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The Clarity of False Choices

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posted on Jan, 4 2010 @ 02:28 PM
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How Obama’s rhetorical tricks mislead the public




“There are those who claim we have to choose between paying down our deficits…and investing in job creation and economic growth,” President Obama said last week. “This is a false choice.” During the same speech, he asked his audience to “let me just be clear” that his administration, having racked up the biggest budget deficits ever, is embracing fiscal responsibility, as reflected in his vow that “health insurance reform” will not increase the deficit “by one dime.”



For connoisseurs of Obama-speak, the address featured a trifecta, combining three of his favorite rhetorical tropes. There was the vague reference to “those who” question his agenda, the “false choice” they use to deceive the public, and the determination to “be clear” and forthright, in contrast with those dishonest naysayers. These devices are useful as signals that the president is about to mislead us.



Here are some other things Obama has asked us to let him be clear about: “Earmarks have given legislators the opportunity to direct federal money to worthy projects”; the U.S. government “has no interest in running GM”; Medicare cuts will be made “in a way that protects our senior citizens” from changes in benefits or costs; and a “public option” for health care, which would invite businesses to offload their medical costs onto taxpayers and could drive private insurers from the market, “would not impact those of you who already have insurance.” From now on, when you hear Obama speak, try replacing “let me be clear” with “let me lie to you,” and see if it makes more sense.



Speaking of making sense, some of the “false choices” Obama has identified in the last year are more puzzling than misleading. “I reject the false choice between securing this nation and wasting billions of taxpayer dollars,” he declared in March. So according to Obama, we can secure the nation and waste billions of taxpayer dollars. Actually, that sounds about right.


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Here you can learn to do it also.

Five Ways to Speak Like Obama



1. Talk About the Audience’s Concerns


2. Keep It Simple


3. Anticipate What Your Audience Is Thinking


4. Learn to Pause


5. Master the Body Language of Leadership


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posted on Jan, 4 2010 @ 02:36 PM
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I will not even begin to touch the first part of your post as I see it as completely bias and speaking further on it will not lead to helpful discourse.

As for the second part "Five Ways To Speak Like Obama", those are techniques used by any public speaker.

Talk about the audience's concerns: why else would you be speaking to them

Keep it simple: as is needed with the majority of the public.

Anticipate what the audience is thinking: because you do not have time to sit there and pick the brains of every audience member.

Learn to pause: gives the audience time to digest what you said...plus gives the speaker time to think about what they are about to say.

Master the body language of leadership: you gotta look the part. plain and simple.



posted on Jan, 4 2010 @ 02:47 PM
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reply to post by iamsupermanv2
 


And I never said this was bad speaking advice.It's just not from the heart,it is a trick it can be learned.



 
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