Debilitating Public Deliberation: Ronald Reagan's Use of the Conversation Metaphor

Abstract

On August 5, 1980, Ronald Reagan spoke to the National Urban League as a political candidate and used a conversation metaphor to structure his speech. However, while Reagan masterfully built common ground and framed the media's interpretation of the event, I critique the temptation to laud this trope, with its emphasis on relational concerns, informal participative structures over clearly outlined policy discussions, and more conversation over clear methods for accountability and issue resolution, as the ideal means for minority members to deliberate. Specifically, I argue that although the norms of public deliberation guided by Reagan's conversation metaphor privileged sincere motives, consensus, and polite rules of engagement, a never-ending dialogue often limits instead of widens participation to those struggling to find a means to gain political voice that influences policy formation.

The author wishes to thank John M. Murphy, University of Georgia, and Ronald Carpenter, University of Florida, for their valuable insights on earlier drafts of the argument. An earlier version was presented at Southern States Association Annual Convention, New Orleans, LA, in April 2000, winning the Owen Peterson Award from the Rhetoric and Public Address Division.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Windy Y. Lawrence

Windy Y. Lawrence, University of Houston–Downtown.