By LEE BALLARD

The topic is Republican advertising.  The tactics of the millionaires in Raleigh and their think-tanks and foundations have been documented elsewhere. (The most complete can be Googled at “state for sale pope mayer.”) 

In 2010, the millionaires targeted 22 General Assembly contests in North Carolina, and they won 16 (some say 18) of them.  It’s reported they spent $2.2 million on that election. 

Their tactic was Pearl-Harbor style ─ slick advertising mailers in wave after wave in the closing weeks of the campaign, with no time for the unsuspecting Democrats to respond. 

Well, you can’t do Pearl Harbor twice.  So this year, Democrats knew something was coming.  But they weren’t prepared for Double Pearl Harbor.  This year is a case study in the old adage, “If you’re going to tell a lie, tell a big lie, and keep repeating it.”

As I write this, I’m looking at two examples of the Rich Raleigh Republican assassination advertising.  One is a slick card with seven words:  “Ray Rapp (in red) wants to destroy traditional marriage.”  The age-old tactic: Hit a good man where he’s strong. 

Rapp is a man of devout faith. The other ad piece has on the front:  “Ray Rapp (again in red) is failing our schools.”

On the reverse side is the usual stuff you get from people who want to shrink public schools and grow charter and private schools ─ but one bit is new. 

The ad copy says that Rapp claimed “he would improve our schools, then turned around and voted against pay raises for teachers.”

What? Ray Rapp has devoted his entire adult life to education.  But wait!  There’s a footnote!  Let’s see, House Bill 950.  What was that?  What?  It’s the appropriations bill for the 2012 state budget!

Tucked away in those budget billions is a 1.2 percent pay raise for teachers ─ but that budget also cut 6,000 education personnel to pay for the raise!

And in addition, the GOP legislature made an additional $190 million cut to K-12 public schools.  Rapp has said emphatically, “I could not and will not support such draconian cuts to education.”  So, sure, Rapp voted against that budget.  Same tactic:  hit him where he’s strong.

Anything this vile should not be rewarded.  There should be a backlash.  Nobody would bring cow dung into their house, so they shouldn’t give these mailers any greater respect.  We should all take matches to the mailbox.  And yes, a ceremony in every town that piles and burns these mailers would warm my heart.

I think I hear a reader saying, “Stop complaining!  Go get your own millionaires and smear Republicans!”

OK, if the choice is between getting millionaires and living under a government whose values and objectives I despise, then…hmmm. 

How about a massive barrage of TRUTH in 2014?  Truth against these people would be more terrible than their untruths against Democrats.  Maybe slicker, maybe earlier, maybe more words in red.     

A friend posed a question to me:  “I came here from South Carolina.  If this stuff works and we get South Carolina here, where can I go?”

I don’t know, I said.  Excuse me while I go wash my hands.

•

Lee Ballard lives in Mars Hill.