Marketplace of Emotional Appeals

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What the Founding Fathers imagined as a robust “Marketplace of Ideas” has instead been implemented as a ”Marketplace of Emotional Appeals.” To our detriment, I think.

Ol’ HDS

Aside

I’m going to start refering to him as “Ol’ HDS” from now on.
h/t friends & family

 

More Damage, Courtesy SCOTUS

“With this case, the conservative majority has the opportunity to do enormous damage to people who are already often the most vulnerable in our society. The Court could hand down a narrower ruling about nursing home rights in particular — and indeed, the Department of Justice seems to be nudging the majority towards that less catastrophic offramp with its filing — but experts are skeptical.”

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/supreme-court-medicaid-section-1983

Language; A Key Mechanism of Control

Via CNN:

“President Biden has chosen to divide, demean, and disparage his fellow Americans — Why? simply because they disagree with his policies,” McCarthy said in his speech. “That is not leadership.”

“When the President speaks tonight at Independence Hall, the first lines out of his mouth should be to apologize for slandering tens of millions of Americans as ‘fascists,'” McCarthy said.

Via GOPAC, Newt Gingrich’s political action committee, excerpted from a memo from the mid 90s:

Contrasting Words

7.1

Often we search hard for words to define our opponents. Sometimes we are hesitant to use contrast. Remember that creating a difference helps you. These are powerful words that can create a clear and easily understood contrast. Apply these to the opponent, their record, proposals and their party.

7.2

decay, failure (fail) collapse(ing) deeper, crisis, urgent(cy), destructive, destroy, sick, pathetic, lie, liberal, they/them, unionized bureaucracy, “compassion” is not enough, betray, consequences, limit(s), shallow, traitors, sensationalists, endanger, coercion, hypocricy, radical, threaten, devour, waste, corruption, incompetent, permissive attitude, destructive, impose, self-serving, greed, ideological, insecure, anti-(issue): flag, family, child, jobs; pessimistic, excuses, intolerant, stagnation, welfare, corrupt, selfish, insensitive, status quo, mandate(s) taxes, spend (ing) shame, disgrace, punish (poor…) bizarre, cynicism, cheat, steal, abuse of power, machine, bosses, obsolete, criminal rights, red tape, patronage.

What could Possibly Go Wrong?

Aside

According to a recent poll by the Texas Politics Project, 70% of Texans support increasing the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21.

Expletives deleted.

https://www.kut.org/crime-justice/2022-08-31/gov-abbott-says-increasing-the-age-to-buy-assault-weapons-in-texas-is-unconstitutional

Special Rules for Special People

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“per the FBI, classified-marked records appear to have been strewn across Mar-a-Lago, including within Trump’s desk.” 😳