IdeaLog

How to answer ten tough questions

Posted on July 5, 2017

This is from our newly-published 3rd Edition of Voicing Our Values, which you can read here.

The following questions are phrased from a relatively hostile point of view. Whether the questioner is actually hostile or just curious, your best answer always starts at a point of agreement and uses values.

1. Do you favor abortion on demand?

Say . . .

I appreciate that abortion is a complex issue for the individuals involved. That’s why I feel that politicians should stay out of the very personal and private decision whether or not to have an abortion.

Note . . .

The first sentence agrees with the great majority of voters who hold conflicting feelings about the issue. The second sentence, by calling it a personal and private decision, brings to mind the value of privacy and works in poll after poll. However, keep in mind that most people are not persuadable and anyone who asks the question in such a biased manner is not likely to change positions. Give your best answer and move on. For a longer explanation, see Chapter 13.

2. Should we give special rights to gay people?

Say . . .

If America stands for anything, it’s equal opportunity for all. If you have two children or grandchildren, and one is straight and the other gay, you still love them equally. You know the government should treat them fairly and equally. So LGBTQ people should be treated like everybody else and the law should ensure they’re not the victims of discrimination just because of who they are.

Note . . .

The equal opportunity frame usually works best. Appeal to love and finish with the antidiscrimination law that Americans overwhelmingly support. For more discussion, see Chapter 6.

3. Do you favor “opportunity scholarships”?

Say . . .

We all want what’s best for our own children. If parents decide private school is best for their child, that’s great. But taxpayer dollars should not be taken out of our public schools to fund private schools. We need to focus our scarce tax dollars on the goal of having top-quality public schools so that each and every child has the opportunity to succeed, achieve, and live the American Dream.

Note . . .

The substance works because Americans oppose vouchers if they take money from the public schools. The bottom line: shift the debate away from failing schools and toward the importance of providing opportunity for all. For more about education, see Chapter 8.

4. Aren’t public employees like teachers, firefighters and police getting too many health and pension benefits that taxpayers just can’t afford?

Say . . .

Our state/city/county should not waste a penny. We should pay fair wages and benefits, nothing more and nothing less. Based on what I’ve seen, I do not believe that the teachers, police officers and firefighters in our community are overpaid. But there are some government contractors with excessive subsidies or sweetheart contracts and we’ve got to crack down on those to save taxpayer dollars.

Note . . .

Polls show that die-hard conservatives think public employees are overpaid, but persuadable voters generally don’t feel that way. Refer to teachers and other public employees in our community because voters are much more supportive of public employees they know, especially schoolteachers, than faceless bureaucrats. Then move the discussion to the related issue of overpaid government contractors. This works best if you can show an example of corporations being overpaid in your jurisdiction. It shouldn’t be hard to find one.

5. Do you favor gun control?

Say . . .

I support the Second Amendment. But like most Americans, I also support reasonable laws that help keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons, domestic abusers and the dangerously mentally ill. This particular gun violence protection legislation is just a modest, common sense measure to protect our public safety.

Note . . .

Persuadable voters support the Second Amendment. At the same time, 80-to-90 percent support closing the gun show loophole and requiring background checks for all gun purchases. By all means, appeal to common sense. For more about gun legislation, see Chapter 12.

6. Do you favor prayer in schools?

Say . . .

I’m for freedom of religion. Children can freely pray in schools now, if it’s voluntary. The problem is government-sanctioned prayer, which was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court 60 years ago. It violates our freedom of religion for school boards, public schools or teachers to tell children how or when to pray.

Note . . .

People favor prayer in schools. But they also favor upholding our basic constitutional rights.

7. Shouldn’t we lock up repeat criminals and throw away the key?

Say . . .

We certainly should lock up repeat violent offenders because that makes us safer. At the same time, we are safer if we prevent juveniles and petty criminals from becoming violent career criminals. We can lower the rate of repeat crimes if we send nonviolent drug offenders to addiction treatment instead of putting them in prison. Let’s focus on what works to make our communities safer.

Note . . .

Progressives tend to talk about helping criminals. We’re right, of course, but that won’t work with persuadable voters. Focus on public safety, not the criminal. For more about public safety, see Chapter 12.

8. Do you believe in global warming?

Say . . .

We must protect the health, safety and security of our children and grandchildren. And they face a serious problem. Over 97 percent of climate scientists agree that humans are causing climate change. So we need to apply commonsense strategies now. We know how to implement clean energy solutions and we know that reducing fossil fuel dependence will make America stronger and our kids safer. It’s time to step up and get it done…our children are counting on it.

Note . . .

Progressives say climate change rather than global warming. It polls a little better and it more accurately describes the impact of excessive greenhouse gases. The one key fact that most persuadables don’t know is that there is a strong consensus among scientists that climate change is real and humans are causing it. Tie that to the security of your listeners’ children and grandchildren. For more about climate change, see Chapter 9.

9. Shouldn’t we require drug tests for welfare recipients?

Say . . .

We should certainly discourage people from using illegal drugs. But we need to do it without wasting a lot of taxpayer dollars. States that have tried this policy have found that they spend much more tax money on drug testing than they save in cutting people off from assistance. Drug addiction is a problem across the nation and across income groups. Let’s focus on treatment and prevention programs that work.

Note . . .

Polls show that voters support drug testing for public assistance. Right wingers have introduced such legislation in dozens of states. It’s a tough issue.

10. Illegal immigrants broke the law. Shouldn’t they be deported?

Say . . .

We should be true to American values and protect everyone’s right to due process and fair treatment under our Constitution. There are millions of immigrants who work hard and play by the rules, and they make our economy and our country stronger. Further, everyone agrees that it would be logistically impractical and outrageously expensive to seize and deport millions of people. The solution is for Congress to fix the federal immigration process, creating a roadmap to legal residence and citizenship.

Note . . .

Only the far-right base wants to deport all immigrants. Everyone else wants to fix the system.