About Me and the Prez

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. Sometimes I think advanced marketing techniques re-opened the door for class warfare

It created a political environment where it is easier to get voters to work against their own self interests, enabling the glutton class to fatten itself with much less opposition. Once upon a time people understood the concept of workers and bosses on a clear gut level. It's not that everyone had to hate all bosses, most people didn't, but folks understood that there were differing vested interests that went along with where one stood on the socio-economic ladder. The black art of propaganda has advanced so much in the last half century, and the techniques were perfected by Madison Avenue. The influence of money on politics used to be more crude, monied interests sometimes literally bought politicians and used them as political employees , but that was flagrant corruption and there was little subtle about it. Now messaging is extremely nuanced, honing in on whatever emotional weakness a target constituency might have to be exploited. Yes there is more money in politics nowadays but in some ways I think what makes that so lethal to democracy is that how money can be used so much more effectively to disorient voters today than once was the case.