I love it when some seemingly arcane academic topic (like framing and association in language) directly bears on politics. George Lakoff, a linguist from Berkely has recently published a new book Don’t Think of an Elephant that captures, in very straighforward language, the extraordinary power of language and association to shape political affect and desire. Moreoever he links the difference between progressive/liberals and conservatives to the ways each group views family, family relations, and especially child rearing. Thus, the images and words conservatives use directly evoke and reinforce the ways in which conservatives tend to see the role of family, and by extension, nation. Apparently, according to his arguments, progressives have not been adept at transforming thier program into an evocative language of values and associations.
You can read an excerpt of the book A Man of His Words as well as a nice Editorial .