John's Reviews > Don't Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate: The Essential Guide for Progressives

All the traitorous leftists were talking about this book before the 2004 election - me included! I finally read it. The first half is better than the second. In the first, he demonstrates the conservative "strict father" frame and explains the potential liberal "nurturing parent" frame. Detractors might call this daddy versus mommy, but there's more to it. If anything, to me it smacks of Freudianism - not in the obvious sexual way, but in it's uncanny ability to explain anything. Unlike psychoanalysis, it may actually be predictive as well - by applying the frame, can one predict which side of an issue conservatives will come down on? The second part tries to focus on what Democrats can actually do to get their frame out there, and here he is less successful. I think he is right about at least one thing, however, and that is that Democrats need to stop trying to triangulate on issues and just stand with what they believe. I think a lot of people already agree with them.