April 15, 2009

Political Persuasion and Political Campaigns
Snow, Nancy. 2005. Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Propaganda
Sanes, Ken. 2000.  Faking It 

tonight: changes in the way that political leaders communicate with  public for support
    --public approval and campaigns/spin
    --persuasion & leadership vs. manipulation/propaganda campaigns

I. ties together many themes we've covered
    a. importance of constructed image for persuasion
    b. merging of  culture/politics
    c. type of media coverage (sound bites)
    d. lack of info-diversity
    e. how the public can be engaged- through conversations, or by spectacle
    f. growing role of the internet

Central concerns:

---Given possibilities of 'simulation & manipulation' available, to what extent are citizens making 'informed decisions' with full consideration of all the information?
---Is the use of propaganda/simulation compatible with participatory democracy?

II. Political leadership now dependent upon ability to communicate, to persuade public
  A. Teddy Roosevelt, presidency is  "the bully pulpit"
     1. always a source of leverage for presidents
       a. ability to create  political "vision"  & sway public
       b. bring public pressure to bear against on other institutions to change      

 B. Leadership often exercised through rhetorical skill, speeches

    1. ability to crystallize policy initiatives into  compelling metaphor/symbol
    2.  create public consensus around path of action
      a. example: FDR   "Day Of Infamy" speech   FDR
      b. Kennedy/Reagan         Reagan
   3. damage control-   Nixon's"Checkers" speech excerpt
     a. persuasive power of images, symbols
     b. "everyman" image developed
  4. political theatre skills necessary for office

C. media skills now more important than earlier eras
      1. nature of political coverage more personalized, truncated
          a. televised events primary way public knows/judges prez
          b. focus on leader as symbol  of government
      2. weakening of traditional institutional affiliations
          a. political parties, unions, civil society
          b. more voters vote for who they 'trust'/'like' the best   turkey

     3.  unpopular policies forgiven if  personally popular
         a. "teflon"  factor
         b. contradictions in policy never explored
       c. if unpopular, everything is scrutinized mercilessly

E.  propaganda techniques used increasingly
   1. persuade ppl to support- either by words or image
   2.  aim of electoral campaigns, in particular

Harold Lasswell: "Not bombs nor bread, but words, pictures, songs, parades, and many similar devices are the typical means of making propaganda. Propaganda relies on symbols to attain its end: the manipulation of collective attitudes. The detailed suffering of a little girl and her kitten can motivate our hatred against the Germans, arouse our sympathy for Armenians, make us enthusiastic for the Red Cross, or lead us to give money for a home for cats."

    B. techniques of propaganda increasingly more relevant to campaigns ex
      1. defn: repetition of simplified message, designed for mass persuasion
         a. emotional appeals, short-circuit logical cognitive processes
         b. "scape-goating", "name-calling, "glittering generalities"
         c. persuasion by association, (negative & positive values)

    2. American origin- WWI, Committee for Public Information
        a. mass persuasion to bolster public support for war effort   kaiser
           1. create image of "evil Hun" in minds of public
              a. "demonizing" enemy
              b arousal of fear, anger, cultural distance
           2. anti-German backlash against german culture
              a. lynching of Robert Praeger 1917
              b. end to bi-lingual schools, Turner societies, sauerkraut ex

       b. also used in World War II by both sides gp  german propaganda 
       c. used in Cold War era  by both sides  Soviet   ducknCover
        1. Joe McCarthy capitalized on this
           a. black-listing of  artists, "sympathizers"  ex
           b. "red-baiting" to maintain power
      d. used by fed govt now to persuade ppl to  not use drugs, cigarettes   
           1. Hamas h    anti-jewish    bsh

  3. w/ professionalization of campaigns, more germane
      a. marketing techniques used to develop sellable political "product"
        1. focus groups,  polling, etc.
          a. determine issues most important to public
          b. design campaigns to capitalize on them

       2. "spin" doctors deflect attacks, bolster candidate image
         a. less unscripted appearances
         b. consultant-driven strategies

       3. creation of ads to persuade public to "buy" candidate 
        a. narrative appeal more than issue-based
          1. montage of images, associations,
          2. emotional cues, values, create  impression
          3. text is  30 second "sound bite", reinforces image
          4. short-circuits cognition (logic-based)

     c.  polished techniques used to create emotional reaction
       1. morphing into unpopular character example
       2. music, lighting, camera angle all designed for effect Example of construction of political ad

      3. candidates are marketed to public as symbol
         a. adds to cost of campaigns
         b. diminishes possibility of national conversation of competing visions
            1. low opinion of public judgment
            2. elections are not educative/but political spectacles

   d. power of political ads should not  be underestimated
      1.especially, for "undecideds"
      2. negative ads ng
        a. most believed by public
        b. most disliked by public

     3. powerful ads that influenced elections
         a. DAISY ad, 1964
         b. Willy Horton, 1988

    4. propaganda techniques used
        a. visual component of danger
        b. uses fear, threat associated w/ opponent  lr

    5. positive symbol association, also
       a. Morning in America, 1984
       b. reassurance, associated w/ candidate
       c. visual is message, no policy details, just mood
     
   6. campaign 2008 ads continued trend
      a.  candidates' use of musicians, endorsements  
      b.  image has become key , what stuck?  issues

     a. counter-images released, ex. Palin
     b. contending images, but not issues

Problems: Is the use of propaganda compatible with participatory democracy?
Doesn't it undermine the ability to think critically?

A. democratic theory
       1. every citizen should have equality of  political influence   image
         a. participatory  v. elite vary on how exercised
       2. separation between market and polis (public square)
         a. economic inequality in market economy
         b. public deliberation in public square
           1. equality of influence for all citizens
           2. decisions made on basis of reasoned argument

    3.contrast between "rules" of market/political domain
      a. political characterized by debate, talk, deliberation among equals
      b. market based on economic competition (wealth advantaged over poor)
         1. those with more money, get to talk louder
         2. money guarantees access to insiders, not guaranteed results

  B. historically and empirically,  money & politics always united
      1. reform occurs only when problem reaches crisis proportions
         a. deep-seated public disgust w/ corruption of system.
         b. overhaul of existing system
         c. then, gradual deterioration & loopholes discovered

   2. corruption of McKinley era (1901)
       a. Teddy Roosevelt, the "trust buster" to institute change
       b. 1907 Tillman Act,  corporations cannot contribute money to campaigns
       c. progressive era reforms ("Fighting Bob" LaFollette)

    3. 1974--post-Watergate
      a. public outrage at slush funds, campaign corruption
      b. put teeth into 1971 Federal Election Campaign Act
        1. provisions:
          a.limits on individual contributions
          b. limits on PAC contributions (political action committees)
          c. public matching funds w/ voluntary spending limits
          d. Federal Election Commission established to regulate it

    c. began to weaken with (1976) Buckley vs Valeo
     1. money =political speech
     2. given first amendment protections
         a. could limit contributions, but not expenditures of candidate
         b. no limits on use of personal wealth (Herb Kohl, Mitt Romney)

  d. further weakened w/ 1979 amendment to FECA
     1.creation of "soft money" for party-building activities
        a. allows for unlimited funds donated to political parties
            1.parties had weakened vs. interest groups (PACS)
            2.parties broader institutions to organize public action
       b. concern that reform had hurt parties, by focusing money on candidates

     2. "soft money" use increased exponentially since 1988
       a. cannot directly be given to candidate, but indirect support allowed
       b. independent expenditure ads sponsored by parties
          1."express advocacy" vs "issue advocacy"
          2."magic words" test  (Buckley v Valeo footnote)
          3.not  considered "electioneering"

   3. more soft money in 2004 election than ever before
     a. 1988, $45 million, 2000, $500 million, 2004  $528mil chart       
     a. both major parties, rough parity  527
     b. increase in independent expenditure ads from 1996
       1. harsher in tone than candidate-sponsored ads
       2. more likely to be negative
       3. empirically, same effect
   c. stealth ads--no one takes responsibility (527's)  org   
          1. most infamous, "Swiftboat" ads of 2004
         2. both republican & Democratic candidates are targeted, 527's come from all ideologies

4. Results
     a. candidates spend more and more time raising money
         1. campaigns never end
         2. must interfere w/ policy-making
     b. we judge 'electability' of candidates based on how much they raise. not ideas

    b. public is saturated w/ ads
        1. closer to propaganda than "culture of conversation"
        2. citizen considered  "consumer"
           a. communication is in 30 second soundbites--one way
           b. no public discussion, more manipulation

5. campaign 2008 will continue the trend
      a.  candidates' fundraising is beyond any past elections  os
      b. advocacy groups  already involved  
        c. stealth ads already beginning

     d. contributors get increased access to candidates   Political Money Line
        1. violates "equality of influence" for all citizens assumption
        2. contributes to lessened civic presence

Solutions:
  a. media literacy encouraged
     1. cynicism can be sign of sophistication
     2. alternative sources of info
        a. best response to propaganda is alternative information
        b. fighting the trend

  b. Regulate political ads
    1. more legible disclosure statements
    2. outlaw  issue advocacy ads
    3. make clear who is buying ad
       a. would this be enough?
       b. Wisconsin supreme court race, Judicial Independence Project
 
  c. free debates on network tv
    1.five minutes of issue coverage, exchange for license to airwaves
    2. "culture of conversation" encouraged
    3. mini-debates encouraged