(script begins)
Today, I’m going to talk about:
The Politics of Projection
This is ConnectTheDots…
In politics, there’s an old “tried and true” tactic called PROJECTION.
You’ve heard it before: Every accusation is a confession.
When a public figure lies, or cheats, or abuses power, they often don’t deny it outright. Instead, they accuse someone else of doing the exact same thing. Like a schoolyard bully who shoves you, then yells, “Hey! Stop pushing me!”, the noise creates confusion about who actually started it.
Projection isn’t just misdirection. It’s fog. Accusations fly. Now “the accused” must burn time and energy defending themselves, while people think, “Well… it must be based on something”, and assume the truth lives somewhere in the middle.
But with projection, the truth isn’t in the middle at all. One side is telling the truth, and the other is, well, NOT. That’s why recognizing and naming this tactic matters.
Look how it plays out in real life…
- In 2020, there was no evidence of any widespread election fraud. Yet some of the loudest voices claiming Democrats “rigged” the election were the same people pressuring state officials, organizing fake electors, and trying to “find” extra votes. The accusation was camouflage for the behavior itself.
- Republicans accused Democrats of DEFUNDING THE POLICE while voting against bills that increased local police funding, including the 2021 American Rescue Plan. Democrats passed the funding, Republicans opposed it. Projection simply flipped the script.
- Politicians under investigation often claim the Justice Department is being “WEAPONIZED”, even as they pressure DOJ officials, demand loyalty, or retaliate against whistleblowers. They cry “weaponization!” so you will look the other way.
- And when you hear “THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO CONTROL YOU”, look closely. That charge often comes from lawmakers pushing book bans, speech restrictions, or reproductive surveillance.
Projection scrambles the signal. Name it out loud. Once you see it, you cannot unsee it. It’s as obvious as the bully yelling from across the playground with crumbs of stolen lunch still on his shirt.
That’s the bigger picture. Let’s keep connecting the dots.