Bill Witt's comments about additional aspects of the politicking
machine of the conservatives at first made me want to settle in to a
terminal depression. There really is a vast, right-wing conspiracy that
may seem unstoppable. However, there are aspects of Lakoff's book
(unmentioned in the review) that give me hope.

If they only knew, the vast majority of American's do not want what the
neoconservatives are so effectively selling. If they only knew they
would find it laughable, were it not so truly ugly. Lakoff devotes time
in his book to describing the real agenda. Had I not read Ayn Rand's
books 35 years ago I would have been totally disbelieving that anyone
could call the neoconservative claptrap good or moral or desirable. For
example, No Child Left Behind might require a much need return to
academics in the classroom, but the penalty for failure is to cut the
school's budget. That along with the unfunded mandate aspect of it
basically bankrupts schools. Then we see the push for vouchers. This
will leave the prosperous in a position to take the voucher, add to it,
and send their children to good schools. The rest will muck around in
the best inferior schools their voucher can buy. The value of
neoconservatives is that education is for the rich. Certainly in my life
I've never seen more than lip service to education from conservatives.

In 2003 when presidential candidates were in Iowa, I met and told
several, "You don't need to defeat George Bush, you need to defeat
conservatism." I recalled Bob Gramm looking at me as if I were an infant
and saying something about "a big tent." I think progressives should
start now using proper framing to educate people about the agenda of
conservatives.

To me neoconservatism is simply a way for nasty, greedy people to find a
way to feel good and moral about themselves, even if it is a country
club morality. Their morality is so far from that of main stream
Christianity that it should provide opportunities for educational, moral
framing.

In response to Cindy Hildrebrand's comments–As a scientist I am inclined
to think like you, that our facts and logic are so impeccable that they
should easily be accepted. My motivation to read Lakoff's book was to
try to understand why that isn't working. A progressive value of the
"nurturing parent model" is honesty. That is why John McCain is so
appealing in his candid moments. I think the progressives need to find a
Rovian media genius, but unless it includes honesty, it would not fit
the model. Lakoff writes that he has given presentations and consulted
with over 200 groups such as MoveOn. I hope they embrace his principles.

I think the Mary Beth Cahill generation of campaign advisors are really
dinosaurs. We need to find them a meteor.

Lanny Schwartz

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