How Dems Are Failing to Sell Health Care Reform - George Lakoff

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/08/03/Politics_of_Language_George_Lakoff

George Lakoff explains how Democrats are failing to sell health care reform by relying on the policy issues alone. Democrats, he says, are not framing the debate to defend against conservative rhetorical attacks.

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George Lakoff makes plain how the words used by politicians translate to the public's support for various political issues. Language matters - especially when it comes to politics.

A founder of the field of cognitive science, Lakoff takes an in-depth look at the ways in which our brains understand politics, breaking down the politics of language. - Commonwealth Club of California

George P. Lakoff is a professor of linguistics (in particular, cognitive linguistics) at the University of California, Berkeley, where he has taught since 1972.

Although some of his research involves questions traditionally pursued by linguists, such as the conditions under which a certain linguistic construction is grammatically viable, he is most famous for his ideas about the centrality of metaphor to human thinking, political behavior and society.

He is particularly famous for his concept of the "embodied mind" which he has written about in relation to mathematics. In recent years he has applied his work to the realm of politics, and founded a progressive think tank, the Rockridge Institute.

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[classicallady]

Furthermore some other day I ws reading a few comments from those idiots t.baggers out there that those companies if faced with a MAJOR reform would take their businesses somewhere else and I asked "Where" 3rd world countries? I mean in Euroep we have health care, Canada the same...where will they go?South and Latin America also have government assitance...Former Soviet Union? Russia and it's ex satellite countries also have universal healthcare.

[classicallady]

Orchard6773 Whet the Prez meant - and failed to be perceived was in referrence to the ins. companies. They are the ones paying BIG money, manipulating people, placing over a million/day to install fear and further ignorace. Worst of all, they are taking advantage of the elderly who most unfortunately, some are not thinking straight anymore. Were we back on the XIII century, these thugs would be sent to the guillotine - and that's where they all belong.Worst defrauders of the government

[nycrackhead]

I can smell his farts.

[PissedFechtmeister]

All he's saying is that the Dems aren't as good at propaganda as the Reps, but if they just take his advice they will be.

[Torakization]

Bank run health care, sir.

[shovland]

The Democrats are so incompetent at promoting policies that they would be better described as saboteurs.

[mollycanadian]

I discovered this last summer and thought it was brilliant. Democrats are using reason and statistics to get a population who will benefit from this on side. It won't happen unless they use stories and emotion...which is why the Republicans are so good at. Americans seem so suspicious of big government - historically I can understand that. Obama won because he appealed to people's emotions - the "good" ones.

[jrobertwood]

I thought the reason they don't go after the insurance companies is that the democrats are in their pocket, and need their agreement in order to get reform done.

[daderone]

George Lakoff is great

[Americanfighter01]

okay then

[moshe88]

Most Good Samaritan laws don't punish you if you don't help someone. From Wikipedia: "Good Samaritan laws in the United States are laws or acts protecting from liability those who choose to aid others who are injured or ill." These laws don't punish you for not helping someone, they protect you from lawsuits & prosecution if you, say, pull someone out of a burning vehicle &, in the process, cause them an injury. Only Minnesota & Vermont have laws that require you to at least call 911.