***Ignoring "concern trolls"***
by kos
Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 12:58:26 PM PST
In my first regular column for The Hill, I introduce DC to the concept of "concern trolling", which is quite the fad in GOP circles.
The idea of Republicans offering strategic advice to Democrats is, quite frankly, absurd. If high-profile Democratic efforts to bolster SCHIP were truly such a strategic miscalculation, Republicans surely would’ve kept silent and let Democrats damage themselves.
In the blog world we call this "concern trolling" — offering a poisoned apple in the form of advice to political opponents that, if taken, would harm the recipient. Republicans, and their allies in the media, are past masters.
As Democrats fought the Iraq supplementals in 2007, "one GOP aide characterized the Democrats’ decision as a ‘gift’ that would backfire politically on the Democrats." David Broder, whose concern trolling on behalf of the D.C. conservative establishment is unrivaled in its longevity and schoolmarmish tone, fretted that, "The danger may be greatest for the Democrats, even though President Bush’s failings have put them in a favored position to win the next election."
Magnified by the Beltway echo chamber, this concern trolling led to many Democratic capitulations on Iraq despite continued massive opposition to the war. The result has been a Congress less popular than even Bush [...]
Clearly, Democrats understand that they’re not in the business of giving their opponents advice. What they need to remember is that they shouldn’t be in the business of taking it, either.
It really is amazing that in this day and age, Democrats are still unable to identify and dismiss concern trolling from its enemies. It's a skill they need to learn if they are to become a more effective (and fearless) governing party.
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