The use of the “Race Card” in the political arena is, as we all know, used primarily by the left against conservatives and nearly each time it is employed, it is employed falsely. If a conservative does not agree with an Obama policy, that conservative is deemed a racist. If a conservative opposes affirmative action, that conservative is deemed a racist. If a conservative stands for stronger immigration laws…racist.

We have all see this tactic employed and to some extent, it can be effective but the effect is wearing thin with voters.

Liberals, from the get-go, tried and tried to use the “Race Card” against the Tea Party claiming the Tea Party was a racist movement. The tried to play that card against Glenn Beck when he held a rally on the Washington Mall on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

It isn’t working like it once did and the only reason it ever worked is because nobody wants to be thought of as a racist. It never mattered to the left whether or not those to whom that label was ascribed were actually racists, just vilify them as racists and in the court of public opinion, their star will fade. Raise the question in the minds of the public and, to liberals, problem solved.

Just because the overuse and false use of the “Race Card” has taken the bulk of the effect off of it doesn’t mean liberals are anywhere near dropping that as a tactic.

A while back, Politico was interviewing Mary Francis Berry and asked her whether or not “branding” the Tea Party as racists will work. Berry’s response was very telling:

“Tainting the Tea Party movement with the charge of racism is proving to be an effective strategy for Democrats.  There is no evidence that tea party adherents are any more racist than other Republicans, and indeed many other Americans. But getting them to spend their time purging their ranks and having candidates distance themselves should help Democrats win in November.  Having one’s opponent rebut charges of racism is far better than discussing joblessness.”

It’s a tactic, according to Berry, which does not rely on any facts whatsoever to introduce it into the conversation.

Okay, nothing new in that as it’s something we, as conservatives have known for along time but still, when the “Race Card” gets played, especially when it is falsely applied, some time must be taken to dismiss it and some amount of focus from the real issues must be shifted to dismiss it. In this way, the liberal playing of the “Race Card” continues to be somewhat viable.

As we approach the 2012 elections we must take a quick glance backwards and there is something we, as conservatives must keep in mind as we move forward.

First, that backwards glance.

Remember what happened in the 2010 midterm elections. It was a great night for conservatives and a lousy night for liberals. Liberals have not forgotten the tidal wave of conservatives in the House which resulted in the largest party of control shift in that body in our history.

Liberals got a stark lesson that night in just how committed conservatives are in taking this country back and now they’re scared. Liberals are scared that they will lose the best opportunity they have ever had at institution socialism as the basis of our society. Liberals are scared they will lose the gains they’ve made at turning our nation into an entitlement nation. Liberals are scared that they will lose their hold on creating a government over the people in favor of a government by the people.

Because liberals are scared, they are also desperate and for that reason, now just less than a year from the 2012 election, we as conservatives must be looking forward.

Here is the one very important thing we as conservatives must keep in mind.

The “Race Card” is but one card and in every deck, there are 52 cards to be played.

We have for some time, seen other cards in the liberal deck played.

There is the scare card.

Conservatives are going to push grandma off the cliff. Conservatives want you to die quickly. Conservatives promote war. You get the idea. Liberals will attempt to scare voters into not voting for conservatives by playing the “Scare Card.”

There is the dismissive card.

Conservatives are too stupid. Conservatives are just out of touch. Conservatives don’t have any ideas. Liberals will contend that voters are better off casting their ballots for liberals because conservatives have no idea what the people really want.

The class warfare card.

Conservatives only care about the rich. Conservatives pander to Wall Street. Conservatives want to screw the working man. Liberals will try to convince voters that a vote for a conservative candidate is a vote promoting a greater division between those who have and those who don’t.

There is the denigrate card.

Conservatives are retarded. Conservatives are Nazis. Conservatives are terrorists. Liberals will denigrate conservatives by trying to draw comparisons to those who are perceived as evil or through comparisons to the most vulnerable in our society.

Are you getting the picture here?

Liberals will, from now until election day 2012, attempt to play every single card of which they can conceive either against conservatives as a whole or against individual candidates regardless of the office for which that candidate is running.

I suspect that against candidates, this will not be a one card after the other strategy but a game of 52 pick-up. Liberals will throw  every card they can at the same time, at each and every candidate with an “R” behind their name in the hope of causing as many different distractions as possible for that candidate to which they will feel compelled to respond.

Liberals will also use this strategy against conservative voters through various avenues of social media and for the same reason.

The tactic is designed, lock stock and barrel, to force conservatives to take the defensive. The longer conservatives can be kept on defense, the less time conservatives can devote to substantial policy debate on the issues.

There will be the name calling card, the religion card, the ecology card, the hate card and the list just goes on and on.

Liberals feel this is their winning strategy and a strategy from which conservatives cannot escape. In the past, I would offer this strategy against conservatives has worked but, I believe it can easily be overcome. In order to beat the strategy conservatives must make the conscious effort to simply not fall into the trap.

Any conservative candidate faced with baseless accusations through the playing of various liberal “Cards” or any conservative voters who willingly express their views through social media must have a standard and ready answer to the card playing tactics.

“Bull.”

When liberals attempt to play these “cards” whether it be a personal attack or a blanket attack…the response needs to be…”BULL.”

Liberals will of course press the attack by playing a variety of other cards. The only further response needed is, “Present your evidence.”

Most, if not all “evidence” they might present will be fabricated which leads you back to the original response of…”BULL.”

After each “BULL” take the topic directly back to the issue of substance and make your point.

This will become very irritating to liberals very quickly resulting in more and more cards being played by them in the process but it will frustrate them, eventually, to the point where they give up.

Such a tactic will, I believe, also work for candidates as it keeps the focus on the issues and out of the court of public opinion. If liberals continue to make unsubstantiated charges against a candidate, playing the cards, and that candidate calls them out but saying “BULL” and “Present your evidence” then immediately taking the conversation directly back to topic.

Two things are certain.

1)      A house of cards will surely fall.

2)      Not even the world’s greatest card sharks have anything to gain in a game of solitaire.