Why Republicans are inexplicably winning when they shouldn't: use of propaganda and psyops.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

The Republicans regularly use this method to "win over" new groups of people. They managed to turn "liberal" into a negative word by the use of propaganda. Reagan told a false story about a "welfare queen" who would drive a Cadillac to the welfare office. This story is still being repeated. The Republicans nabbed the evangelical (and many catholic votes) by using abortion as a wedge issue.

THIS is what we are up against. We must figure out how to fight against this because facts and reality do not work with these people who have basically been brainwashed.


http://www.propagandacritic.com/articles/examples.newt.html

This example occurred more than ten years ago, but it is one of the most striking applications of propaganda techniques in recent memory. A popular Republican politician on his way to the top, Newt Gingrich clearly understood the power of propaganda. His political action committee (GOPAC) mailed a pamphlet entitled Language, A Key Mechanism of Control to Republicans across the country. The booklet offered rhetorical advice to Republican candidates who wanted to "speak like Newt." It was subsequently awarded a Doublespeak Award by the National Conference of Teachers of English in 1990.

The booklet contained two lists of words. GOP candidates were instructed to use one set of "positive, governing words," (glittering generalities) when speaking about themselves. A second set of negative words (name-calling words) were to be used against their opponents.

View the glittering generalities.
View the name-calling words.
A brief glance at the words on Gingrich's lists suggests that they continue to be powerful tools in American political discourse. Words such as "vision, courage, lead, learn, commitment, empower, and freedom" are common to politicians on all sides of the political spectrum. Call-in radio hosts regularly use words like "ideological, liberal, bureaucracy, crisis, endanger, and lie" to discredit certain ideas.

[PsychoBabble]

1. Not sure you can fight this, just ...

... do it better, or as least as well, as they do ... but for GOOD rather than EVIL.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

2. Facts don't work, you have to appeal to the emotional. We need to learn to do that better.

Obama appealed to people's emotions and so did Bill Clinton. They made people "feel good."

[2naSalit]

3. +1!

[Susan Calvin]

4. You're right.

Even I bought into some of it in the 80s, when I was paying less attention.

Reacting to it doesn't work. We gotta do it too, only better.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

5. They do have some Democratic "think tanks" but do we use them? Are they effective?

[Susan Calvin]

6. Rhetorical question, I assume.

I often think of Democrats (present-day, party-line ones, anyway) as the Washington Generals.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Generals

[kerry-is-my-prez]

7. Lol! If we don't learn to appeal to the general population THAT is what we will become.

[kimbutgar]

8. Neuro linguistic programming has been perfected by rethigs

All those people who watch fox have been brainwashed using CIA techniques from the 60's.

We need to figure out how to deprogram them. When you ask them a legitimate question they regurgitate a marketed talking point and get flustered if you ask a back up question and they return to their canned talking point. I had a conversation with my husbands right wing nephew where I started asking him pointed questions and followed up on his responses asking another question, he got so upset with me that he reached down for his concealed gun which was left in his car. I refused to go to Arizona earlier this year because I knew he would be gloating and I couldn't keep my mouth shut.

[dgauss]

9. They pretty much admitted this with the "We create our own reality" comment.

[uponit7771]

10. Yeap, we don't have rural radio at our own peril