Distraction as Strategy

In response to Tragedy to Travesty to Distraction:

The Trayvon-Zimmerman is a distraction in some ways. It certainly provided cover for that disastrous Senate deal on the filibuster. But having spent some time writing about Obama’s organizing group, “Organizing for Action,” its clearer than ever to me that “distraction” is essential to Obama’s long-term strategy of building a nationwide left-wing political organization that can reframe the American political debate.

Obama’s method is to pick “wedge” issues that motivate his base–not just for elections, but constantly. Many of the fights he picks are losers (like gun control)–but that doesn’t matter. He, and his minions, tell their army of volunteers that each loss is just a battle in the longer war. They lose a few disgruntled volunteers along the way, but the core that remains is disciplined,  motivated, and completely ideologically committed to the cause.

So what looks like “distraction” to us as conservatives–and also to the majority of Americans who consider other issues far more important–is actually strategy for Obama. We’ll wake up too late to figure it out.