An observation.....

[poltr1]

Liberals tend to use emotion to sway people to their side. Conservatives tend to use logic to sway people to their side.

Agree or disagree?

Comments

[owlsforodin.livejournal.com]

That's the best explanation that I've heard.

However, while Republican success was significant in the 80s, their more recent success has been on very narrow ground. In 1980, 1984, and 1988, they won quite handily. In 1992, Ross Perot stole a lot of votes from them in an election that was a lot closer than it looked. In 1996, they lost by a landslide. In 2000 and 2004, the margin of victory was mere thousands of votes in a single state. A fact that the Republican leadership seems to conveniently forget when pushing policies at the edge of constitutionality.

There are signs that voters are starting to think for themselves instead of digesting the slogans on a superficial level. The Democrats won the Congress back in 2006 based on dissatifaction with the Iraq War and the mishandling of the Katrina disaster.

And for those upset with Democrats for not having ended the Iraq War, one needs to read the War Powers Act and look at the actual Party breakdown of Congress. Against an unfriendly President with a valid authorization already in hand, they need a 2/3 majority to override his veto. They don't have it. With a friendly President, it'll be a lot less difficult.

Personally, I think people are starting to wake up to what has happenned. But there's still a lot of gullible ones out there.

[tigertoy.livejournal.com]

That's the best explanation that I've heard.

I can't take credit for the stuff about logic not driving our choices or about the Republicans using that psychological insight so well. Nor can I remember the names of the author(s) I'm borrowing from.

As for the level of Republican success -- my point is not that they ever really had all of the electorate in their camp (despite the way they tell the story about the Reagan years). My point is that they do much better than they would if both sides campaigned with equal skill in appealing to the way most voters choose. Take away their vastly more effective crafting and delivery of their message or give the Democrats equal ability and I think we have one-party Democratic rule until the Democrats defeat themselves. (Knowing the Democrats, that's probably about one election. *sigh*. I don't have a very high opinion of the Democratic party. Collectively, they're corrupt, bumbling incompetents, but at least they try to do the right thing on many issues. The Republicans are corrupt, well disciplined, frequently competent enough to do just they mean to do, and trying to do the wrong thing on almost every issue.)