http://www.qando.net/ - Harry Reid: "conservative Democrat"?

Framing in action: yesterday, Atrios called Harry Reid "the conservative Democrat from Nevada." On some issues — abortion comes to mind — Senator Reid does hold fairly conservative views. But let's look at Harry Reid's entire record and see how the reality-based community holds up to reality.

According to the non-partisan National Journal's vote rating, Harry Reid "voted more liberal on economic, defense and foreign policy issues than 78 percent of the Senators". Harry Reid voted more liberal than New York Senator Charles Schumer. This is not an artifact of unusual 2005 votes. Reid's National Journal ratings were similar in 2001.

But Harry Reid is a "conservative Democrat". That's framing in action.

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Jon — Good points. You might also try Poole-Rosenthal NOMINATE statistics. It looks at all votes, rather than a select few. Reid is placed in the center-right of the Democratic caucus, though his placement near Jay Rock and Herb Kohl says more about how liberal the Democratic caucus has become than it does anything else.

http://voteview.com/sen109.htm

Written By: Sean
URL: http://www.myelectionanalysis.com

But Harry Reid is a "conservative Democrat". That’s framing in action.

I don’t know by what criteria or formula that ranking was arrived at, but I find Reid to be centrist. Few Dems are going to put a smile on my face when it comes to economics, but then, these days, neither do most Republicans.

Written By: Mona
URL: http://

I think it shows how abortion ate American ideology, actually.

Written By: Jim Henley
URL: http://www.highclearing.com

Please be fair and civil.
Your top-of-page George Lakoff quote-out-of-context seems to misrepresent Lakoff as if he were condoning falsity. Context is reprinted below:

"If the truth doesn’t fit the existing frame, the frame will stay in place and the truth will dissipate.

It takes time and a lot of repetition for frames to become entrenched in the very synapses of people’s brains. Moreover, they have to fit together in an overall coherent way for them to make sense.

Effective framing on a single issue must be both right and sensible. That is, it must fit into a system of frames (to be sensible) and must fit one’s moral worldview (to be right)."

Written By: Hugh Rank
URL: http://

Your top-of-page George Lakoff quote-out-of-context seems to misrepresent Lakoff as if he were condoning falsity.

I didn’t get that out of it at all. He merely stated the way humans react to their perceptions. The truth is more malleable than preconceived notions. Narrative shapes perceptions of reality.

Written By: Jon Henke
URL: http://www.QandO.net

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