Preparing for Battle

As the last year of the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close, there is much talk about messaging. Moving into 2011, the elected leaders of our nation seem to be preparing for some kind of communication battle much the way opposing armies ready themselves the night before their anticipated clash. This time around, however, instead of sharpening bayonets and cleaning rifles, the opposing "armies" are fine-tuning talking points and various outreach strategies. The opponents are the two major political parties and they are preparing to do what they can to "sell" their philosophies in order to ultimately govern the country. What "catch-phrase" or slogan can one party coin that will them relegate the other to minority status, thus diminishing that party's clout or influence over the nation's priorities and directions?

Already the two sides are doing much posturing in the form of isolated quotes and interviews that pop up on various cable shows and appear in newspapers and news magazines. Sometimes the speakers chose to be identified and sometimes not. Either way, I can almost see leaders of the two parties pacing back and forth, staring intently at each other from across the field of battle, waiting to sling their verbal arrows, let loose with their charges and counter charges, and present themselves in ways that assure prospective supporters that they know what is best. Communication is serious business to these men and women, especially when the grand prize is power. Which messages will win the day? Will they be ones that best stirs emotions in the populace or ones that appeal more to their reason and logic?

My guess is it will be ones that hit both of those buttons, but in doing so appeals most to the interests of the voters. As Albert Hirschman touched on over 30 years ago, a person's passion is largely driven by matters that are of most interest to them; those matters perceived to improve a person's own circumstance. When viewing the world, people often start by looking at themselves. In doing so, they raise a number of self-directed questions: Will this policy put more money in my pocket? Will this policy affect my tax rate? Will this policy make me safer? To get people to look at these kind of questions is not all that difficult. After all, we all want what is best for us sometimes even at the expense of what is best for the overall majority. The real challenge comes in devising messages that cause the public to weigh it's own interest along with those of the greater good. The political party that comes closest to this goal will win the impending battle.