White House digital staffers have unleashed a social media strategy full of taunting memes and fake videos, following President Donald Trump's lead in a bid to bolster his base as the government shutdown drags on. The amped-up tactics are meant to mock Democrats for their proposal to reverse recently passed restrictions on Medicaid, which the GOP falsely claims pays for health care for undocumented immigrants. The memes include a recurring stunt of placing animated sombreros atop images of Democratic leaders. Democrats, for their part, have not responded in kind on social media. Instead, they have mostly stuck to sharing their segments on cable news, and posting explainer videos on the health care tax credits they're pushing to extend in negotiations. They've also continued to criticize the president's social media activity. Which approach wins out in the minds of voters and vulnerable lawmakers could help determine how long the shutdown continues and which party ultimately gets more of what it wants. |
