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Fear factor

The hidden message in many politicians' campaign speeches and ads is this: “Be afraid. Be very afraid.” 

The Republicans want us to fear that we don’t have an adequate defense budget, that the country is going bankrupt, that the government is going to take guns away from law-abiding citizens. The Democrats want us to fear that the Republicans will gut Social Security and Medicare if they win the White House and gain enough seats in Congress, that given the chance they’ll stack the Supreme Court even more in favor of conservatives.