Captive Audience

The Bushmeisters are masters of the outrage barrage: create enough outrages, and nobody has the time, energy or space to focus on all of them.

So for months and probably years the Bushwhackers have been getting away with turning ostensibly public forums and rallys into private members-only events. They give Bush the obverse of a captive audience: instead of keeping people in, they keep people out. It's the shopping mall philosophy of public event, with a little J.Edgar Hoover brand of fascism to boot.

They pretty much got away with it in the campaign, as when attendees at a Cheney events literally had to sign a loyalty oath. So even with no election to worry about, they are continuing the policy. In Fargo, North Dakota, no less.

"City Commissioner Linda Coates says she was shocked to learn she and her husband were among more than 40 area residents on a list of people barred from attending President Bush's speech here Thursday.
The list was supplied to workers at the two Fargo distribution sites, along with tickets and other forms citizens were asked to fill out, The Forum reported.
The list includes critics of Bush or the war in Iraq. It includes two high school students, a librarian, a deputy Democratic campaign manager and a number of university professors. "

So if you want to see the President, bring your Bushamerica card. It's the only card accepted by the Bushmeisters. They don't take the Bill of Rights.

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