The reason some Democrats support Bush...

[kentuck]

They think he is a strong leader. He is decisive. He's a good Christian man, they say. The sad fact is, he is none of the above. He is a charlatan- a charade. A strong leader gets results that are helpful to his people - not detrimental to our country and the world. Also, he is not decisive. He is reactive, dangerously so, just like in Fallujah. Wrong decisions, fatal decisions, made in haste does not make one "decisive". And he is not a "good Christian man". No where in the teachings of Chist will you find anything that remotely resembles the actions of George W Bush and by your works, you shall be known.

[bballny]

1. HIs history

has always been one of poor decisions. He couldn't run a company. His entire life has been reactive and because he never had to truly survive on his own he never really grew up.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. He STILL isn't making decisions. Decisions are made FOR him and he

executes them.

[whistle]

2. Bush tries to appeal to anyone who will listen, while doing work

...specifically for his BASE of the 485 wealthiest individuals in the country.

[kentuck]

3. He's a bullshitter extraordinaire...

If he ever tried to pat me on the back, "I'd break his fucking arm", I heard an acquaintance say...

[BlueEyedSon]

5. is because they buy the media spin (which originates in the WH)

[nookiemonster]

6. Repetition. It's really that easy!

Repetition: The technique of bombarding the target audience over and over with a simple message until resistance to the message fades away.

Explanation: We have busy lives. People frequently do not have time to sit down and analyze various positions. The propagandist will repeat simple slogans over and over through various media. Eventually the target audience will accept the idea, often without even realizing it. One of the principles of propaganda is that the message must be easily learned. This fits well with the technique of repetition.

Hitler, among others, emphasized the need for repetition in propaganda. "Now the purpose of propaganda is not continually to produce interesting changes for the few blasé little masters, but to convince; that is, to convince the masses. The masses, however, with their inertia, always need a certain time before they are ready even to notice a thing, and they will lend their memories only to the thousand fold repetition of the most simple ideas." (Hitler, A. Mein Kampf. New York: Reynal and Hitchcock, 1939, p. 239)

Politics: Often the most successful catch phrases are determined by results of focus group research. The catch phrases are then sent out to various spokesmen for the party or candidate (senators, commentators, "spinmeisters," etc.) These people use the phrases over and over. Soon, others in the press pick up the phrases. A recent example; The introduction of the word "gravitas" by the Democrats to differentiate Al Gore from George W. Bush. In this case, its use backfired. It was used so frequently by so many Democrats and their advocates, that it became laughable. Everyone from senators and governors to NBC commentators were using the word multiple times in their discussions. The opposition quickly turned this into a joke, and undermined its effectiveness.

http://www.santarosa.edu/~dpeterso/permanenthtml/propaganda/prop_repetition.htm

[Totally Committed]

7. nookiemonster, I agree, repetition is a successful tool fo Bush.

He has a simple mind (uncomplicated by true intelligence, shall we say), and this technique is perfect for him. All he has to do is memorize the carefully and artfully crafted slogan (often 3 words or less), and repeat it incessantly. And, I have to say that his administration and his Party gets his back in a mind-blowingly lock-step fashion, repeating these slogans over and over as well.

I cannot imagine getting Democrats to do this. "Herding cats" is the expression that comes to mind. So, I don't know how to one-up them on this or get around it. But, the Democrats have got to find as successful a tool for them, or we will have a very difficult time winning any new voters from them.

[ktowntennesseedem]

11. Perhaps we start by refuting all the repubs slogans and claims.

At least it would give us some much needed practice at brevity.

Turn "He is a strong leader" into "One who misleads is no leader."

Turn "He is decisive" into "We need correct decisions, not quick ones."

Turn "He is a good Christian man" into "Read your bible again, Dubya--that's NOT what Jesus would do."

I know, my "slogans" are still twice as long as theirs, but short of merely replying "No, he's not," we have to say something a bit more. I think they are short enough to remember (by most, anyway), and could be a way to start countering the propaganda and lies spewed out by the RW image machine.

(edited for spelling. Dohh!)

[MoonRiver]

8. I personally have known a few who used to think this way.

That was 5 years ago. They no longer suffer from those delusions. All have come around and admitted how wrong they were. Matter of fact, most are even angrier than those of us who saw through the fraud from the beginning. They feel tricked and deceived.

[Lone_Wolf]

9. Cognitive Scientists call the The Strict Father model...

It a type of thinking we all do. This type of thinking is so base or primitive in us that is automatic and people are unaware that it goes on. It is so automatic people refer to it as common sense.

Conservatives have learned long ago how people think and frame their arguments to appeal to the Strict Father type of thinking. People hear their arguments and it just seems like "Common Sense" to them. Thus, they buy into it. Liberals need to frame their arguments to the Nurturing Mother model which is another powerful way people think.

George Lakoff has written about this in his book "Moral Politics" The Cognitive Science behind it is interesting and it is a good read.

[nookiemonster]

10. I agree. They accept anything as fact. They would rather be led, then lead

eom

[BlueEyedSon]

12. This cognitive scientist calls it "the dumbassification of America"

[Toots]

13. "and by your works, you shall be known."

Isaiah 32 5-8 :thumbsup:

[wli]

14. he's a puppet

Cheney and Rumsfeld are proximally calling the shots, and even they are answering to others (likely an informal coalition of business lobbyists).