Fear is a very effective tool to get votes

[senseandsensibility]

That's why all Rs use it (dishonestly) to motivate their voters. Dems are going to take their appliances, their jobs, their futures away from them. No facts required, just fear, fear, fear.

But if you think about it, it's the Rs who are the threat to average Americans in so many ways. From choice, to the environment, to economics, to healthcare, the average American has MUCH more to lose from an R administration. And we don't even have to lie.

How can we use this very powerful motivating tool to our advantage? I feel like there has to be a way since the facts are all on our side. Sober speeches are okay, but do you think that really gets the point across?

[Model35mech]

1. Fear is also one of the key cognitive motivators to conservative thinking

Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition. https://gspp.berkeley.edu/assets/uploads/research/pdf/jost.glaser.political-conservatism-as-motivated-social-cog.pdf

Politicians who campaign using fear do it knowing this. Everyone liberals, conservatives, and otherwise respond to fear. It is a natural reaction. Like stopping in your tracks upon hearing ice break when you step on to a frozen pond, and then proceeding, with caution.

I think it's a terribly powerful tool, way too often weaponized against society by the Reich wing's propaganda.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. If fear is used as a tool for so long, as repugs have done, with the 'terrible' democrats and Joe Biden,

fear-mongering as long as repugs have used it, it's lost its impact.

If anything, I would redirect the feat back towards republicans and wonder why are they wanting things to collapse and hurt the American Consumer, just so they can win at the polls?

My motto is: Don't trust a republican or worse, a MAGA. They only want what they want for themselves and no one else (or perhaps their billionaire buddies).

But of course, we all (those of us on DU, and in the rest of the normal universe/normal thinking people, independents, etc.) already know this, and ignore this.

And tRUMP slipped and gave the game away, that he wishes that the Economy would tank (which means he knows that the Economy is doing well), as well as other doom scenarios that tRUMP and others have predicted, such as rampart inflation (under control) and deficit spending, which djt added during his failed 4 years at the WH over 4 to 6 TRILLON dollars...the culprit? Unpaid for tax cuts to the 1% or so.

[CANADIANBEAVER69]

3. maybe because R's like stuff

Those things that the Democratic Party stands for are not stuff they can physically hold, IMO. They're not cold hard steel guns, they're not things they can collect and use in their daily life (even though they are). Look how they collect everything MAGA / TFG and love to display their MAGA twisted patriotism, thinking that having that cult swag actually means something. It is a sickness.

[orthoclad]

4. Indeed. Emotion trumps reason

in the popular mind.
Fear, rage, lust, all the creatures of the Id, are far more motivational than the sweet reason we try to use.

The Reich wing understands power, and how to get it.