Weekly Brief
The Opposition led by the Yellowtard can't win these elections using the same thinking that lost them an entire nation.
Dear GRP Insiders,
Today is the day the COMELEC decides on the disqualification petitions against BBM. What happens if BBM is disqualified? It will make 2022 a truly interesting year — even more interesting than one that sees Marcos going on to win the May elections.
Regards,
benign0
In review and in prospect
Last week was marked by the drama surrounding the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) review of the disqualification complaints against administration presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos. This is just the highest profile instance in the ongoing vilification campaign against Marcos that is a cornerstone of the Opposition platform of Yellowtard presidential candidate Leni Robredo. Notably, there is no constructive aspect to the Robredo campaign. It has shown to be nothing more than a campaign of negative messaging meant to distract from the Opposition platform’s abject lack of substance and still paint Robredo as the Messiah who will rescue Filipinos from the forces of “authoritarianism” and “evil”.
The COMELEC is scheduled to rule on the disqualification petitions today, the 17th of January. The Robredo camp has been distancing itself from the disqualification case. Yet, many of its own partisans continue to publicly express their hopes and prayers that the COMELEC would remove Marcos from the race. Robredo, for her part, has gone on record to state that she prefers beating Marcos at the polls rather than seeing the Opposition win by default.
Notable Opposition “thought leaders” have themselves pointed out (carefully choosing their words) that one of the things sinking the Yellowtard campaign is their misguided focus on vilifying Marcos and, as a result, closing doors to any opportunity to convert his supporters. In his piece today “Isko, Leni studies confirm Marcos Jr. is way ahead”, Manila Times columnist Bobi Tiglao shares a report on the outcome of focus group discussions commissioned by the Robredo camp…
The Robredo study though practically goes overboard in explaining why Bongbong Marcos (BBM) is ahead of the polls while Robredo is way behind. It reports that "regardless of disposition for BBM," spontaneous associations for Leni are mostly on: her being a laughingstock, her association with the Liberal Party, and her husband, and how her story is akin to Cory Aquino's.
Tiglao quotes a particularly pointed snippet from the Robredo-commissioned report; “Perception is that just like his father, BBM has the vision to bring the Philippines forward and onward.”
We've for so long pointed this out as a key weakness of the Yellowtard “movement” — that it focuses on the past and defines itself as what the Philippines should not be. Marcos, whatever substance his platform may or may not have (depending on who you ask), has successfully created a public perception around his person that has all just pulled the rug from under the wobbly legs of the Yellowtard pitch to Filipino voters.
We already observe this back in 2018…
For decades, the Laban Rhetoric had served the Yellowtards well as a substitute for any semblance of a platform of substance — perhaps to the point where any capability to envision something for the Philippines over a six- or even just a three-year horizon at least had all but atrophied.
…and issued this recommendation to the broader Philippine Opposition:
Again, and for the umpteenth time, the first and possibly the biggest step the Opposition could do to regain its mojo is to ditch the Yellowtards. They are a liability and routinely subtract from the efforts of the handful of true Opposition minds that could actually lead the Opposition to a position where it could really contribute productively to an intelligent exercise of democracy in the Philippines.
Last week's blog posts
Politics
With options fast running out, are the Yellowtards exploring ILLEGAL means to seize power?
January 15, 2022 by benign0
"This is not entirely implausible considering the Yellowtards’ track record of overusing their hopelessly perverted 'people power' narrative to justify any crooked means they might apply to achieving their goals."
Less than 5 months to campaign and Leni Robredo STILL lacks a vision for the Philippines
January 11, 2022 by benign0
"Evidently, the guts of the more than 50% of Filipinos polled tell them something good about Marcos. The Yellowtards have been mounting an ineffectual campaign to discredit those guts. It’s a flawed strategy formulated by arrogant pretenders."
Society
Infighting within LGBTQ+ community after Sassa Gurl makes 2022 White Castle Whiskey calendar!
January 16, 2022 by benign0
"The real prize ought to have been earning acceptance from that calendar’s traditional audience — heterosexual working-class men. The actual outcome couldn’t be farther..."