Comments on: Dems, Mind Your Demographics http://donklephant.com/2006/01/20/dems-mind-your-demographics/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Sat, 10 Jan 2009 03:46:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Future Man http://donklephant.com/2006/01/20/dems-mind-your-demographics/comment-page-1/#comment-5386 Future Man Fri, 20 Jan 2006 18:43:58 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=1719#comment-5386 I've tried an analysis of Lakoff from a conservative point-of-view. I'm not looking for a fight, but I would be interested in getting feedback from those who are more sympathetic to his politics. http://lawnrangers.blogspot.com/2006/01/george-lakoff-frames-progressive.html I’ve tried an analysis of Lakoff from a conservative point-of-view. I’m not looking for a fight, but I would be interested in getting feedback from those who are more sympathetic to his politics.

http://lawnrangers.blogspot.com/2006/01/george-lakoff-frames-progressive.html

]]> By: Justin Gardner http://donklephant.com/2006/01/20/dems-mind-your-demographics/comment-page-1/#comment-5381 Justin Gardner Fri, 20 Jan 2006 18:10:21 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=1719#comment-5381 They'll be releasing their findings soon, but it's already suggested that they'll be game changing for the Dems and the Repubs. That fact alone means we should take note beyond just using effective linguist techniques. But hey, I could be wrong. Something tells me though that these recommendations will be very important to the future success of each party. They’ll be releasing their findings soon, but it’s already suggested that they’ll be game changing for the Dems and the Repubs. That fact alone means we should take note beyond just using effective linguist techniques.

But hey, I could be wrong. Something tells me though that these recommendations will be very important to the future success of each party.

]]> By: DosPeros http://donklephant.com/2006/01/20/dems-mind-your-demographics/comment-page-1/#comment-5380 DosPeros Fri, 20 Jan 2006 17:54:39 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=1719#comment-5380 What would the "bridge values" be in the Environics recommendation? What would the “bridge values” be in the Environics recommendation?

]]> By: Justin Gardner http://donklephant.com/2006/01/20/dems-mind-your-demographics/comment-page-1/#comment-5373 Justin Gardner Fri, 20 Jan 2006 17:12:25 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=1719#comment-5373 Respectfully, I didn't misread it. I'm saying that they're correct. Lakoff's idea are weak and Dems need something else...aka American Environics' recommendations. Sure, I don't say that explicitly, but I feel it's certainly suggested in a "between the lines" kind of way. Respectfully, I didn’t misread it. I’m saying that they’re correct. Lakoff’s idea are weak and Dems need something else…aka American Environics’ recommendations. Sure, I don’t say that explicitly, but I feel it’s certainly suggested in a “between the lines” kind of way.

]]> By: Joshua http://donklephant.com/2006/01/20/dems-mind-your-demographics/comment-page-1/#comment-5369 Joshua Fri, 20 Jan 2006 14:50:56 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=1719#comment-5369 <i>In the great debate about how Democrats can stage a comeback (beyond simply waiting for the coming Republican implosion that never seems to arrive), American Environics rejected some of the more popular recommendations out there. <b>Rather than focusing on reframing the Democratic message, as Berkeley linguistics and cognitive science professor George Lakoff has recommended, or on redoubling Democratic efforts to persuade Americans to become economic populists, as another school of thought suggests, the American Environics team argued that the way to move voters on progressive issues is to sometimes set aside policies in favor of values.</b> By focusing on “bridge values,� they say, progressives can reach out to constituents of opportunity who share certain fundamental beliefs, even if the targeted parties don’t necessarily share progressives’ every last goal. In that assessment, Shellenberger and Nordhaus are representative of an increasingly influential school of thought within the Democratic Party.</i> <i>I’ve always thought Lakoff’s ideas were pretty shallow. Yeah, start talking about it differently…yeah…that’s going to help.</i> I think you've misread the paragraph you've quoted. This research isn't coming from Lakoff - it's coming from the American Environics outfit which is challenging Lakoff's approach. In any event, you're right that the Dems need to back up whatever campaign strategy they employ with concrete action. Of course, it's hard to do that as a minority party in both houses of Congress and without the White House. To win those, they need a new campaign strategy. (Chicken, meet Egg.) At least the approach suggested by the American Environics outfit is a good starting point to this end. In the great debate about how Democrats can stage a comeback (beyond simply waiting for the coming Republican implosion that never seems to arrive), American Environics rejected some of the more popular recommendations out there. Rather than focusing on reframing the Democratic message, as Berkeley linguistics and cognitive science professor George Lakoff has recommended, or on redoubling Democratic efforts to persuade Americans to become economic populists, as another school of thought suggests, the American Environics team argued that the way to move voters on progressive issues is to sometimes set aside policies in favor of values. By focusing on “bridge values,� they say, progressives can reach out to constituents of opportunity who share certain fundamental beliefs, even if the targeted parties don’t necessarily share progressives’ every last goal. In that assessment, Shellenberger and Nordhaus are representative of an increasingly influential school of thought within the Democratic Party.

I’ve always thought Lakoff’s ideas were pretty shallow. Yeah, start talking about it differently…yeah…that’s going to help.

I think you’ve misread the paragraph you’ve quoted. This research isn’t coming from Lakoff - it’s coming from the American Environics outfit which is challenging Lakoff’s approach.

In any event, you’re right that the Dems need to back up whatever campaign strategy they employ with concrete action. Of course, it’s hard to do that as a minority party in both houses of Congress and without the White House. To win those, they need a new campaign strategy. (Chicken, meet Egg.) At least the approach suggested by the American Environics outfit is a good starting point to this end.

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