So how can Democrats make a better case for victory in 2012? Here are three less-conventional approaches:
No. 1: Listen to more country music
To communicate ideas, values, and accomplishments more effectively, President Obama and other Democrats should take a cue from Nashville.
Even if you're not a fan of the actual music, you can always understand the words in a country song. And they are catchy, be it for their wit (Toby Keith's "I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was"), patriotism (give a listen to Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA"), or relatable nature (Zac Brown Band's "you know I like my chicken fried … a pair of jeans that fit just right").
People remember country lyrics, just as they do the bumper sticker "I'll keep my guns, freedom, & money ... You can keep the 'change'!"
For all of the major initiatives the Obama administration passed, none has positive connotations in the popular media. Indeed, almost every program – from "Government Motors" to "Obamacare" – has been pointedly branded by critics.
Perhaps the most effectively packaged statement of Mr. Obama's accomplishments comes not from the White House or the Democratic National Committee but a humorous (and PG-13) website: wtfhasobamadonesofar.com. Certainly the Democrats can do better, and not just by evoking images of steaming teakettles and mad hatters, but through reconnecting with voters by finding positive ways to describe their own accomplishments.
