BLOGS BY BOB

As a semi-retired communication consultant I want to offer my critique of the conservative approach toward President Obama’s stimulus plan.  I don’t pretend to think that the plan will solve all of our problems but at least it addresses them.  So far conservatives have addressed big deficits and big government but have not even alluded to real people.  I learned long ago that you never discuss problems unless you have solutions.  Those who oppose the stimulus plan are excellent at discussing the problems it may create; they fail miserably in offering solutions.  

 

While I support President Obama’s efforts I’m going to offer some advice to my conservative friends.  Simply put, you’d better start sounding like you give a damn about the average American because right now you appear to care only about being disagreeable.

 

My personal philosophy is quite simple, “If communication is not your top priority all other priorities are at risk.”  Conservatives within and without congress have totally failed to communicate that they care.  Nothing proves it more than Rush Limbaugh’s statement that he “hopes President Obama fails.”  The obvious inference, then, is that he favors politics over helping Americans overcome adversity.  Where’s the Christianity in that statement Mr. Limbaugh?  Your hubris is exceeded only by your bombastic thoughtlessness.  Even some of your supporters think you’ve gone too far with that utterance. 

 

Here’s where Rush and the loyal opposition to President Obama have gone wrong.  The President talks about people losing their homes, conservatives discuss the national debt.  He talks about a lack of health care access, they talk about budget deficits.  He talks about families that are forced to go to food shelves, they talk about taxes.  He talks about millions of lost jobs, they talk about big government. 

 

The fact is when people are concerned about their own well being they simply don’t care about the difference between a billion and a trillion dollar deficit or big government.  When people are faced with unemployment or have already lost their jobs they don’t care about taxes.  Conservatives have totally ignored the prime tenet of effective, persuasive communication; talk about the audience and their needs — not about yourself and your beliefs. 

 

Perception is ninety percent of reality.  If people perceive that you care more about money than you do about them they will quit listening to you, worse yet they will probably turn against you. 

 

The issue here is people, not money.  Conservatives would do themselves some good to rethink how they articulate their opposition to the President’s plan.  I’m not saying they have to agree with him, they shouldn’t if they feel they might compromise their principles, but if they don’t change their attitude they will come out the big losers in this battle.

 

So far, Republicans have come across as the party of “No!”  Rarely do you hear any of them discuss human misery.  Rather — they seem to think they can connect with the public by attacking spending and big government.  What they should be doing is to offer some compassionate solutions rather than just saying no.  Here is a short list of what people really care about:

 

• Loss of job and income
• Loss of investments
• Loss of retirement funds
• Feeding their families
• Paying their bills
• Keeping a roof over their heads
• Providing adequate health care for their families
• An adequate number of public safety people to protect them from the rise in crime that always comes with a faltering economy.
• Proper education for their children

 

Effective, persuasive communication dictates that you speak in terms that have a direct impact on your audience.  When people are faced with losing their homes and their ability to feed their families they really don’t care about the national debt or deficit spending, they want solutions, not more problems. 

 

I’ll probably get a lot of nasty email from conservatives but before you send it re-read what I wrote.  It is very good advice, the same advice I would offer if I was being paid for it. 

 

Also, please read and comment on my Organ Donation and Transplantation blogs on

http://bobsnewheart.wordpress.com .   You can visit my Facebook site, Organ Transplant Patients, Friends and You at  http://tinyurl.com/225cfh  OR — my Facebook home page http://www.facebook.com/home.php