These ads, if done by someone with the right talent, would be striking images along the lines of LBJ's mushroom cloud ad. They may be a bit extreme, but so what? I was talking to
blackbytes today who thought that Democrats are down forever. If we really believe that, shouldn't we go down guns a-blazing? If you've got nothing to lose why not stick to your core beliefs, lash out with an aggressive, bold message, and see if maybe, just maybe, people will like you because you stand for something again? Republicans are saying bolder and more audacious things every day, slamming the needle to the right, and making center seem liberal. I'm sick and tired of it. 