Voters are basically lazy. Reason requires a high degree of discipline, of concentration; impression is easier. Reason pushes the viewer back, it assaults him, it demands that he agree or disagree; impression can envelop him, invite him in, without making an intellectual demand…. When we argue with him, we… seek to engage his intellect…. The emotions are more easily roused, closer to the surface, more malleable…
In a nutshell, an explanation of how conservative pundits & politicians can - with a straight face & utter sincerity - acknowledge not having any facts on which to base accusations, but they know it in their gut. A common response to pesky facts is to discount they because they ARE facts, the argument being that our inner voice is more trustworthy than anything purported as quantifiable. We live in a universe flipped from what was the norm forty years ago - subjective is seen as good, objective is darkly suspect.
Up is down, in is out, black is white. Emotions over intellect. Works every time.
Great paragraph from the Salon article captures the past that became our present:
After 1968, Republicans increasingly relied on their apocalyptic redemption story. America was in terrible trouble, because grasping minorities, women and workers wanted government policies that would suck tax dollars from hardworking white people. Democrats backed those policies because they would do anything to buy votes. It was up to Republicans to restore America to its former glory. In a time of dramatic economic and social upheaval, this story reassured voters left behind in the new conditions that the answers to their problems were simple, and that coming up with those answers required no great education or thought. It simply required the right principles.
Yep, that's been the GOP template for almost 50 years. It's 2015 & we still hear from the right about grasping minorities who will vote for anyone promising them free stuff, women who are crushing male vitality, workers sucking profits out of America's small businesses. But voters can leave it to the GOP to save the world & make America great again.
For the GOP base, this stuff never gets old.
And leave us not forget the brilliant young television producer the Nixon campaign put in charge of putting together the "grassroots town hall" events - none other than Roger Ailes. He was then, as now, a master of the television medium, hand-picking the "regular" folks who questioned the candidate in settings blissfully devoid of the pesky press. Ailes invented the idea of sound bites, video perfect for dropping into the evening news reports. From gathering the enthusiastic town folk to the hit-'em-where-they-are questions to the well-groomed & artfully delivered response to the packaged video ready for prime time viewing, Ailes turned around how the nation felt about Richard Nixon, making what they knew about him of little to no consequence.
Ditch facts - they're what scientists use & ya know how untrustworthy THEY are. Embrace your gut - if it can't tell truth from fiction, what can? Go with your emotions instead of your elitist intellect. Fooey on facts - stories connect & empower.
Vote like your whole world depended on it. Let's make America great again. Make Americans great again. Vote Republican.
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