In sales, one of the most basic ploys is to create a feeling of urgency. Another simple form of salesmanship is to convince potential customers that they 'need' what is being sold. Both of these techniques are used in nearly every proposal that the President presents. Then, when these techniques are combined with other common sales pressures, the administration sounds more like a salesman than an executive.
When the stimulus package was being debated, the President Elect said that he wanted a bill waiting for him when he took the oath of office. When the bill was not waiting the urgency came in full fashion. The barrage of speeches delivered within the first few weeks contained words like; crises, catastrophe and most importantly 'bold action.' Look at what is going on in the context of the President saying 'supplies are limited and health care reform won't last so vote today.' 'The stimulus was absolutely necessary to pull us back from the 'precipices.' Each word and phrase seemed to be harvested to create a false urgency. Climate legislation is also presented in the same sales technique of false urgency, as is sweeping new banking regulation, more federal involvement in education and countless other plans for 'Change.' 'Vote now for your change today.' The problem for the administration is that it seems that he has gone to the 'urgency' card too many times. People are getting cynical of being told that 'this' has to be done now.
So if people are questioning the false urgency bit, what about telling people they 'need' what is being presented? "We Need Reform" is a regular mantra coming from this administration and most people agree that healthcare does need an update. It is fair to say that the vague way in which reform is presented is not the same as the complete remaking of the heath care system, that is being proposed. So the administration just keeps telling people they need it, no matter how vague the explanation. This is a common sales ploy as well, create need. Look at the ads for heath care reform, this lady won't get her medication and this guy will lose his insurance when he loses his job. The clincher is that the ad implies 'need' to really sell the point. The need for this healthcare reform is repeated by the President and any of his representatives. This is not unlike an advertisement saying 'you need this Onion Slicer in your kitchen, but just wait if you call in the next 20 minutes, you'll get the No Tears Onion Skinner. Don't wait call now.' Obama's version of the 'if you call now promise' is that the middle class will only be giving up inefficiencies in treatment, or skyrocketing prices. So the President presents us with a "need' and we get a promise of no pain; so we might as well buy it, right?
Over the years I've seen a great many different products and services peddled, from Magnetic Desalinization Canteens, Lingerie wearing Housekeeping Services to Proper Candle Burning Classes. One of my favorite presentations was a man selling Water Filtration Systems. In the process of explaining why we all 'needed' the Filtration System, he brought out a large jug filled with white chalky deposits settling in most of the jug. Then he explained that these deposits were pulled out of the municipal water supply less than a block away from the restaurant where we were eating. Then he proclaimed forcefully that our unfiltered water was going to kill us. I give this man great marks for performance. For many who were sitting and listening to his presentation this sales pitch was convincing. It became apparent to me that he did not mention how much water he had to filter to get these deposits and what the deposits were. How could anyone be sure that this nondescript chalky mess was toxic. Which then begged the question why the population who had grownup drinking this 'toxic' water lived so long? This salesman used the 'need' technique perfectly but reason led a few of us present unimpressed.
This is the same reasoning that many in the country are learning (or should be learning) to use. Why do we need reform today when it won't take effect for years? How can a 'Public Option' compete with companies that have to make a profit? How can a federal bureaucratic system manage a large part of the economy when they have shown themselves to be so inept in managing other projects, like; Fanny Mae, Freddy Mac, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and most recently, the simple Cash for Clunkers program just to mention a few. In the case of of 'Cap & Trade,' how can taxing carbon emissions help in cooling the planet if the greatest emitting countries in the world don't follow suit. When many scientists agree that human involvement only contributes a small fraction of the world's emissions, wouldn't we be damaging our economy just to have a minuscule effect, if any effect at all? Sales resistance is reason. By using reason many more American are resisting the Obama sales pitch.
Another sales ploy used by the President is charm. When people are going to make a large purchase the salesman often treats the potential customer to Opera Tickets, a Basketball Game or some other sporting event, a nice dinner or perhaps a chance to spend a nice evening with a celebrity. The President is a celebrity so can magnify the effectiveness of a dinner or perhaps a friendly beer just by his presence. This was used for passage of the stimulus plan when Republican Senators were welcomed to a Super Bowl party a week or so before the vote on the final draft of the Stimulus. Now the President hopes that he can use charm to fix his unnecessary involvement in a local issue. The policeman and Professor involved in the Massachusetts 'police acted stupidly' case have been asked to join the President for a beer. This would be funny as a gag on nighttime comedy; but in this case, the President truly believes that a beer with him will make the whole controversy go away. Hopefully the American people resist the sale.
Reason and forethought are the real enemies of the 'change' administration. In a time when people are wondering if they really need brand name snack crackers, they will wonder if the country needs' to be spending trillions of dollars on a health care, or any new sweeping entitlement program, or a punitive business tax plan disguised as a climate bill, especially when most people don't need or want any of these proposals.
If we as Americans continue to resist the Obama sales pitch, we can resist the growing federal encroachment into our lives. When we look with reason, then we will see that his promises are inticing but toxic. The President offers us a fundamentally changed America filled with hope that only he can bring. To quote the Persian poet Omar Khayyam, we will see that "his paridise is as empty as a hand which holds nothing."
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
