The author seems to think that in order to communicate one should be litteral and accurate. This ignores probably 95% of human communication. Advertisers know that in order to convince people you have to use language in odd ways: for instance, pairing up a car brand with words for sexual prowess. It may not make sense but it influences people at the subconscious level. Anyone familier with the works of Milton Erickson understands this. Sarah Palin understands this too - and uses it very well. 

Personally, I would prefer someone in a position of power who understands how people think than somone who who has read many books on 'correct' english grammer.

I bet you would prefer such a person! You have misspelled "literal," "familiar," "grammar," and you have failed to capitalize the E in English. And you've done this even though the program underlines errors.

However, the Founders of this country were all literate, well-read, and articulate. Most of them could—and did— read Greek, Latin, and French. Jefferson's personal library was the basis for the Library of Congress. These guys were not Joe Sixpacks. They were the elite of their day.

Don't you believe in talent, intelligence, and education? Apparently not. Instead you believe in salesmanship and manipulation, which is what advertising is all about. But guess what? That's not citizenship!

Why should we lower our standards for a politician in high office? Don't we want firefighters who are good at fighting fires? Don't we want our athletes to be superior at their sports? Don't we expect our doctors and dentists to be knowledgeable and skillful?

If so, why should we NOT expect our politicians to be smart, articulate, well-informed, well-traveled, and well-educated?

Too many people have a double standard about political authority. They admire a doctor's knowledge and surgical skills; they want to go to a good doctor, not just someone they like. On the other hand, they seem to believe that any Joe Sixpack can run a country.

Personally, I'd favor requiring any national political candidate to take an oral and written exam on American history, world geography, economics, political science, the Constitution, and other important, relevant subjects.

btraven,

I could not agree with you more.

I would say in my defence of the spelling that misspellings are not underlined on my browser and it was sent late at night and, yes, I should have check it. I should also add that picking up on misspellings, as a way of arguing against the ideas is facile.

I was, actually, being provocative, as I don't particularly agree with Sara Palin. However, having worked in many universities, which are run by some of the most intelligent people around, I’m convinced, that intelligence (at least in so far as it's often defined) is overrated. Universities are often riddled with in fighting, self-interest and petty mindedness. On the other hand, many well-run companies are run by people who are not necessarily intelligent. Sometimes their grammar is not so good either. Carter was probably one of the most intelligent presidents and Reagan probably one of the most stupid but history, I think, would place Reagan above Carter (and he won re-election).

pbraham:

The author seems to think that in order to communicate one should be litteral and accurate. This ignores probably 95% of human communication. Advertisers know that in order to convince people you have to use language in odd ways: for instance, pairing up a car brand with words for sexual prowess. It may not make sense but it influences people at the subconscious level. Anyone familier with the works of Milton Erickson understands this. Sarah Palin understands this too - and uses it very well.

Personally, I would prefer someone in a position of power who understands how people think than somone who who has read many books on 'correct' english grammer.

The art of salesmanship, as well as propanda, is to elicit a hasty unreasoned reponse. Sarah Palin may correctly understand how people don't think not how they think.

Amen!! I personally have a bit of a pet peeve about the use of correct grammar and spelling in written correspondence. However, if I have to choose between Sen. O'bama's "rolling his eyes to the skies" boring, memorized, chant of 'change', versus Governor Palin's passion, vision, and heartfelt message to the people, combined with her record in Alaska of highly competent executive leadership, I'll take Sarah Barracuda any day!!!