In politics, it seems as though money is just as important as the issues. I examined the websites of three different politicians that seek your decision, just in slightly different ways. For Barack Obama, it seems as though he is utilizing the foot-in-the-door technique of persuasion when he asks are you in? with a request of your email address and zip code. By doing so, he isn't blatantly saying that you should give him your money, but he is now capable of sending you emails and letters. For Mitt Romney, it seems as though he is using the door-in-the-face technique because the first page of his website asks for your donation amount, as well as other personal information, even including your occupation. Finally, it appears as though Ron Paul isn't utilizing either of the aforementioned strategies. Of the 11 tabs on his main page, donate doesn't come until number six. It seems as though he is more concerned about his message than actually getting your donation. This would normally not make sense in a typical election, but in the case of Ron Paul it is evident that his chances of being nominating are minimal and he is therefore pushing his ideology first and foremost in order to have some influence on the next administration's policies, whether Romney or Obama.
Political Persuasion:2012 edition
This seems interesting to me. It seems to me from the past elections there are a lot of "in your face" candidates that try to persuade you right from the beginning to make a donation. I agree with Ron Paul's approach to the situation where he tries to get his points across first, then asking after all of that to make a donation. I like how he is using a sequence technique where people understand where he stands first before making their decision.
It's sad that someone like Ron Paul who puts message before money is less likely to be nominated. It goes to show how in American politics today money is what matters. And because the funds are so necessary to get elected, the politicians must scratch the backs of the companies/foundations that got them elected. A breakdown in the system unfortunately.
Nice analysis! I didn't really consider this, but it is interesting how these politicians use different strategies...Which do you think is most effective?
It very unfortunate how much say money has in politics. Personally, I believe it has something to do with the odd amount of filibusters that have been occurring as of late. It seems as though, the more money someone has, the more inspired that person is to rally for the cause. You don't see too many people who are seriously and genuinely inspired to push for a bill.
I think that in most cases the door in the face model works best, but in some cases it can work poorly. Being asked to give donations repeatedly (I receive emails from one of the candidates, and I would like to donate, but I do not have an income so I'm unable to fill out part of the form online). Either way, if I was unsure about the candidate, I may "distance" myself from them due to their seemingly desperate attempts to get money from people.
I think it's too bad that someone like Ron Paul who is more fixated on his message rather than funding wont even be close to getting elected. If politics only had to focus on issues rather than money we would get a lot more done through the government. Maybe someday this will be the case.