The Voter Manifesto

James Ihnat 12-5-08 *Copywrite

We all know manipulative language and propaganda in the political arena is not unheard of; historically it is one of the key components to gain the support for a politician. Manipulative language and propaganda do not just include untruthful words, but more importantly, they are words slanting the truth, specifically designed in way to achieve a hidden agenda. Manipulative language and propaganda can bamboozle people into an almost unconscious submission of acceptance and or confuse people into a vulnerable state of mind without them knowing it. This is important to recognize because in a country that makes decisions in a democratic fashion, it should not have its voters in a vulnerable state of mind. In a democracy, as Abe Lincoln said it best “ruled of the people, by the people, and for the people,” we must use our granted power with integrity and responsibility. In a democracy, it is the voter’s duty to be informed on the issues and make educated decisions. Politicians mutually use propaganda and manipulative language as a tool against people, and it is the responsibility of the audience to recognize such language in action and find the truth of the matter at hand, or consequently become puppets of our leaders.
In George Bush’s 2002 State of the Union Address, he stated the countries Iraq, Iran, and North Korea constitute an axis of evil. That phrase has particular significance because he is obviously comparing Iraq, Iran, and North Korea to Germany, Italy, and Japan of World War II. Besides Bush’s arrogance in comparing our modern conflict to the scale of terror that the World War II generation experienced, this is prime political propaganda. If you went to American public school, you know the amount of evil associated with Fascist Germany. By labeling Iraq, Iran, and North Korea an axis of evil, George Bush has made them into a trio of evil in the minds of many Americans without any actual evidence. If George Bush had not used that phrase, it would not be as effective in manipulating the minds of the American people. George Bush knows this; language like this is why every nation is biased. In a sense, we see it the way we are told to see it, and perhaps not the true reality of the situation.
The president elect Barack Obama also knows the advantages of propaganda. His campaign race for president used slogan words like hope and change. This is a good strategy because apparently the majority of Americans lost all hope and wanted drastic change from the Bush administration. Realistically, what are we to expect in January 2009 when Barack Obama is inaugurated? To his credit, Obama has made his political and social stances clear on the internet and written sources. However, most of his rallies and media appearances just give a display of his charisma and not the specifics of his presidential plan. Do all the people at Obama rallies know his stances? Politicians should not run campaigns off slogans or great charisma; we need to mandate they run off ideas, facts, and information.
The people have the power in a democracy and we should take advantage of that fact and demand more from our appointed leaders. Instead of supporting the politician who you would like to have a beer with, get informed, and make educated voting decisions. Beware of catchy names or phrases to gain support of propositions, such as The Patriot Act. We, the people, need to demand more from our politicians rather than scare tactics or the candy coating we receive. Tell politicians to take off their makeup and show us what is underneath the mask. We need to recognize propaganda in use and demand the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth from our elected leaders. If nothing is done about it than nothing will change. This is the lesson of history. As the targets of manipulative language, it is the responsibility of us, the people, to recognize it and critically think about the hidden objectives of politicians for a better future of the United States and the world. Let the politicians tremble at a voter revolution. The voters have nothing to lose but their own ignorance. Voters of America Unite! = )
“Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way round, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise.” –Adolf Hitler