Media okay with Republican schemes to play off middle-class fears and insecurity, yet blame Democrats for not being real.

The media continues to hold each party to completely different standards, giving the edge and advantage to Republicans who can just make things up on the fly. 

While Democrats are expected to explain their positions and act like normal Americans, republicans are allowed to be the schemers, hoping to fear monger the public into submission.

These two headlines tell the story. I'm not making it up. I see this all the time:

It’s fascinating to watch republicans use their economic failings as weapons against Democrats by shifting the blame. For instance their own deregulation nightmare…the Great Recession:

Republican presidential candidates are trying tap into a lingering sense of insecurity among Americans seven years after the global financial crisis.

Their refusal to raise the minimum wage, even suggesting we get rid of it altogether:

And some are striking a sympathetic tone with lower-income workers…

Praise from GOP marketing word smith and spin-meister Frank Luntz for playing up the negative effects of the GOP’s free market failure - the Great Recession:

Republican pollster Frank Luntz said Bush and other contenders are taking the right tack. “We do not have the full-time jobs we once had. We do not have the upwardly mobile economy that we once had. The public is still afraid that we are one bump in the road away from a serious recession.”

Stupidly pointing out the drop in new business formation that started, and I’m not kidding, during the Reagan years. They do know we can hear them say these things?

Bush would like to see the economy hum at closer to 4 percent and frequently points out that the rate of new business formation has dropped steadily since the 1980s and that business deaths now eclipse starts.

Cry alligator tears over all the massive corporate tax cuts they passed out and continue to this day:

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry contended that it was unfair that “large corporations don’t pay taxes but single moms working two jobs do.”

Many in the comments section were also in complete disbelief:

“More of those I've heard want to eliminate or not raise the minimum wage, privatize (read, "make inoperative") Social Security, get us into more expensive (in both money and the lives of our young soldiers) wars, raise the age for retirement, and cut funding for public schools than want to do ANYTHING for anyone outside the 1%.”

“Once in office we are their target for scorn, ridicule and as a source of money that they can take from us to give to the military/industrial complex and their plutocrat friends.”

“Republican "trickle on" theory didn't work, giving big business massive tax breaks didn't work, cutting working American's benefits and retirements didn't work nor did removing regulations that resulted in the meltdown in real estate and loansharking. However, a small percentage of the population has made enormous gains due to their policies.”

Right Wing Obama haters "Played" By Woodward.

My conservative friend called me around 8:00 am to tell me about the “Chicago-style” tactics used against Bob Woodward. The "Obama threat." To him, this confirmed how the Obama administration bullies the opposition. My friend was also celebrating how well conservatives passed the blame and consequences of the sequester firmly onto Obama.

Despite the Republicans overwhelming vote for sequestration, and their plan to let it happen, they’re quick to blame Obama.

My friend was lovin’ it.

But the victory was short lived:

Media Matters: Conservative media figures are abandoning Washington Post writer Bob Woodward's over-hyped claim that he was threatened by a White House official. Woodward claimed that White House representative Gene Sperling had threatened him … But the full email exchange between Woodward and Sperling, released this morning by Politico, strongly suggests that Woodward's claims of White House intimidation were overblown. As a result, as Brett LoGiurato explains at Business Insider, several conservatives are now turning on Woodward.

The Daily Caller posted an article by Matt Lewis explaining that conservatives had seized on Woodward's initial story because it "confirmed our suspicion about the Obama Administration's 'Chicago-style' of politics." After reading the full emails, Lewis concluded that conservatives had been "played," and that the exchange is "much more innocuous" than it was initially presented.

Echoing Lewis, Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson said during an appearance on Fox News that the full emails suggest Woodward "hyped" the claim that he had been threatened. Fox News contributor Erick Erickson tweeted this morning: 

In a post at National Review, Kevin Hassett argues that while Sperling's statement to Woodward was "certainly regrettable," it was "not some ham-fisted attempt to intimidate Woodward."

At Herman Cain's website, Robert Laurie wrote, "I'm not seeing any threat. It's a real stretch to claim this back and forth is, in any way, menacing." 

My favorite is this incredible lunacy by Breitbart.com:

Breitbart.com's John Nolte wrote a post titled "Woodward Emails Back Claim Of White House Intimidation," arguing that Sperling's words were still a threat, because "[p]sychological manipulation is a game of chess, not checkers, and those claiming Woodward is exaggerating need to take into account more than just these two moves."

So insightful.

Gay Republican Campaign Activist Lied about Liberal Attack.

Poor Republicans, they’re always getting beat up during the heated elections by roving gangs of gay bashing latte drinking Prius drivers.

But wait, that doesn't sound right. Follow your gut:

Channel3000: A former volunteer for a Republican congressional campaign who had claimed to be the victim of a politically motivated assault has been charged with obstruction. In late October, Kyle Wood, 29, reported to Madison police that he was attacked in his home. Wood claimed the attack was politically motivated. He told police his face was smashed into a mirror and he was choked during the attack.

It was all a lie. But it was motivation enough to anger conservative voters. What a get-out-the-vote effort:

According to court documents obtained by WISC-TV, five days after the alleged attack while police were questioning inconsistencies in his story, Wood told police, "You're right -- I did it to myself."

The complaint said Wood told police he hit his own head against a mirror, causing injuries to his forehead and eye. The complaint also said Wood used a guitar string to create marks around his neck.

Oddly, why did it take so long to find out this Republican martyr was lying. It would have been nice to know this before the election.

I wonder what the screaming conservative radio banshee said about this outrage at the time, and what she might be saying now. Vicki McKenna has moved on suppose. 

Gov. Christie tells truth about Republicans, Congress.

We can thank Gov. Chris Christie for telling the truth about the current Republican Party. He's right of course. It would be fun to listen to conservative denial by radio talk hosts tomorrow, but sadly, they probably won't bring it up. Right now they're caught up with Hillary Clinton's phonied up blood clot conspiracy, because you know, she's afraid to take on Republicans?

Sen. Rob Portman joins Mitt's Campaign of Lies, and Boldly Ignores Facts.

Even when faced with a new fact that completely disproves the position Mitt Romney took on the consulate statement in Egypt, Sen. Rob Portman was unshaken, and blatantly lied straight faced to the American public.

Rarely do you see moments like this that exposes the Republican strategy of saying and doing whatever it takes to win elections.

Democrats have now found themselves running for office and arguing against events and issues that exist only in a fictional alternate universe created by the Republican Party.

Rachel Maddow: