The New York Times > Opinion > Editorial Observer: Why the Democrats Need to Stop Thinking About Elephants
The New York Times > Opinion > Editorial Observer: Why the Democrats Need to Stop Thinking About Elephants: "the Democrats suffer from what he calls 'hypocognition' - more simply, a lack of ideas."
Democrats Are Still Clueless
The latest attempt at analyzing the reason for the Democrat’s 2004 defeat comes to us in the form of a 124 page book by one Dr. George Lakoff a Berkeley linguistics professor and Kerry campaign adviser.
As presented by the NYT article it seems that the good Dr. feels that the Democrats have not “framed” their issues properly. For example “One frame Dr. Lakoff likes, which he believes could become a progressive wedge issue, is "poison-free communities." The Republicans' war on government regulation has left industry increasingly free to spew toxins into the air and water, despite the harm it is doing to the public. Keeping people healthy is a core progressive value, but it is one that many swing voters and Republicans share. Few people want their children poisoned by mercury in the name of a theory about the appropriate size of government.”
Another example; “Framing can also deflect the other side's charges. Dr. Lakoff argues that the Democrats should fight the Republican campaign for "tort reform" by recasting it. Rather than debate over frivolous lawsuits, he says, they should talk about protecting people from law-breaking corporations and negligent doctors. When Republicans talk about greedy trial lawyers, he says, Democrats should talk about - and he really needs a better phrase here- "public protection attorneys."
Well you get the idea. The thing is that in paragraph eight of the article Dr. Lakoff unwittingly gives the answer to the Democrats problem; “the Democrats suffer from what he calls "hypocognition" - more simply, a lack of ideas.”
So there you have it folks, from the donkey’s mouth as it were.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
John
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Democrats Are Still Clueless
The latest attempt at analyzing the reason for the Democrat’s 2004 defeat comes to us in the form of a 124 page book by one Dr. George Lakoff a Berkeley linguistics professor and Kerry campaign adviser.
As presented by the NYT article it seems that the good Dr. feels that the Democrats have not “framed” their issues properly. For example “One frame Dr. Lakoff likes, which he believes could become a progressive wedge issue, is "poison-free communities." The Republicans' war on government regulation has left industry increasingly free to spew toxins into the air and water, despite the harm it is doing to the public. Keeping people healthy is a core progressive value, but it is one that many swing voters and Republicans share. Few people want their children poisoned by mercury in the name of a theory about the appropriate size of government.”
Another example; “Framing can also deflect the other side's charges. Dr. Lakoff argues that the Democrats should fight the Republican campaign for "tort reform" by recasting it. Rather than debate over frivolous lawsuits, he says, they should talk about protecting people from law-breaking corporations and negligent doctors. When Republicans talk about greedy trial lawyers, he says, Democrats should talk about - and he really needs a better phrase here- "public protection attorneys."
Well you get the idea. The thing is that in paragraph eight of the article Dr. Lakoff unwittingly gives the answer to the Democrats problem; “the Democrats suffer from what he calls "hypocognition" - more simply, a lack of ideas.”
So there you have it folks, from the donkey’s mouth as it were.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
John
posted by John Galt | 4:16 PM
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