The Republican echo chamber attacks anyone who disagrees with their madness and derides them as pawns of the HollywoodLiberalElite®.  Never mind the fact Hollywood entertainers hold more clout in Republican policy circles. Facts are tedious, boring things. Besides, a few well timed jokes about Michael Moore's weight and you can keep folks laughing and distracted for days.  

That difference in approach captures the basic problem with public discourse.  We want to talk substance, they want to talk personalities.  Like it or not, people prefer their approach. There is no point denying human nature; we need to embrace reality and use it to our advantage.

Fortunately, this election season the Republicans have provided a perfect opportunity for us to beat them at their own game.  I'm talking about the Corrupt Bastards Club.  Here's the best part... you can play too.

I remember when Richard Pryor dropped the n-word from his routine.  It was after he went to Africa.  He realized there weren't any over there...even though the continent was chock full of black folk.  He came back and decided to label himself, his brothers and sisters in a more dignified and respectful way.

What we call ourselves says a lot about how we view ourselves and how we want others to view us.  

We do the same thing with political labels.  Democrats become "Liberals" become "progressives" become "reality-based."  Republicans have gone from calling themselves "Conservatives" to being members of the "GOP," the "Party of Lincoln," or more recently, the "Corrupt Bastards Club."  This is not an epithet I am hurling around like "fascist" or "liar."  I wish I had thought of it... but I didn't.  This is a term Republicans used among themselves behind closed doors...