Having a Good Story to Tell

The LA Times Book Review section today has a couple of really good reviews outlining exactly what we've been talking about here forever, or at least since April, regarding the Dems' problems resonating with the public despite the fact that the public agrees with them on most issues. First, I'd recommend the nice summary of Geoffrey Nunberg's Talking Right, which emphasizes that even learning how to "frame" better won't get it done for Dems until they are able to unite those "frames" into a coherent and compelling story that delivers their values (first, though, they need to decide whether their values are the soppy, superficial thoughts of the Obamas and Clintons or the traditional concerns for the common American of Edwards and Dean). Second, read the review of the biography of the man who put it all together for the Revolution against the "frames" of King George, Tom Paine. These two pieces alone should be all it takes to convince and direct the Dems to better success against the Repubs, who have been doing this since McCarthy and Agnew. Of course, at some point, the authors of the actual books might appreciate your taking time to buy their product, too.

(There's also a nice example of the high-minded idiocy of the stereotypically pompous, clueless intellectual in Steven Barrie-Anthony(!!!)'s silly review of a book on evangelicals. He starts it with the usual crap about how all secular people misunderstand and condemn all evangelicals, and being a secularist from the evangelical heartland, Mr. Barrie-Anthony (!!!) can kiss my ass. I can describe a half dozen types of evangelicals, their goodness and badness, and tell you exactly which ones to fear and, believe it or not, which ones to treasure. Then, he pooh-poohs, as only a true intellectual can, the idea that all evangelicals are conspiring to take over our Constitution and democracy. Well, duh. Perhaps if you read the story of Tom Paine and its coverage of the French Revolution, Mr. Barrie-Anthony (!!!), or perhaps the Russian Revolution, or the Nazis, or even the Repub takeover of our government, you might get a clue that it only takes a few committed ones seeking and gaining power, pulling their fellows behind them, even if those fellows are really, really, really not interested in the political platform of their radical leaders, perhaps you might get a clue. . . . No, sorry, that's called knowing reality rather than the psychotic version you've built in your head to affirm how intellectual you are. Sorry to have wasted your time, Mr. Barrie-Anthony (!!!).)

(My apologies for the rant. Between the ridiculous statements in this review and reading yesterday of Obama's coming book which apparently is filled with the same sort of insulting, clueness nonsense about Dems and non-Dems like me, it's getting a little hard to take. Really, go check out the other two reviews, and pick up those books if you want to reward good authors.)