Relational Aggression

According to Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney does not care about the ‘very poor’
Mitt Romney mockingly congratulated Newt Gingrich on the 15^th anniversary of his censure for ethics violations

And on it goes.  Ron Paul has even produced campaign ads that have been banned.  These ads, like the statements above, are not lies.  And admittedly, the stakes are high—presidential nomination of the republican party.

So is it ok to “play” in ways that state legislature is trying to ban in the schoolyards??

Mockery, out-of-context implications, cruel ‘asides’, and attempts to intimidate are all fair tactics we have no qualms about modeling for our children.

Perhaps they are ok for children to mimick since what is at stake for them is of even greater consequence to their daily well-being than any  campaign is to the well-being of the candidates.

Be clear, outside the context of the campaign, we would call this behavior ‘bullying’

We all have done or said things that we might be held accountable for—just as Newt might be held accountable for the fact of his ethics violations censure or the fact of his numerous marriages, or Mitt for the facts surrounding his business decisions while running Bain capital,   but can’t these facts speak for themselves?

Perhaps not.

Start the discussion with a concrete example that has been publicly censured:  What about Ron Paul’s ads are not factual?  What (if anything) about them is wrong?