[ * GOLD STAR

And if it was a tad less repetitive and a little longer, maybe it'd get another half star on top of that.

This book is essentially a quick condensation of the salient concepts from Lakoff's earlier book, Moral Politics, together with updated insights and recent examples of where and how they apply.

The author describes in detail why voters on the political right seem so often to be voting against their self interest, how the rightwing power elite constructed the framework which enables and propagates it's message and why the left will always be frustrated by trying to fight them with facts.

He presents a cogent assessment of the importance of frames, and how they've been effectively used by the right, and ignored by the left. He constructs a model on which to base such frames, explaining the right in terms of theirs, and offering suggestions for the left on the basis of ours.

It's a small handbook, just an introduction really, to get people to start thinking about these issues, and start working to counter the 30 year head start the right has built.

It's no secret that I speak from a left perspective, and the book is also written as a guide for us, the left, but I think even politically moderate but intellectually progressive people would gain a lot from this book, if only by exploring the way in which frames are created, installed and exploited. For many of us, this will reinforce analyses or knowledge we've had for some time, for others it may catalyze some activity you felt but never quite saw full on. Maybe it'll be a total wake up call for some. Regardless, it's worth a read.

It's short, only 8 bucks at Amazon, and for those in the 404 I'd be happy to lend out my copy. -k]