I finished teaching a unit on the Cold War this week with a viewing of clips and reading of selections from 1984. As we were watching one of the clips of the 2 minutes hate from the film, all I could think of was that it looked like the Republican debate. This point was driven home Friday night on Real Time, when in his New Rules segment, Bill Maher pieced together clips from the Faux debate.

The previous week on Real Time, Maher had Frank Luntz on his show. Frank banged the drum about how Democrats always tell everyone what they are against but never what they are for. Arianna Huffington attempted to jump on him for this, but in usually rethug-buly fashion, Luntz got the taking points out there.

Why is it that Republicans manage to convince people that Democrats don't have real positions on issues, when it is really the Republicans who aren't FOR anything. Watch any Republican on television. They all spew hate and double-speak. There is no content to anything they say that cannot be translated "It's us against them. They are evil: We are your saviors." Let's call it what it really is "War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery."

What we need is for the Democratic candidates to grow some balls and call them on it. Every time a Democrat answers the Republican charges of not having a position by trying to state their positions, they lend creedence to the Republican charges. What is needed is for someone to call them on it. Turn the tables. Have the nads to say, "No, Frank, Republicans are the ones who are against everything." "Republicans are the ones who define who they are by what/who they hate." When Republicans start invoking 9/11 call it what it really is, an Orwellian 2 Minutes hate. Unfortunately the 2 minutes hate has been on-going for years. If we are to stop it, someone has to identify it to break its spell.