[lbo-talk] Carville picks up the "narrative" idea

[Brad DeLong]

>Brad DeLong wrote:
>
>>>John Thornton wrote:
>>>
>>>>Am I being deliberately obtuse in not understanding the "need" 
>>>>for this narrative? I just don't get it. Why is it needed to win 
>>>>an election? Maybe I don't understand what is being put forth 
>>>>with the narrative idea itself. Someone want to explain to me 
>>>>what I am apparently missing because I think the narrative idea 
>>>>is a bit disingenuous and I don't think that is what others have 
>>>>in mind?
>>>
>>>People don't understand wonky stuff. They don't connect policy to 
>>>party or candidate in any detail. They need a one- or two-sentence 
>>>story that excites them about politics. "America is in danger and 
>>>Bush can save us!" Doesn't matter what the danger is - terrorism 
>>>or lesbianism - it still works. Things like that.
>>>
>>>Doug
>>
>>You are starting to sound like Aristotle in his critique of democracy...
>
>Do you have any evidence to the contrary? I'd love to hear some.
>
>I don't think it always has to be this way. But given the 
>environment Americans live in - often socially isolated (see 
>Brooks's column on the exurbs for an example) and relentlessly 
>propagandized - that's the way things look now.
>
>Doug

No! I don't have any evidence to the contrary! I find myself sounding 
amazingly like a Greek aristocrat too, and quoting Thucydides on the 
idiocy of the Athenian Assembly in matters like the Mytilene Decree. 
And talking about how we need a Republic, not a Democracy.

Face it: right now we have all the disadvantages of rule by the mob, 
and all the disadvantages of rule by the rich, and none of the 
advantages of rule by the people or rule by the well-qualified...

-- 

Yours,

Brad DeLong