Thank you, I greatly appreciate your synthesis and insight. I wonder, however, if it truly is in the best interest of the Democratric party and the Harris campaign to be name calling Trump and Vance as "weirdos" or "creepy". Though this may be scarily accurate (sad to say), it seems to me that they (we) are simply stooping to their level by resorting to name calling. I would rather see folks point out the horrific rhetoric, lies, and lack of logic. I am grateful for your deep work and this space to share. It's time to mobilize, people! Harris 2024!
A key principle in messaging is "it's not what you say, it's what they hear." What people hear are the words that trigger an image ... "weird" does that. Same with other common, descriptive words that don't sound academic or professional. Facts, logic, and data do not trigger images and make people respond. There is a place for both, and great messaging blends them.
Inclined to share a preference for facts over feelings, memes, and tokens in my feeds, but (sadly) I imagine this strategy reflects research into the relative effectiveness of different tones and types of messages.
Yes, agreed. After reviewing more of the news today, it seems that they are mostly describing Trump and Vance's behavior as strange, weird, or creepy, not necessarily name calling them. This makes more sense.
Referring to Trump and Vance's political stance as weird and creepy is a great simple slogan to challenge MAGA proposals. No need to challenge stupid comments; just say the comments are weird or creepy and it will become part of the personal psyche.
I don't think weirdo and creepy is name calling. It is calling statements and policy platforms weird and/or creepy, not personal name calling.
Trumps bold message in this post the the Christian Right Wing is a clear warning to all Americans that he is attempting to legitimize a coup of the government, through presidential action if elected and violent revolt if not. Democracy is in danger of succumbing to autocratic forced revision of the US Constitution. All need to take heed and voice your opposition. I applaud Heather on keeping her eye on the ball with Trumps attempts to indoctrinate the general population to an authoritarian regime.
I agree with your concerns about Trump being a threat to democratic government and a would-be authoritarian. A observation: Trump’s speaking style and use of words is often vague, a slurry of words sloshing around like mud and gravel in a bucket of water. What does he really mean? Is he playing the con man who says what he thinks he needs to say to get the people in this particular group to vote for him? Or is he implying that there will not be another free and fair election once he is in office for four more years? The most prudent interpretation, given Trump’s past history, is to assume the worst possible meaning, as you have stated. However, as some one whose entire education and career were spent in the sciences and engineering where the goal was to seek the truth, understand how the world works, and communicate in a clear, anything-but-vague manner, Trump’s style of speech is like finger nails on a chalkboard to me.
I am a subscriber and I get e-mails for both the written version and the podcast version of Letters from an American. I think you can choose which things you have sent to your e-mail by going to the Manage Subscription options. In the upper right part of the screen, click on the circle with the down arrow. This will bring up a pull down menu of things like Settings and Manage Subscription. Click on Manage Subscription and you will see buttons to turn “on” or “off” which e-mails you receive. I am using the Safari browser on an iPad, so things might look a little different on your device or if you are using the app instead of a browser, but it should still be possible to bring up the Manage Subscription menu somewhere.
Why doesn’t the MEDIA consult a gun EXPERT regarding the POSSIBILITY or IMPOSSIBILITY of a bullet coming from an AR-15 rifle striking Trump’s ear and not even requiring stitches, let alone additional head trauma.
Others nearby were hit with shrapnel, I.e. “DEBRIS from the bullet hitting the plexiglass, the most likely scenario. But Trump who likes to LIE and make his crowds bigger, his presidency the BEST (when in fact he was ranked dead last) would like the public to BELIEVE he took a bullet so he could be a hero in his eyes (even if it wasn’t the truth- besides, if he had promoted the banning of AK-15 rifles, it wouldn’t have happened. So essentially he is to blame).
One option is to click on “Transcript“ near the top under the “Play” interface.
Another is to make sure you are signed up to get the written version of the newsletter delivered to your email. Click on the pile of lines in the upper right hand corner. Click on “Manage subscriptions” then scroll down to “Notifications.” Click on the button to the right of “Letters from an American. Receive emails for new posts,” so that it is green.
There is a market for drugs. Typical markets have supply and demand components. Americans demand fentanyl, the drug runners demand money and vice versa. Addressing the traffic by suppressing the drug runners won't work. New and possibly more creative drug runners will simply replace them. Suppressing the drug users won't work because new generations of customers will likewise replace them. Meanwhile, it is necessary to maintain expensive prisons. Don't believe me? Richard Nixon started the War on Drugs more than 50 years ago. Who's winning? It's time to declare victory, legalize "drugs," point resources toward rehabilitation and treatment. However, since criminalization tends to affect mostly Blacks and other minorities, don't hold your breath.
Sorry to say, but rather than discourse about the history behind today’s politics is more “piling on” - I would love to hear more about the history as the description of this states. Name-calling and emphasizing negative behaviors simply causes Dems to resort to the same “word salad food fight”. As I’ve said before, let’s redirect our energy to the positive. Know that I’m not saying “when they go low, we go high”, I’m saying we just go!
Thank you, I greatly appreciate your synthesis and insight. I wonder, however, if it truly is in the best interest of the Democratric party and the Harris campaign to be name calling Trump and Vance as "weirdos" or "creepy". Though this may be scarily accurate (sad to say), it seems to me that they (we) are simply stooping to their level by resorting to name calling. I would rather see folks point out the horrific rhetoric, lies, and lack of logic. I am grateful for your deep work and this space to share. It's time to mobilize, people! Harris 2024!
A key principle in messaging is "it's not what you say, it's what they hear." What people hear are the words that trigger an image ... "weird" does that. Same with other common, descriptive words that don't sound academic or professional. Facts, logic, and data do not trigger images and make people respond. There is a place for both, and great messaging blends them.
Love this, thank you! So true.
Inclined to share a preference for facts over feelings, memes, and tokens in my feeds, but (sadly) I imagine this strategy reflects research into the relative effectiveness of different tones and types of messages.
Yes, agreed. After reviewing more of the news today, it seems that they are mostly describing Trump and Vance's behavior as strange, weird, or creepy, not necessarily name calling them. This makes more sense.
Referring to Trump and Vance's political stance as weird and creepy is a great simple slogan to challenge MAGA proposals. No need to challenge stupid comments; just say the comments are weird or creepy and it will become part of the personal psyche.
I don't think weirdo and creepy is name calling. It is calling statements and policy platforms weird and/or creepy, not personal name calling.
Trumps bold message in this post the the Christian Right Wing is a clear warning to all Americans that he is attempting to legitimize a coup of the government, through presidential action if elected and violent revolt if not. Democracy is in danger of succumbing to autocratic forced revision of the US Constitution. All need to take heed and voice your opposition. I applaud Heather on keeping her eye on the ball with Trumps attempts to indoctrinate the general population to an authoritarian regime.
I agree with your concerns about Trump being a threat to democratic government and a would-be authoritarian. A observation: Trump’s speaking style and use of words is often vague, a slurry of words sloshing around like mud and gravel in a bucket of water. What does he really mean? Is he playing the con man who says what he thinks he needs to say to get the people in this particular group to vote for him? Or is he implying that there will not be another free and fair election once he is in office for four more years? The most prudent interpretation, given Trump’s past history, is to assume the worst possible meaning, as you have stated. However, as some one whose entire education and career were spent in the sciences and engineering where the goal was to seek the truth, understand how the world works, and communicate in a clear, anything-but-vague manner, Trump’s style of speech is like finger nails on a chalkboard to me.
Yes, agreed. Thank you for posting this. Very well stated.
I’m regretting becoming a Subscriber because my circumstances aren’t conducive to audio playback. I want to READ your posts, not hear them.
So, how canI get back to printed posts.
I am a subscriber and I get e-mails for both the written version and the podcast version of Letters from an American. I think you can choose which things you have sent to your e-mail by going to the Manage Subscription options. In the upper right part of the screen, click on the circle with the down arrow. This will bring up a pull down menu of things like Settings and Manage Subscription. Click on Manage Subscription and you will see buttons to turn “on” or “off” which e-mails you receive. I am using the Safari browser on an iPad, so things might look a little different on your device or if you are using the app instead of a browser, but it should still be possible to bring up the Manage Subscription menu somewhere.
i guess i cant help except to say i am a subscriber and i get both
Hi, John, Click on Transcription in the box under the video screen.
Poor Donald he can’t help it. He was born with a forked tongue in his mouth.
In Memory of Gov. Ann Richards
Hi John, the written posts can be found under her name. She gives us both oral and written letters. I hope that helps.
Why doesn’t the MEDIA consult a gun EXPERT regarding the POSSIBILITY or IMPOSSIBILITY of a bullet coming from an AR-15 rifle striking Trump’s ear and not even requiring stitches, let alone additional head trauma.
Others nearby were hit with shrapnel, I.e. “DEBRIS from the bullet hitting the plexiglass, the most likely scenario. But Trump who likes to LIE and make his crowds bigger, his presidency the BEST (when in fact he was ranked dead last) would like the public to BELIEVE he took a bullet so he could be a hero in his eyes (even if it wasn’t the truth- besides, if he had promoted the banning of AK-15 rifles, it wouldn’t have happened. So essentially he is to blame).
Let's have a recording of tRumps speach @ the believers conference and broadcast that.
I also would like to read Heather Cox Richardson's comments, as I always have. I'm a reader, not a listener! Is there a way I can make this change?
One option is to click on “Transcript“ near the top under the “Play” interface.
Another is to make sure you are signed up to get the written version of the newsletter delivered to your email. Click on the pile of lines in the upper right hand corner. Click on “Manage subscriptions” then scroll down to “Notifications.” Click on the button to the right of “Letters from an American. Receive emails for new posts,” so that it is green.
RECENTLY I realized, you first need to toggle ON the top setting:
Then toggle on one or both of the next two settings:
LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN
Receive emails for new podcast episodes [TOGGLE GREEN ON]
Receive emails for new posts in On My Mind [TOGGLE ON OR OFF]
Receive emails for new threads in Substack Chat [TOGGLE ON OR OFF]
That's what I think the system is, because:
When only the first toggle is on, I receive no emails.
When only the second toggle is on, I receive no emails.
When both the first and second toggle is on, and not the third:
I receive emails only for the podcast.
There is a market for drugs. Typical markets have supply and demand components. Americans demand fentanyl, the drug runners demand money and vice versa. Addressing the traffic by suppressing the drug runners won't work. New and possibly more creative drug runners will simply replace them. Suppressing the drug users won't work because new generations of customers will likewise replace them. Meanwhile, it is necessary to maintain expensive prisons. Don't believe me? Richard Nixon started the War on Drugs more than 50 years ago. Who's winning? It's time to declare victory, legalize "drugs," point resources toward rehabilitation and treatment. However, since criminalization tends to affect mostly Blacks and other minorities, don't hold your breath.
I often like to share with other people so they don’t have to read. It’s nice to have the read version also.
Love the pod cast so glad I joined
Because I grew up when public education was well funded, I’m a good reader. I do not care to look at videos.
Sorry to say, but rather than discourse about the history behind today’s politics is more “piling on” - I would love to hear more about the history as the description of this states. Name-calling and emphasizing negative behaviors simply causes Dems to resort to the same “word salad food fight”. As I’ve said before, let’s redirect our energy to the positive. Know that I’m not saying “when they go low, we go high”, I’m saying we just go!
there was a clip on Sunday mourning meet the press