In an election year, for example, thousands of claims and charges, promises and threats, made by politicians and professional persuaders, advocates and amateurs, are broadcast to millions of people. One result has been sense of overload. Many people, overwhelmed by the chaos, drop out completely, close their minds, justifying their position with universal attacks: "It's all lies... all baloney... all phony promises."

Since ignorance and apathy are dangerous to a democracy, schools need to give more attention to a greater understanding of political rhetoric. Teachers need to become more aware of the significant changes recently in persuasion, and the growing imbalance between the professional persuader and the average citizen.

Some people are better persuaders than others. It's always been that way. Yet, until recently, things were relatively equal in a persuasion transaction. In the past, only the rare person had the memory, intelligence, wit, and skills of strategy to be an effective persuader -- and these abilities died with the person.

Today, computers can store massive amounts of information, retrieve it instantly, sort it for use, following pre-set plans. Such tools, together with money, media access, and organized work teams are available to any professional persuader today.

Every government, every political party, every religious group, and every "cause" group now has this ability to combine sophisticated techniques, psychological insights, and the new technology to target people untrained in persuasion.

We need to find new ways to counterbalance, new ways to teach and to inform the largest possible audiences about the techniques of persuasion.Citizens can better cope with persuaders of any kind by recognizing the predictable benefit-promising behaviors of persuaders.

Political language can be analyzed in many ways. Without denying the complexities of intent and consequences, degree and proportion, truth and deception, and other important related issues, it doesn't hurt to start off simply by focusing with what is being said and how. We need to anticipate the basic content, and to recognize the common forms of political rhetoric.