-
Strategies for a discontinuous future.












Friday, June 17, 2005
 


Politics of the Day - Some Advice to the Dems

Dems don't play rhetorical games nearly as well as Republicans do. Which is a big reason why they continue to lose.

For example, words and phrases like 'faith-based', PATRIOT Act, and evildoers are, like it or not, evocative and powerful.

But slowly, the Dems are waking up to the necessity of the art of rhetoric. So here's a suggestion.

I think 'faith crimes', which I nabbed from this Beeb article, is a vital phrase - one that conveys the essence of the terrible, idiotic things done in the name of religion the world over (including America).

It also contradicts the fundamental assumption behind the Republican use of the word faith: that faith is always and everywhere a force for good. '

Faith crimes' very neatly implies what most Americans, paradoxically, seem to have forgotten: that unbridled faith, throughout history, has usually led to terrible atrocities.

-- umair // 8:57 PM //


Comments:

Nice point. Have you read Lakoff's Moral Politics? It's a lovely analysis of the underlying metaphoric structures of american liberal & conservative rhetoric.
// Daniel Abraham // 11:23 PM
 

of course i agree that terms need to be strong, but this one is still merely a response to the republicans. the dems would still be following, that means behind in the "reality creation" game. and its an accusation which alienates anyone with faith. the only sector the phrase would play for then would be the already converted dems who can comprehend the statement. the repub constituency can't even comprehend your point.

"progressive" is a good term. protection from corporate thieves is i think a good angle. the dems as your protector against people who use greed and power to rob the people.

-felix
// Anonymous // 12:54 PM
 
Post a Comment
search



new


input

due diligence
ventureblog
a vc
techblurbs
tj's weblog
venture chronicles
terranova
the big picture
gigaom
venchar
bill burnham
babak nivi
n-c thoughts
paidcontent
techdirt
slashdot
london gsb
mefi
boingboing
blort
hardwax
betalounge

ing
morgan
chicago fed
dallas fed
ny fed
imf
world bank
nouriel roubini

portfolio
contact

mail.
uhaque (dot) mba2003 (at) london (dot) edu

skype.
umair.haque

atom feed

technorati profile

blog archives