Can fear factor motivate voters?
Each day seems to add to the endless series of worries in our lives. An expensive trip to the gas pump, news of another death in Iraq, heightened terror alerts and a sputtering economy all give us reason to feel a collective sense of dread. Call it the “fear factor.” Despite the pronouncements of both presidential candidates, who are claiming the moral high ground by declaring that they won’t play to our baser instincts, there’s little comfort in their assurances. Security was at unprecedented levels at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, and it is expected to be as high when Republicans gather later this month in New York City. And as the political campaign intensifies during the next three months, the fears that discomfit the average American will…
