Yesterday we discussed how a small core party goes about establishing a voting bloc sufficient to place it in power so it can accomplish its goals. Part I can be found here.
Essentially we argue the following: The GOP is a small core of rich white men who desire to rule in order to structure the political and economic world to enhance their ability to make money.
Since they are small in number, they need to enlist a voting bloc that will help get them elected. Yesterday we identified this selected bloc as people who are hard-working working class people with little or no interest in politics and who lack anything much beyond a basic high school education.
We recognized that the first goal was to establish that the rich were so by “natural” right and that all could be them if they would but put in the requisite effort.
To the degree that this group is religious, the Protestant Ethic is also useful in adding a “moral” component to this work hard philosophy. Remember, in the end, the wealthy require a work force to make their goods and execute their services, so it is imperative to support and heighten this “hard work” theology into the target group.
Concomitant with this, is a need to portray “free enterprise” as the key to everyone’s success. All manner of flag waving is useful here. America, that beacon to the world, is what it is, because of the unfettered freedom to bring new ideas to the market place and have them rise or fall on a strict supply-demand basis.
Innovators, no matter how poor, with good ideas, become the millionaires of tomorrow.
Such concepts are to be used in the most simplistic terms. You audience neither wants nor can be bothered to plumb the depths of economic theory. It is sufficient to define the economy as “free” and “democratic” and not “communist” or “socialist.”
- American Exceptionalism is what made America great
This concept has both a religious and secular angle. The religious one is that America has been specially chosen by God to lead the world to the Kingdom of God. To the degree that your audience is Christian (and it overwhelmingly is), this should be stressed. America (and it’s systems) are favored by God, they have His blessing.
The secular aspect is simply that American’s position in the world today (as arguably the greatest power) is evidence that it’s system (economic) is the best and must be preserved. Therefore it is patriotic to support free enterprise.
- Useful sycophants
All manner of con artists and experts of one sort or another are available. Their work, although sometimes seemingly tangential, can serve the cause and should be encouraged.
Pseudo-historians are particularly useful in rewriting history to emphasize a “Judeo-Christian” theme in the formation of the country. This serves to bolster both the economic system which is now defended as the “best” but also to help your target see that God too wants this too. Trickle down economics and anti unionism can be defended by creative “interpretations” of the bible and of Founding documents.
Recognize that those in science fields who do not find peer-recognition of their outlier views, can be used to advantage. Grants thrown in their direction will inevitably produce the “evidence” you need to prove that global warming isn’t real, that fracking is not destructive to the mantle and ground water systems, that off-shore drilling is not endangering to the seas, that over-fishing is not true, and that evolution is a hoax.
Even when the true science doesn’t reasonably affect rich men’s areas of concern, don’t underestimate the value of pampering your target with “evidence” that supports their pet beliefs. Since your target is religious and you have already found it useful to pander to their natural desire to be seduced to your “interpretations”, this is a fine time to give them a bone by supporting “intelligent design” or other such pseudo-theories. This allows the limited reasoning that you support them when it doesn’t “effect you.”
Word smiths are essential. Those trained in discovering what words and phrases play best can do incalculable service in getting you message across. Remember, your target isn’t paying much attention to begin with. So use simple slogans, use them constantly, and continually poll on what is working and what isn’t. It is essential that you convince your target that black is white and white is black. After all, you are asking them in the end to vote against their best interests.
Stress words like “freedom” “free markets” “Communism” “socialism” “secularism” “liberalism” “not like us” “God-given” “entitlements” “nanny state” “elites” “job creators” . Avoid words like equality, fairness, social anything, human rights, upper class, the rich and so forth.
Tomorrow: What to do about weakness, and questions of why not me?
Existential Ennui 