Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property DUP_PRO_Global_Entity::$notices is deprecated in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/duplicator-pro/classes/entities/class.json.entity.base.php on line 244

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/duplicator-pro/classes/entities/class.json.entity.base.php:244) in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/bluehost-wordpress-plugin/vendor/newfold-labs/wp-module-ecommerce/includes/ECommerce.php on line 197

Notice: Function wp_enqueue_script was called incorrectly. Scripts and styles should not be registered or enqueued until the wp_enqueue_scripts, admin_enqueue_scripts, or login_enqueue_scripts hooks. This notice was triggered by the nfd_wpnavbar_setting handle. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 3.3.0.) in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6078

Deprecated: str_replace(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($search) of type array|string is deprecated in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/mu-plugins/endurance-page-cache.php on line 862

Deprecated: str_replace(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($search) of type array|string is deprecated in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/mu-plugins/endurance-page-cache.php on line 862

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/duplicator-pro/classes/entities/class.json.entity.base.php:244) in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/duplicator-pro/classes/entities/class.json.entity.base.php:244) in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/duplicator-pro/classes/entities/class.json.entity.base.php:244) in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/duplicator-pro/classes/entities/class.json.entity.base.php:244) in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/duplicator-pro/classes/entities/class.json.entity.base.php:244) in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/duplicator-pro/classes/entities/class.json.entity.base.php:244) in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/duplicator-pro/classes/entities/class.json.entity.base.php:244) in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/duplicator-pro/classes/entities/class.json.entity.base.php:244) in /home2/imszdrmy/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831
{"id":10691,"date":"2011-08-15T06:00:12","date_gmt":"2011-08-15T11:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.occasionalplanet.org\/?p=10691"},"modified":"2013-02-05T17:04:05","modified_gmt":"2013-02-05T23:04:05","slug":"it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s so much easier to be a Republican"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jon Stewart had a terrific run of making the late Alaska Senator Ted Stevens the poster child for the Republican answer to just about anything. Mr. Stevens was quite parsimonious; limiting his answers to almost anything to one word, with two letters: NO.<\/p>\n

<\/iframe><\/p>\nHere\u2019s just a partial list of issues in which Republicans can and have said, almost in unison, \u2018NO\u2019 to reasonable proposals suggested by progressive Democrats:<\/p>\nDems:<\/strong> Increasing revenue ought to be part of the solution to addressing our growing national debt.<\/p>\nGOP:<\/strong> NO<\/p>\nDems:<\/strong> We need another stimulus which is larger than the previous one.<\/p>\nGOP:<\/strong> NO<\/p>\nDems:<\/strong> When it comes to reproductive rights, women should have the right to control their own bodies.<\/p>\nGOP:<\/strong> NO<\/p>\nDems:<\/strong> We should pass a bill to put all Federal Aviation Administration workers and subcontractors back to work.<\/p>\nGOP:<\/strong> NO<\/p>\nDems:<\/strong> We should empower the E.P.A. to protect the environment.<\/p>\nGOP:<\/strong> NO<\/p>\nIt is as if Republicans are kids in school who have a special right of entitlement and they don\u2019t have to do their homework. Why the need when the answer to every question is the same: \u2018NO.\u2019<\/p>\nDemocrats are forced to present arguments. Even if they are as simple as \u201cThe two tools to balancing a budget are to increase revenue and to cut spending,\u201d Republicans are limited to the predictable answer of \u2018NO.\u2019<\/p>\nIf it\u2019s truly a complicated issue like a woman\u2019s right to choose, progressives have to look at the complexities and nuances of the issue and try to offer a reasonable approach. Republicans can just say \u2018NO.\u2019<\/p>\nIf it\u2019s a matter of supporting an established American value like concern for the less fortunate, Republicans can simply dismiss it by saying \u2018NO.\u2019<\/p>\nProgressives have a certain respect for rational dialogue. It can be as simple as, \u201cIf \u2018a\u2019 equals \u2018b\u2019 and \u2018b\u2019 equals \u2018c,\u2019 then \u2018a\u2019 equals \u2018c.\u2019 But that rational playing field may not be where many Republicans, even independents, are. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tikkun.org\/nextgen\/when-facts-are-not-enough-treating-mass-psychosis\" target=\"_blank\">As Ian Mitroff said in March, 2011 <\/a>(essentially paraphrasing George Lakoff):<\/p>\n<blockquote>One of the biggest, long-lasting delusions of progressives is that people are moved mainly by rational arguments. Consequently, to get people to accept a particular policy such as universal health care, all one needs to do is to present strong and persuasive arguments in favor of it.<\/p>\nNothing could be further from the truth.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nI have always been impressed with how well Lakoff describes the problems that progressives face. His proposed solutions generally involve reframing issues so that they have a liberal \u201cspin.\u201d For instance, the conservative term of \u201cright to work\u201d could be turned around to a more accurate and liberal description of \u201cright to work for less.\u201d<\/p>\nFollowing the advice of Lakoff and other proponents of progressive policy can be difficult. Our natural inclination is to develop rational arguments. But if we accept his premise that rationality does not really resonate with the masses, then we need to reframe the issues. The challenge is particularly difficult because progressives have a preference for truth. Conservatives don\u2019t mind calling a bill that results in more pollution \u201cThe Clean Air Act.\u201d We seem to have higher standards.<\/p>\nI do not profess to have the solutions that Lakoff and others still have not provided. I only wish that it was as simple as Ted Stevens\u2019 answer to everything. But \u2018NO;\u2019 it\u2019s not that simple.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jon Stewart had a terrific run of making the late Alaska Senator Ted Stevens the poster child for the Republican answer to just about<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10697,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[128,16],"tags":[741,2494,1161],"yoast_head":"\n<title>It\u2019s so much easier to be a Republican<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Conservatives have it easier. All they have to say is NO. Progressives have to think through issues and then frame them in lay-men's language.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it\u2019s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"It\u2019s so much easier to be a Republican\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Conservatives have it easier. All they have to say is NO. Progressives have to think through issues and then frame them in lay-men's language.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it\u2019s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Occasional Planet\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Occasional-Planet-325800656245\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2011-08-15T11:00:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2013-02-05T23:04:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Stevens-Ted.jpg?fit=668%2C364&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"668\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"364\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Arthur Lieber\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Occas_Planet\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Occas_Planet\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Arthur Lieber\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/\",\"name\":\"It\u2019s so much easier to be a Republican\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Stevens-Ted.jpg?fit=668%2C364&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-08-15T11:00:12+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2013-02-05T23:04:05+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/#\/schema\/person\/30209aa479bd5ded74238d2ba4fc550f\"},\"description\":\"Conservatives have it easier. All they have to say is NO. Progressives have to think through issues and then frame them in lay-men's language.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Stevens-Ted.jpg?fit=668%2C364&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Stevens-Ted.jpg?fit=668%2C364&ssl=1\",\"width\":668,\"height\":364},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"It\u2019s so much easier to be a Republican\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/\",\"name\":\"Occasional Planet\",\"description\":\"Progressive Voices Speaking Out\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/#\/schema\/person\/30209aa479bd5ded74238d2ba4fc550f\",\"name\":\"Arthur Lieber\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ddbe1ebe31b3b8d3169935b60845e398?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ddbe1ebe31b3b8d3169935b60845e398?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Arthur Lieber\"},\"description\":\"Since 1969, Arthur Lieber has been teaching and working in non-profit educational organizations. His focus has been on promoting critical, creative, and enjoyable learning for students in informal settings. In the 2010 mid-term elections, he was the Democratic nominee for US Congress from Missouri\u2019s 2nd Congressional District.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/author\/arthur-lieber\/\"}]}<\/script>\n","yoast_head_json":{"title":"It\u2019s so much easier to be a Republican","description":"Conservatives have it easier. All they have to say is NO. Progressives have to think through issues and then frame them in lay-men's language.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it\u2019s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"It\u2019s so much easier to be a Republican","og_description":"Conservatives have it easier. All they have to say is NO. Progressives have to think through issues and then frame them in lay-men's language.","og_url":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it\u2019s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/","og_site_name":"Occasional Planet","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Occasional-Planet-325800656245\/","article_published_time":"2011-08-15T11:00:12+00:00","article_modified_time":"2013-02-05T23:04:05+00:00","og_image":[{"width":668,"height":364,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Stevens-Ted.jpg?fit=668%2C364&ssl=1","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Arthur Lieber","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Occas_Planet","twitter_site":"@Occas_Planet","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Arthur Lieber","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/","url":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/","name":"It\u2019s so much easier to be a Republican","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Stevens-Ted.jpg?fit=668%2C364&ssl=1","datePublished":"2011-08-15T11:00:12+00:00","dateModified":"2013-02-05T23:04:05+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/#\/schema\/person\/30209aa479bd5ded74238d2ba4fc550f"},"description":"Conservatives have it easier. All they have to say is NO. Progressives have to think through issues and then frame them in lay-men's language.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Stevens-Ted.jpg?fit=668%2C364&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Stevens-Ted.jpg?fit=668%2C364&ssl=1","width":668,"height":364},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/2011\/08\/15\/it%e2%80%99s-so-much-easier-to-be-a-republican\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"It\u2019s so much easier to be a Republican"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/","name":"Occasional Planet","description":"Progressive Voices Speaking Out","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/#\/schema\/person\/30209aa479bd5ded74238d2ba4fc550f","name":"Arthur Lieber","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ims.zdr.mybluehost.me\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ddbe1ebe31b3b8d3169935b60845e398?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ddbe1ebe31b3b8d3169935b60845e398?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Arthur Lieber"},"description":"Since 1969, Arthur Lieber has been teaching and working in non-profit educational organizations. His focus has been on promoting critical, creative, and enjoyable learning for students in informal settings. In the 2010 mid-term elections, he was the Democratic nominee for US Congress from Missouri\u2019s 2nd Congressional District.","url":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/author\/arthur-lieber\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Stevens-Ted.jpg?fit=668%2C364&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10691"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10691"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10691\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22215,"href":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10691\/revisions\/22215"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occasionalplanet.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}