I do not believe that protesting at any politicians office will change any minds.
Republicans will ignore the resistance as they have and always will.
I do think that the protests have made a difference in bringing out some democrats to join our cause.
More democrat senators are showing up at the rallies and are going to republican area town halls.
But, I do not think it was because the democrats cared. It was the large number of people that gave them “courage”.
However, the effort is not just in the streets. Much has been accomplished through the courts. (With some hiccups) but the wins keep coming.
Sometimes the issue is not where to fight or who to fight but when to fight. The Epstein Files, Musk-Trump feuds have allowed the enemy to fight itself and has exposed their weakness. Let them fight! They will divide the Republican vote allowing the democrats to win.
Frankly, the vast number of democrat politicians do not know any other way to fight but by talking policy. They are not going to change. Their current plan is to let the pending recession and economic crisis bring in the votes. It might work, but so far it has not really brought in any hardcore MAGA. They are fed by racism and hate.
The issues of immigration have changed minds with independents and some establishment democrat voters now wanting a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. (79 percent) But the MAGA base has not budged and will not budge. (85 percent side with mass deportation)
Israel is a totally different issue. I don’t see Israel the way you do. Israel is not our friend or ally. Countries have interests not friends. Remember the USS Liberty.
The Israeli govt, as led by Netanyahu, is authoritarian and conducting ethnic cleansing. They are trying to dismantle their judiciary and have given themselves to their far right. They have no interest in a two state solution which will lead to genocide in Gaza but also the West Bank.
Israel is not the same as Ukraine. Blindly supporting Israel because of their strategic position, was the same reasoning we had for supporting Saddam Hussein.
Netanyahu will also lead us to war with ground troops in Iran, if it wants.
Bottom line: I don’t want foreign interference in our country either from Russia, China or Israel.
The turd reich is also on its way to conducting ethnic cleansing here with its cruel deportation and detentions. Their plan is a million people deported a year. They are doing it by violating the Constitutional Rights of everyone.
These human rights issues cannot be ignored, as it is a tactic of authoritarian regimes everywhere. Ignoring it in Israel and more importantly here will lose votes by dismissing it as a far left talking point is wrong. (59 percent of democrats and 51 percent of independents are opposed to Israel in its war in Gaza )
As far as bringing MAGA to vote for a democrat…good luck.
I still believe what I see based on polls and votes.
Perhaps it is because I consider the “not changing minds community” as being in a cult of personality.
Your article mentions Israel that is why I brought them up.
We are going to disagree. That is fine. I may not be the expert that you are, but I am surrounded by republicans and MAGA and I have not seen anything move the needle. This includes calling, writing and protesting in front of my congressman’s office.
Republicans and MAGA will never vote for a democrat but Bernie has actually persuaded some of them.
Now worries on disagreeing. I see it only as a good discussion between informed folks. I even don't mind being wrong, because that means I've learned something.
Hang in there and keep doing what you're doing for support. The writing, calling and protesting is good but not enough in extraordinary times. We must adapt with new, innovative and clearly identified objectives and tactics to achieve them. The status quo has proven to be insufficient to the tasks. I applaud the protests and have multiple times participated. I'm just suggesting that they diversify their targets instead of depending on one large crowd. Remember, Kamala had massive crowds but not in the right places. Like any good operation, influence is extremely complex and must be approached surgically.
I agree that there needs to be a more surgical approach to the midterms.
Perhaps talking directly to the protest organizers will achieve yours and their goals.
I believe Kamala achieved great numbers based on the duration of the two campaigns. The orange turd never stopped campaigning she campaigned less than six months.
I will never stop resisting. But thanks for the encouragement.
Thanks for your detailed insights. For the record, I am fine with dissenting opinions and welcome them from knowledge-based readers. You're written nearly as much as my essay, so I will try and hit the most important points in response.
First and foremost, Narrative Warfare is a long-evolving process. After all, it took FOX News nearly 30 years to "condition" their audiences to exist only on a steady diet of dishonesty and false narratives. There is no such thing as a "quick win."
I've been at work fighting back, for a decade now and the results are clearly showing that it makes a difference with roughly 40-50% of some Republican voters. Of course, and as I have long explained when discussing influence itself, once a person reaches a certain threshold, you are correct that they will not change their minds. Most elections are very close and even changing 10% of the minds, would dramatically alter the political landscape.
The point of taking the fight to district offices is a key component of the fight, not because it will change all GOP minds, but my tracking sees that at least 20-25% are influence-prone. When I speak of influence in the political domestic sense, it is about telling the truth in a way that my target audiences will best be able to see and consider it. This gets very technical in my community and only reading a few books would explain this dynamic sufficiently. Also, most votes in Congress are strictly party-line. By demonstrating at home offices in swing districts, it may be all that it takes to keep an at-risk congressman from contributing their vote to another authoritarian, kleptocracy bill.
Also, I don't believe in the majority of people as you claimed, "not changing." Most can and will with the right approach. We cannot judge people or organizations just on their recent activity alone. Heck, today's Republican Party is really the folks that switched from being Southern Democrats, up until the early 90s here in the south. Identity (the COG in Narrative Warfare) requires years if not decades for such an evolution. Even nations like the former Soviet Union, never created a majority via oppressive indoctrination, no matter how hard they tried. With identity being the key, please recall that the most principled conservative in our history was President Dwight D Eisenhower and his platform looked remarkably like Joe Biden's. There are most certainly, Republicans who will continue defecting.
I'm not sure how Israel got into this discussion, but your assessment of their government, only applies to the Netanyahu administration (s). Their national identity is as different from Bibi's as are most Americans from MAGA. Israel's system of democracy is in many ways, how thugs like Bibi came to office. Don't forget, much of the nation spent months in the streets protesting him, prior to October 7th. While Bibi has turned a blind eye and offered tolerance to some human rights abuses, the overwhelming majority of Israeli operations, exceed our own regarding ROE. Please see the work of John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at Modern War Institute at West Point, who has observed much of their operations first-hand, on multiple occasions. Western news has been outrageously dishonest as to most of their human rights claims. Still, there are real incidents of violations.
As for foreign influence, it is far worse among oligarchy, than it often is via nation-states. No one wants such influence but as a veteran, I'm certain that you're aware that all nations do this and have for millennia. At the moment, our entire administration is slowly absorbing Putin's desires, rather than US. I do not say this tongue-in-cheek either.
Off to weekend chores now,
Thanks again for the enlightened and terrific discussion
Paul, a tour de force once again. The Democrats are a feckless bunch at a party level and to beholden to the old ways of thinking and doing things. Frankly, I wish Ds had more fight in them. As I see it the problem has been an obsessive aversion to conflict! Well, to avoid conflict at all costs equates to retreat and ceding increasing amounts of ground! And I say this as a registered D.
In the end one moves people with a good story or narrative. While I work in the energy industry at the intersection of the political, regulatory, economic, and engineering aspects, one way I have always worked the industry is through good narrative and data to accompany it.
But narrative warfare, as I see and interpret it, is different. One cannot lead with data as such…those who are the targets of NW will discount the data. We need to make it personal…relatable…impactful on their everyday lives. Ds are horrible at this.
We will not reach everybody. But we do not need to do that. We only need to reach a critical mass.
Keep fighting the good fight. I am heartened to see Narrative Strategies as an organization out there and doing this kind of work.
Thank you for those kind words. I'm also more than grateful for your comments and their professional insights, which are by the way, spot on. Your approach by combining narrative and data, is insightful and in my opinion, makes you a "narrative warrior." True, data in business has its own uniquely powerful voice, so your application, well fit the system you were working. Well done.
You're also correct that, In most non-business Narrative Warfare, the actual narrative must take the driver's seat, with truth and data in supporting roles. As pollsters have learned in the Trump era, quantifying human perceptions plays a much bigger role than their surveys and data-crunching. The data is still supporting but it does not tell the story of the identity of the audiences. Narrative Warfare can be very complex, but you seem to have grasped it better than 99% of the US national security community. Instead of learning, they continue to try and shove dimensional thinking into little square, existing boxes of their doctrine. As you know from your industry, engineer-type linear thinkers, have a very difficult time digesting dimensional concepts, strategies and plans. The opposite is also true. Neither is unintelligent, they are just wired differently. As you learned, narrative is the translator between data and concept.
No worries on me staying in the fight. No one in my family could ever be persuaded to quit once they'd set their mind to something. My paternal grandfather had a little more colorful language for our inherent stubbornness.
I agree with a good portion of your essay.
But there are some issues.
I do not believe that protesting at any politicians office will change any minds.
Republicans will ignore the resistance as they have and always will.
I do think that the protests have made a difference in bringing out some democrats to join our cause.
More democrat senators are showing up at the rallies and are going to republican area town halls.
But, I do not think it was because the democrats cared. It was the large number of people that gave them “courage”.
However, the effort is not just in the streets. Much has been accomplished through the courts. (With some hiccups) but the wins keep coming.
Sometimes the issue is not where to fight or who to fight but when to fight. The Epstein Files, Musk-Trump feuds have allowed the enemy to fight itself and has exposed their weakness. Let them fight! They will divide the Republican vote allowing the democrats to win.
Frankly, the vast number of democrat politicians do not know any other way to fight but by talking policy. They are not going to change. Their current plan is to let the pending recession and economic crisis bring in the votes. It might work, but so far it has not really brought in any hardcore MAGA. They are fed by racism and hate.
The issues of immigration have changed minds with independents and some establishment democrat voters now wanting a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. (79 percent) But the MAGA base has not budged and will not budge. (85 percent side with mass deportation)
Israel is a totally different issue. I don’t see Israel the way you do. Israel is not our friend or ally. Countries have interests not friends. Remember the USS Liberty.
The Israeli govt, as led by Netanyahu, is authoritarian and conducting ethnic cleansing. They are trying to dismantle their judiciary and have given themselves to their far right. They have no interest in a two state solution which will lead to genocide in Gaza but also the West Bank.
Israel is not the same as Ukraine. Blindly supporting Israel because of their strategic position, was the same reasoning we had for supporting Saddam Hussein.
Netanyahu will also lead us to war with ground troops in Iran, if it wants.
Bottom line: I don’t want foreign interference in our country either from Russia, China or Israel.
The turd reich is also on its way to conducting ethnic cleansing here with its cruel deportation and detentions. Their plan is a million people deported a year. They are doing it by violating the Constitutional Rights of everyone.
These human rights issues cannot be ignored, as it is a tactic of authoritarian regimes everywhere. Ignoring it in Israel and more importantly here will lose votes by dismissing it as a far left talking point is wrong. (59 percent of democrats and 51 percent of independents are opposed to Israel in its war in Gaza )
As far as bringing MAGA to vote for a democrat…good luck.
Stick to persuading independents.
A veteran and an independent.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/magazine/benjamin-netanyahu-gaza-war.html
As I stated. I agree with most of your points.
I still believe what I see based on polls and votes.
Perhaps it is because I consider the “not changing minds community” as being in a cult of personality.
Your article mentions Israel that is why I brought them up.
We are going to disagree. That is fine. I may not be the expert that you are, but I am surrounded by republicans and MAGA and I have not seen anything move the needle. This includes calling, writing and protesting in front of my congressman’s office.
Republicans and MAGA will never vote for a democrat but Bernie has actually persuaded some of them.
Now worries on disagreeing. I see it only as a good discussion between informed folks. I even don't mind being wrong, because that means I've learned something.
Hang in there and keep doing what you're doing for support. The writing, calling and protesting is good but not enough in extraordinary times. We must adapt with new, innovative and clearly identified objectives and tactics to achieve them. The status quo has proven to be insufficient to the tasks. I applaud the protests and have multiple times participated. I'm just suggesting that they diversify their targets instead of depending on one large crowd. Remember, Kamala had massive crowds but not in the right places. Like any good operation, influence is extremely complex and must be approached surgically.
Best for your weekend
I agree that there needs to be a more surgical approach to the midterms.
Perhaps talking directly to the protest organizers will achieve yours and their goals.
I believe Kamala achieved great numbers based on the duration of the two campaigns. The orange turd never stopped campaigning she campaigned less than six months.
I will never stop resisting. But thanks for the encouragement.
KI,
Thanks for your detailed insights. For the record, I am fine with dissenting opinions and welcome them from knowledge-based readers. You're written nearly as much as my essay, so I will try and hit the most important points in response.
First and foremost, Narrative Warfare is a long-evolving process. After all, it took FOX News nearly 30 years to "condition" their audiences to exist only on a steady diet of dishonesty and false narratives. There is no such thing as a "quick win."
I've been at work fighting back, for a decade now and the results are clearly showing that it makes a difference with roughly 40-50% of some Republican voters. Of course, and as I have long explained when discussing influence itself, once a person reaches a certain threshold, you are correct that they will not change their minds. Most elections are very close and even changing 10% of the minds, would dramatically alter the political landscape.
The point of taking the fight to district offices is a key component of the fight, not because it will change all GOP minds, but my tracking sees that at least 20-25% are influence-prone. When I speak of influence in the political domestic sense, it is about telling the truth in a way that my target audiences will best be able to see and consider it. This gets very technical in my community and only reading a few books would explain this dynamic sufficiently. Also, most votes in Congress are strictly party-line. By demonstrating at home offices in swing districts, it may be all that it takes to keep an at-risk congressman from contributing their vote to another authoritarian, kleptocracy bill.
Also, I don't believe in the majority of people as you claimed, "not changing." Most can and will with the right approach. We cannot judge people or organizations just on their recent activity alone. Heck, today's Republican Party is really the folks that switched from being Southern Democrats, up until the early 90s here in the south. Identity (the COG in Narrative Warfare) requires years if not decades for such an evolution. Even nations like the former Soviet Union, never created a majority via oppressive indoctrination, no matter how hard they tried. With identity being the key, please recall that the most principled conservative in our history was President Dwight D Eisenhower and his platform looked remarkably like Joe Biden's. There are most certainly, Republicans who will continue defecting.
I'm not sure how Israel got into this discussion, but your assessment of their government, only applies to the Netanyahu administration (s). Their national identity is as different from Bibi's as are most Americans from MAGA. Israel's system of democracy is in many ways, how thugs like Bibi came to office. Don't forget, much of the nation spent months in the streets protesting him, prior to October 7th. While Bibi has turned a blind eye and offered tolerance to some human rights abuses, the overwhelming majority of Israeli operations, exceed our own regarding ROE. Please see the work of John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at Modern War Institute at West Point, who has observed much of their operations first-hand, on multiple occasions. Western news has been outrageously dishonest as to most of their human rights claims. Still, there are real incidents of violations.
As for foreign influence, it is far worse among oligarchy, than it often is via nation-states. No one wants such influence but as a veteran, I'm certain that you're aware that all nations do this and have for millennia. At the moment, our entire administration is slowly absorbing Putin's desires, rather than US. I do not say this tongue-in-cheek either.
Off to weekend chores now,
Thanks again for the enlightened and terrific discussion
Paul, a tour de force once again. The Democrats are a feckless bunch at a party level and to beholden to the old ways of thinking and doing things. Frankly, I wish Ds had more fight in them. As I see it the problem has been an obsessive aversion to conflict! Well, to avoid conflict at all costs equates to retreat and ceding increasing amounts of ground! And I say this as a registered D.
In the end one moves people with a good story or narrative. While I work in the energy industry at the intersection of the political, regulatory, economic, and engineering aspects, one way I have always worked the industry is through good narrative and data to accompany it.
But narrative warfare, as I see and interpret it, is different. One cannot lead with data as such…those who are the targets of NW will discount the data. We need to make it personal…relatable…impactful on their everyday lives. Ds are horrible at this.
We will not reach everybody. But we do not need to do that. We only need to reach a critical mass.
Keep fighting the good fight. I am heartened to see Narrative Strategies as an organization out there and doing this kind of work.
Paul,
Thank you for those kind words. I'm also more than grateful for your comments and their professional insights, which are by the way, spot on. Your approach by combining narrative and data, is insightful and in my opinion, makes you a "narrative warrior." True, data in business has its own uniquely powerful voice, so your application, well fit the system you were working. Well done.
You're also correct that, In most non-business Narrative Warfare, the actual narrative must take the driver's seat, with truth and data in supporting roles. As pollsters have learned in the Trump era, quantifying human perceptions plays a much bigger role than their surveys and data-crunching. The data is still supporting but it does not tell the story of the identity of the audiences. Narrative Warfare can be very complex, but you seem to have grasped it better than 99% of the US national security community. Instead of learning, they continue to try and shove dimensional thinking into little square, existing boxes of their doctrine. As you know from your industry, engineer-type linear thinkers, have a very difficult time digesting dimensional concepts, strategies and plans. The opposite is also true. Neither is unintelligent, they are just wired differently. As you learned, narrative is the translator between data and concept.
No worries on me staying in the fight. No one in my family could ever be persuaded to quit once they'd set their mind to something. My paternal grandfather had a little more colorful language for our inherent stubbornness.
Stay well and thank you again,