Common sense is a running theme in Democracy.
In 1776, Thomas Paine wrote Commonsense, a pamphlet arguing for the colonies to break free from British rule. Paine blamed British rule for outdated ideologies and said the colonies would benefit from the FREEDOM from the reign so they could move into the future.
In 2024, Kamala Harris spoke about using common sense to outline why Americans shouldn’t want to return to outdated ideologies and bad policies and elect Donald Trump because, throughout history, we have fought hard to safeguard our freedoms.
Trump loves to feed on people’s fears with his bombastic and antagonistic rhetorical style. He taps into supporters’ anger and never to their common sense.
Aristotle says the orator must discover:
- What is the state of mind of angry people?
- Who are they angry with?
- What grounds can they get angry with them?
Most people don’t realize that propaganda is propaganda when they see or hear it. In 2016, Trump planted the seeds of doubt because he wanted his audience to adopt his ideology as reality, even though it might not be the truth or for the betterment of the country.
Since 2016, the audience has outgrown Trump’s lies. Trump’s old, tired tactics are not working as well because he has an opponent who knows how to combat Trump’s playbook of propaganda techniques.
Most Americans are immune to his repetitive lies—some still believe—most are moving on, especially the media. Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris and Vice President Nominee Tim Walz consistently point out Trump’s lies. When Harris, Walz, and others do this, it diminishes Trump’s message–exposing Trump’s poor character and values. The Democrats have also started naming Trump’s behavior as “Weird.”
Trump likes to name people and situations, so the Democrats decided to do the same. And it’s working. He likes to defend himself that he’s not weird, which makes it weirder.
Trump: They’re saying we’re weird. We’re extremely normal pic.twitter.com/TDzbMi2JtO
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 19, 2024
Aristotle says a speaker’s character can impact the audience, especially in deliberative speeches about the future. Speakers must have
1. Practical intelligence and competence,
2. A virtuous character, and
3. Goodwill.
Your audience will doubt your ability if you don’t possess any of these.
Most people may not know Trump’s use of propaganda techniques, but they can spot the lies more readily. Speaker after speaker at the DNC kept taking power away from Trump’s lies. They exposed the lie. Each speaker helped the audience spot the lie by sharing examples or presenting evidence. Each speaker showed the disturbing ways Trump wants to lead the country backward and emphasized that freedom is essential to achieving the American dream.
Poet Amanda Gorman said it best, “The American Dream is no dream at all but instead a dare to dream together…”
The repetition of hope, joy, freedom, and common sense is powerful. In 2016, it was the repetition of anger, fear, and lies. It’s 2024, and Trump has never changed his playbook.
The GOP never expected Vice President Kamala Harris as their opponent and underestimated her talents. Lawyers are some of the best rhetoricians. They know how to argue and use the techniques to create compelling stories to engage and provide evidence to back up their claims. Harris is doing just that. She’s gathering the evidence and providing it “For the People” while explaining how she’s already doing the job at the presidential level.
Three powerful women helped Americans visualize the impracticality of choosing Trump. The passages from former First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris were filled with truth bombs.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama said:
For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us.
See, his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black. I want to know — I want to know — who’s going to tell him, who’s going to tell him, that the job he is currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?
Obama said, as Americans we shouldn’t think small:
And let me tell you this: Going small is never the answer. Going small is the opposite of what we teach our kids. Going small is petty. It’s unhealthy. And quite frankly, it’s unpresidential.
Oprah Winfrey said to choose Common Sense over Nonsense:
And just plain common sense. Common sense tells you that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz can give us decency and respect. They’re the ones that give it to us.
So, we are Americans. We are Americans. Let us choose loyalty to the Constitution over loyalty to any individual, because that’s the best of America. And let us choose optimism over cynicism, because that’s the best of America. And let us choose inclusion over retribution. Let us choose common sense over nonsense, because that’s the best of America.
And let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday. We won’t go back. We won’t be sent back, pushed back, bullied back, kicked back. We’re not going back.
Kamala Harris in her acceptance of the Democratic candidate nomination said she has high hopes for America’s future:
I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations. A president who leads and listens; who is realistic, practical and has common sense; and always fights for the American people. From the courthouse to the White House, that has been my life’s work.
…
I see an America where we hold fast to the fearless belief that built our nation and inspired the world. That here, in this country, anything is possible. That nothing is out of reach. An America where we care for one another, look out for one another and recognize that we have so much more in common than what separates us. That none of us — none of us has to fail for all of us to succeed.
And that in unity, there is strength. You know, our opponents in this race are out there every day denigrating America, talking about how terrible everything is. Well, my mother had another lesson she used to teach: Never let anyone tell you who you are. You show them who you are.
In these three speeches, these women show the difference between visionaries and narrow-mindedness and the importance of cherishing one’s character and values when choosing one’s leaders. The week was about visualizing what could be and what can be.
These speeches made me want to take a look at Thomas Paine’s 1776 pamphlet, Common Sense to see how he framed his political argument to the colonists.
Thomas Paine wrote:
“In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense: and have no other preliminaries to settle with the reader, than that he will divest himself of prejudice and prepossession, and suffer his reason and his feelings to determine for themselves: that he will put on, or rather that he will not put off, the true character of a man, and generously enlarge his views beyond the present day.”
Thomas Paine concludes:
“We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand, and a race of men, perhaps as numerous as all Europe contains, are to receive their portion of freedom from the events of a few months. The reflection is awful, and in this point of view, how trifling, how ridiculous, do the little paltry cavilings of a few weak or interested men appear, when weighed against the business of a world.”
Harris, like Paine, believes this is a chance to start anew. Just like Paine compares the current situation to the biblical story of Noah, where the world was restarted after the flood, this election is as significant to start moving forward past Trump’s outdated ideologies and failed presidency and seize this opportunity to keep building a stronger America and recognize the significance of this moment to do just that. Trump’s antics may look ridiculous and unimportant to many Americans, but Harris keeps showing that there’s actual “business of a world” to be done. The idea of Democracy requires vision.
In the speeches at the Democratic National Convention, the sentiment was this–we don’t have time to undo what needs to be done. There’s no more time for “the paltry cavilings of a few weak men.” There’s no more time for men who say they want to uphold the law only to believe the law does not apply to them.
As for the future of Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris and Vice-Presidential Nominee Tim Walz, they must keep telling their compelling stories and bold vision of our democracy. Both Harris and Walz took paths that looked like ordinary Americans. Walz was a high school teacher, and Harris went to law school and worked hard. Their rhetoric taps into the joy and hope of Americans, which will resonate further than Trump’s fearmongering.
Harris and Walz will win if their campaign can keep its bold messaging and joyful attitudes throughout this process. Their fun is palpable. Audiences want to join in and are curious about their momentum. Trump’s rhetorical choices do not bring the same curiosity. You often wonder why Trump does not think America is great already. Why are you so angry all the time? The more hits Trump takes in the Harris and Walz messaging blast–the more citizens will see his character flaws, lies, and poorly executed propaganda techniques to deflect his insecurities onto his opponent. Rhetoric is meant to move people to action. Harris and Walz are pushing Trump to action, and it’s him who is on defense this time.
I don’t think Harris’s strong practical policy points will win this race for Harris. I believe character and values and the rule of law will win over poor character, values, criminal intent, and weak, outdated policies meant to suppress populations in our country.
Common sense will win.
