While we dither about on the American left talking about how to say the things we really want to say in order that we most effectively trick people into voting for us...I meant it. I am sick of people talking about framing, just as I was sick of people talking about "electability" and what will "play well in the South." That dog don't hunt.
Iowa's two senators are Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin - Grassley is not a total unthinking Neanderthal, but he's definitely an old-school conservative. And all this blathering on about how Kerry was the most liberal senator? Please. The oldest of the old-school liberals is Tom Harkin. And yet both he and Grassley represent the same state - which voted for Gore in 2000, Bush in 2004 - and get elected with pretty much the same share of the vote. Which is to say, by massive majorities.
The Senate seat of Tom Harkin's good friend, the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, is now held by a man who, more or less, does whatever Bush wants.
There are very few true single-issue voters, as a share of the electorate. On anything. And there are almost zero situations where their party alleigance is not scripted in advance (that is, they aren't gonna vote for the other party no matter what, even if the candidate shares their views on the single-issue issue). Abortion is the one biggie, and the anti-abortion folks have more single-issue voters on that than we do for choice, but not, in practice, by a lot. It might even be a wash.
Most people vote with somebody they feel comfortable with. And people feel comfortable with leaders who do what they say and say what they mean - on either side. There is a vast pool of voters out there who are perfectly willing to disagree with mcuh of what a politician believes in but still vote for them 'cause they like 'em, and the other guy seems like too much of a 'politician.'
Be that, too - say what you mean, mean what you say, and respect people. 'k?
2 comments:
I think that's a fairly straw-man version of framing. But I'm with you. Trickery doesn't work. Pretending to care about people always looks just like what it is. Trying to lean into the strike zone in order to get hit isn't a strategy it's desperation. Same thing in politics.
You have said permission....I gave it earlier.
I'll send it again.
Go forth and post liberally.
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