Palin understands what other Republicans are just beginning to get [View all]

[phantom power]

Palin understands what other Republicans are just beginning to get, which is that the conservative base is an audience that is post-argument. Conservatism of the 21st century is an ideology built on sand. Its arguments fall apart upon the briefest of examination and the supposed “evidence” for their beliefs are mostly lies and self-delusions. Sticking with the argument and evidence-based structure in the era of climate change denialism and creationism is a fool’s game and Palin knows it. Better instead to focus strictly on emotions and tribal identity, eschewing not just argument but even structuring your speeches to resemble arguments. Imagistic speeches that arouse passions while silencing doubts is not stupid, but brilliant.

And while Palin is the vanguard of this movement, a careful observer will notice that other Republicans are quickly following on her heels. During the sixth Republican debate, for instance, there was a noticeable scramble away from trying to make actual policy claims and promises, especially with regards to foreign policy, and an embrace of this content-free imagistic language...

...

While it doesn’t reach the heights of imagistic riffing that Palin reaches, this does come close a Palin-esque non-argument. Cruz riles people up, because riling people up is good, because they enjoy being riled up, and Obama fails at the task of riling you up (because he doesn’t want to rile you up over a non-issue like this, of course). Issues like diplomatic relations or even effectiveness at getting the soldiers back —places where Republicans are weak — are ignored completely. All that matters is the image and the feeling that it provokes. You are invited to ignore all other questions.

To be clear, emotion is not always or even usually the enemy of logic. In the traditional political speech, audiences are encouraged to tie their emotions to argument. You are angry, here is the solution. You want hope, these policies will provide it.

But Palin, by eliding the argument-based structure of traditional speeches, is getting past this altogether. Anger is turned into hate is turned into more anger, until it spins off, completely unmoored from any considerations like “why” or “how.” Her innovation helps Republicans get over the logic and evidence problems that plague them. And so we can expect her methods to become more, not less prevalent over time.

http://www.salon.com/2016/01/21/palin_wasnt_drunk_and_her_trump_speech_wasnt_stupid_shes_playing_right_into_the_heart_of_twisted_republican_politics/