Marketing Differences Between Left and Right

There are some interesting differences between how center-left politicians market themselves and how center-right politicians market themselves in this country.  The next time you are listening to political speeches, take the time to notice these subtle differences.

Center-Left:
Center-left politicians always seem to focus about the future.  They often talk about the "need to do better" and creating visions of a better tomorrow.  Generally, center-left politicians' rhetoric center around a future utopia ("ending poverty", "a land where everyone has health insurance", etc.).  Usually, this utopia will never happen, or if it does happen, the consequences aren't as bright as the politicians say it will be.

In order to demonize the other side, center-left politicians portray the other side as Neanderthals...dumb and brutish.  Left-wingers always make it seem like right-wingers are stupid.  The hubris of the Left
is based upon intellectual superiority, at least against social conservatives.  Against smart conservatives, the hubris of the Left is empathy superiority.  Because of this perception, the right's counter-attack is to paint the left as a bunch of elitists who think they are better than conservatives.

Notice how the reaction from the Left against social conservatives and fiscal conservatives is different.  The reaction against social conservatives is "thinking" based.  The reaction against fiscal conservatives is "emotional" based.  Depending on whether Rick Santorum or Mitt Romney is the GOP nominee, take note of the themes Obama will use to attack.

Center-Right:
Center-Right politicians always seem to focus on how great the past was.  They want to take us back to a time where children were born in wedlock, where the nuclear, traditional family was the only game in town, when there were no gay people, when America was great, and where people could have just a high school diploma to get a stable career.  There is a lot of "restore America" talk that usually goes on.  News flash, the past sucked.  Would you want to live in the past rather the present?

In order to demonize the other side, center-right politicians like to paint the other side as un-American.  The hubris of the Right is based on patriotic superiority, especially among social conservatives.  The hubris of economic conservatives is one of intellectual superiority (thinking that people who don't have center-right economic views are dumber).

Notice this difference.  Mitt Romney's attacks against Obama are usually based on "the Administration doesn't understand...." --- stuff based on intellectual superiority.  Social conservatives usually call Obama a Muslim, socialist, hates America, un-American, etc. --- all terms that are based on patriotic superiority.

This right-left dichotomy ought to be counter-intuitive since the past, 1950s-1970s were a lot more friendly to liberal policies and neo-liberal (economic conservative) policies seem really dominant for the present and foreseeable future.  Under this framework, one would think that liberals would want to restore the past and conservatives would want to paint a utopian future.