Simple slogans charm the masses

Re The left has yielded language to the right, Walkom, Nov. 5

It’s likely true that different spins on words like “populism” and “nationalism” matter to more intellectual voters, but for the voters who don’t ever read books, more elemental things are at play. Writers like George Lakoff ( The Political Mind) and Joe Heath ( Enlightenment 2.0) point out that the right are much better at coming up with Keep It Simple, memorable slogans, like

Lock her up!, Drill, Baby, Drill and yes, Make America Great Again. Populist leaders like Trump also pepper their rally speeches with swear words, in sentences like “And these illegals had better keep the hell out of our country.” To many average Joes, this swearing has the ring of sincerity, and helps both the speaker and the speaker’s fans give vent to their aggression. “When they go low, we go high,” may be morally righteous, but may not make for winning policy in the age of Twitter and social media/chat sites. Even a decent guy like Texas Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke has come to realize that it’s useful to resurrect Trump’s often quoted “Lyin’ Ted” nickname for Ted Cruz — you know, that Calgary-born Texan who looks like Grandpa Munster. Yes, in the Age of Twitter, Keep in Short, Keep it Simple and don’t grant your opponents a monopoly on mean and nasty discourse may sadly be ways to maintain momentum with that proverbial “little guy” to whom demagogues like Trump make their impassioned pitch.

Ron Charach, Toronto