Orthodox Biz Blog

Yesterday we had breakfast with Star Parker, along with about 300 others at the Leadership Institute. It was a very enjoyable beginning to the day listening to how the Republican party can win the votes of Joe, Jamal and Juan Jose.

While this wasn't promoted as a book tour, it was a preview. Star's new book has a sub-title something like "How to Win over Joe, Jamal and Juan Jose without lying or pandering to them." While we know there is more in the book, here are a few suggestions:

1. First and foremost; Don't compromise values.
Everyone knows the truth when they hear it, it may take hearing it a few times, but it will finally settle in.

2. Target Market; Start by talking to those who are more receptive to our message. Don't bother with the hard Left at all; in fact, ignore them. What we want to do is outnumber them, not fight them. If we outnumber them, then our message will be heard much more often than their message.

3. Getting the message to this audience is an investment; just as any advertising campaign. Don't spend pennies when it takes dollars. Don't tell them what they've been doing for their lifetime is wrong; instead tell them what works for you and others. She gave a classic advertising campaign strategy: She said she used Tide detergent because her Mom used it; if someone came in and told her she was doing something wrong, she would be offended. So instead give her a box of Cheer. She'll probably put it on the shelf, until one day when she runs out of Tide and there it is. She'll try it and find out Cheer (or in this case, our truth) works.

Now, the trick is how to translate that nice detergent story into something we can work with. More suggestions:

1. Go to churches and pastors. She said she fell into conservatism because she first came to Church. She found out they both have the same values. Ask us, we'll always tell you that politics is applied theology!! Don't work with pastors who have 20,000 in church. Star said that any church that has that many members holds back what they say over the pulpit so that people won't be offended.

2. Find ways to tell our story and ideas because they are universal and we are not different, we may have different perspectives, but we all want the same values. She told a story about a congressman from Kentucky who voted for restoration of some homes in Georgetown near DC. He thought he was helping out and the people in his district would want to help too. So when he went home he was surprised to hear one of them say they wouldn't vote for him again. Why not? Because he gave away money he had no right to give away, it wasn't his. The fellow went on to explain that people always take care of their own, when something happens in Kentucky, they get together and help each other out; let those in Georgetown learn to help each other out; don't steal from someone else they don't even know. These are the stories we have to tell rather than just say "higher taxes."

The next part is our own observations: During the McCain campaign people yelled socialism or taking your money away. They didn't say that we too feel we should give, but we give from ourselves; the government doesn't give for us, or more accurately; they steal it and then give it away, It's not the government's job to give, that's our job as good people. We think we have to take more time explaining the issues. Here's something we did for our own family a few years ago "http://peterandhelenevans.com/articles-JohnQ.html".

Peter and Helen Evans are authors of "Get Serious." Visit them at " http://peterandhelenevans.com/"