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11 Mar 07 - 09:44 AM (#1993374) Subject: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: Greg F. Poll: Character trumps policy for voters By RON FOURNIER and TREVOR TOMPSON, Associated Press Sunday, March 11, 2007 WASHINGTON, DC -- For all the policy blueprints churned out by presidential campaigns, there is this indisputable fact: People care less about issues than they do about a candidate's character. A new Associated Press-Ipsos poll says 55 percent of those surveyed consider honesty, integrity and other values of character the most important qualities they look for in a presidential candidate. Just one-third look first to candidates' stances on issues; even fewer focus foremost on leadership traits, experience or intelligence. [ emphasis mine ] Any wonder the U.S. of A. is going to hell in a bucket? |
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11 Mar 07 - 09:48 AM (#1993376) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: wysiwyg Post-Watergate, this would also be why voters are so quick to discard candidates who "fail" the "character test." Whether initially supported for character-- or for positions on issues-- that character thing is burned into voters' thought processes now for the foreseeable future. The pendulun used to swing the other way-- famously, for instance, widespread support for JFK despite his later-documented philandering. It's always been a balancing act, as the pendulum swings, probably ever since there WAS such a thing as "political science." LOL-- it's seldom even an art, much less a science. ~Susan |
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11 Mar 07 - 10:10 AM (#1993382) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: Greg F. Almost- Except for the fact that the "character test"- [passed by Dumbya up until very recently, and by Gingrich, and by Cheney & by all the rest of the Neo-Con BuShite mmoral bastads and fundalegical ranters] is entirely bogus. Oh, ye generation of morons........ |
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11 Mar 07 - 10:12 AM (#1993385) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: Bill D I think it's even worse...I am convinced a lot of voters are influenced by things like looks (haircut, dress style, facial tics) and speech patterns..("I ain't gonna vote for nobody what cain't pernounce Gawgia proper!") It also helps if one has famous relatives, or used to be in "B" movies. |
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11 Mar 07 - 10:19 AM (#1993388) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: bobad Ahnold for president. |
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11 Mar 07 - 10:46 AM (#1993395) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: Stilly River Sage You'll never go broke underestimating the [collective] intelligence of the American public. Unfortunately, the morons vastly outnumber those who think, of any of the political parties, so when morons are inspired to vote, you end up with Bush and Reagan. The skill of these folks is to convince a lot of "little" people to vote counter to their best interests. It's amazing how good they are at it. SRS |
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11 Mar 07 - 11:02 AM (#1993406) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: Bill D SRS...that's the situation in a nutshell. When you ponder just how hard it is for those of us who try to be informed, intelligent voters to balance the issues, imagine trying to get the 'morons' to vote anything beyond their prejudices and whims. |
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11 Mar 07 - 01:58 PM (#1993531) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: Cymreiges About voting against your own interests - George Lakoff has a excellent book out "Don't think of an Elephant!". It is about American politics, but he talks more generally about voter choice as it relates to cognitive science. People like things that appeal to their existing view of the world, that fit within the so-called "frames" in their mind. Neurological studies show that people's synapses will fire in certain patterns when they hear an idea repeated. When that idea is said over and over again, the reactions between synapses are stronger and more frequent. (I'm sure my explanation is inaccurate; Lakoff is a linguist and cognitive scientist, so it's a bit over my head). So if you have a certain frame of the world -- "Security for the US is a priority", "Washington is inherently corrupt", you'll be drawn to a candidate who uses that language, because what they say literally fits in with the existing patterns in your brain. If a candidate appeals to those frames, you'll generate a favorable impression of him or her. And if the candidate is really good at framing (a lot of US pols are), this general impression becomes more important than the pols' position on issues -- in other words, you'll be readily to vote against your personal interests. (as the blue-collar class did with Bush, etc) |
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11 Mar 07 - 02:14 PM (#1993549) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: Peace One of the things some folks miss in the whole election game is this: Them what's committed is committed. They would vote for a friggin' cockroach if it was nominated for their political party. Reality is that fewer than 15% of the voting population has the say as to who becomes President. That's the 15% who have to be convinced. |
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11 Mar 07 - 03:21 PM (#1993584) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: Bill D Yep, Peace....The Shrub still has a 30% approval rating. Cockroaches, Rats, Alfred E. Neuman....if it's registered Republican. |
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11 Mar 07 - 09:47 PM (#1993883) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: The Fooles Troupe Funnily enough, after a period Fascist Johnny and his mindless cohorts of sinking the boot into Rudd and Labour (personal attacks - they DO have ex-US failed advisors!) labour now has a 60% approval and Johnny has nosedived... :-) Aussies DO NOT like pollies making personal attacks - whether founded or unfounded - they tend to prefer to 'play the ball, not the man' - which funnily enough American Football concentrated more on playing the men, not the ball - in Aussie ball games, too much contact with the 'players' especially those not actually carrying the ball, is likely to get you sent off the field... |
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12 Mar 07 - 07:55 AM (#1994181) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: Greg F. I dunno about a cockroach, Bruce- That may be going a bit too far. But certainly an earwig. And I think Mr. Newman would do a MUCH better job than the incumbent. |
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13 Mar 07 - 12:18 AM (#1995034) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: Slag I love the way the facists all point to the other guy and call him a "facist"! |
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13 Mar 07 - 02:23 AM (#1995052) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: Wordsmith If this were true...about the character issue...then how did GW get elected in the first place? Oh, yes, the Supremes! |
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13 Mar 07 - 05:09 AM (#1995117) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: The Fooles Troupe Fascist Johnny leads The Liberal Party - and is always pointing fingers claiming that the Opposition Labour Party are Far Left (it's no longer fashionable to call them Commos!) - which means that he must be Right! |
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13 Mar 07 - 09:36 AM (#1995299) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: McGrath of Harlow "Facism" is being prejudiced against people just because of the way their faces look. It shouldn't be confused with the political ideology with a somewhat similar name. |
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14 Mar 07 - 06:20 AM (#1996151) Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem ! From: The Fooles Troupe You obviously don't live in Australia mate! :-) |
