Campaign 2020: Framing Choice; Framing Abortion. Which are you doing?
adminThu 2020-02-13
No other issue costs Democrats the votes of compassionate voters the way choice|abortion does.
There is no other issue where we so desperately need to have a "big tent" for people who see the world differently, to use progressive communications styles with active listening — and no other issue where we could burn our big tent down by making the wrong compromises and failing to stick to our frame.
I'd like to start with an imagination exercise:
My Approach to Discouraging Biden's Candidacy
adminWed 2020-02-12
I've heard a lot of attacks on Biden, "He should get out," with harsh lists of everything he's ever done wrong and nothing he's done right.
Imagine you liked Biden and had half a mind to vote for him in the primary. People are trying to convince you to change your vote, and also stay energized after the primaries. How well does the comment below work; what would you change? [Cognitive Politics is about communications approaches, not about particular candidates.]
Ideas for Holidays and Politics: Neither silence yourself nor ruin dinner
adminSun 2019-11-17
Say politics is important to you and you don't want to silence yourself around family,
but talking politics at Thanksgiving or other holidays might ruin dinner,
what are some creative alternatives?
I've started leaving alternatives in the comments; please brainstorm and join in.
I swallowed some propganda
adminFri 2019-11-08
Speaking to the base or speaking for the base?
adminTue 2019-11-05
One of the leading progressives strikes me as talking to the progressive base; another is speaking progressive ideals to everyone who will listen.
Communications efforts while Trump goes farther away: Leaving Kurds to Die
Thu 2019-10-10
— live draft, early comments welcome —
Dog Whistles and Social Media Politics
Stephen CataldoTue 2019-08-13
Dog whistle politics has changed. In the past, a "dog whistle" was when a politician said something that his supporters would know was racist, but centrists wouldn't hear it. Only supporters, only the target demographic that the speaker intended to mobilize, heard the dog whistle.
How Do Racists and Anti-Racists Use Group-ism at Election Time?
adminTue 2019-08-13
1-2-3: How racist trolling wins votes from people who don't want to be racist
adminTue 2019-08-13
I watched good folks start to tear into each other when this window decal made its way to a political facebook group.
I'm guessing: this image is seen as wildly racist to some, and a silly joke about lousy ex-boyfriends to others.
And there is a big danger: when people don't think they're sharing something racist, and then get accused of it, they tend to feel pushed out, not called in. This is creating, over and over, a feeling of rejection among a large part of the country.
This provocation is done very much on purpose:
Outrage and Solidarity: Example with Anne Frank quote
Stephen CataldoMon 2019-08-12
Cognitive Politics is about communications techniques. This blog looks at how we share outrage on social media, an exercise intended to be shared with the Smarter Politics community.
My friends are asking "When is the President going to be held accountable?"
Trump's America isn't what I ever thought America would be.
I'm angry in solidarity with you. SMART started because anger wasn't winning us elections, wasn't keeping people like Trump out of office.