From the category archives:

Politics

Obama Out of the Bubble, Onto the Battlefield of Persuasion

February 16, 2010

The President can’t persuade Congress to make meaningful changes if he’s allowing Congress to define the narrative. In a battle of persuasion, he’d best act now or his moment will be lost.

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Massachusetts Special Election – Democratic Persuasion Failure

January 25, 2010

I was less interested in the proposals and policies the winner might advocate, and more interested in the themes and messaging of each. And from the looks of things, only one of those campaigns seemed to get it right, as the Democrat’s support collapsed and the Republican campaign ascended to victory.

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Can Obama Find A Persuasive Message On Healthcare Reform?

August 21, 2009

President Barack Obama has struggled to find his footing and shape this debate adequately and persuasively. In part this is because the media gives voice to the loudmouths, and in a shouting match with a mild mannered and reasonable President, this allows the loudmouths to shape the issue.

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Bonus Post – What do the British think of their Healthcare system?

August 18, 2009

BONUS POST:
In the health-care ‘debate’ currently going on – and I use the word ‘debate’ ironically – those against the bills being considered keep talking about Britain’s system of healthcare and how bad it is.   They want to persuade you into believing that it is an awful system, one that can’t hold a candle [...]

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Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) Deceptive or Delusional?

July 24, 2009

I think Senator DeMint is either delusional or intentionally deceptive. And I think he is fundamentally wrong about his core idea. It isn’t freedom on the line. Freedom doesn’t need to be saved. I see plenty of the love for it in the sacrifices made by our soldiers, teachers, business owners and civil servants at every level. It’s the future that is on the line.

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Persuasive Communication and the Drive To Discredit – How They Do It, and What You Can Do About It

May 20, 2009

There are the standard negative means of persuasion, such as name calling and casting aspersions, character assassination, negative labeling; presupposition (speaking as if the foundation of their argument is already proven to be true, therefore what they say based on it must also be true);

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The Drive To Discredit – Who Gains?

May 18, 2009

I’ve witnessed numerous campaigns that have discredit rather than social good as their objective. They use wild accusations, name calling, fake or biased data and specious linkage to influence how people think about a person, an idea or a group they find threatening.

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Persuasive Communication and The Drive To Discredit

May 15, 2009

You’ve seen it before. No doubt, you will see it again. I’m talking how a persuasion campaign begins to undermine and discredit an individual, a group, an idea, or a set of choices that is gaining in popularity, or whose existence and success threatens another individual, idea or group.

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