Framing the issues
Wow. Once again, George Lakoff has smacked me right in the middle of the forehead. The co-author of one of my favorite all-time books, Metaphors We Live By (which incidentally made me understand what all that ductwork was about in the movie “Brazil” but that’s another post), explains “how conservatives use language to dominate politics.” Here he is on the metaphorical language difference between progressives and conservatives:

The progressive worldview is modeled on a nurturant parent family. Briefly, it assumes that the world is basically good and can be made better and that one must work toward that. Children are born good; parents can make them better. Nurturing involves empathy, and the responsibility to take care of oneself and others for whom we are responsible…

 

The conservative worldview, the strict father model, assumes that the world is dangerous and difficult and that children are born bad and must be made good. The strict father is the moral authority who supports and defends the family, tells his wife what to do, and teaches his kids right from wrong. The only way to do that is through painful discipline…

Examples? Schwarzenegger: “He just had to stand up there, and he represents Mr. Discipline.” And take the notion of tax relief: “For there to be relief, there has to be an affliction… The reliever is the hero.” If the progressives were smart, he says, they’d reframe taxes as an issue of patriotism: “Taxes are your dues — you pay your dues to be an American… Are you paying your dues, or are you trying to get something for free at the expense of your country?”

Lakoff says the Democratic candidates don’t get it: “People vote their identity, they don't just vote on the issues… Look at Schwarzenegger, who says nothing about the issues. The Democrats ask, How could anyone vote for this guy? They did because he put forth an identity. Voters knew who he is.”

It’s a fascinating read if you're interested in politics and/or language. I don't think I really did it justice here. Do read the whole article. (Link found via Eschaton.)

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Miserable failure
Someone commenting at Eschaton made me do it (see the comments on an interesting post about Cher calling C-Span). The goal is to "make Shrubya the top google pick." Hey, I'm game.

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