In the 2018 mid-term elections, Dennis Hof was elected to Congress, in Nevada.
That’s not too surprising, he’s a Republican.
Nevada hates Democrats and always votes Republican.
Not only that but Dennis Hof was a big advocate of tougher immigration laws.
He was also a supporter of expanding, not limiting, gun rights.
He was also a big fan of Trump.
So it’s not too surprising that Nevada elected him, they share those values.
But what did surprise me is that Dennis Hof also owned five brothels.
In homage to Trump’s book ‘The Art of the Deal’, he published ‘The Art of the Pimp’.
But this didn’t stop him winning 68.3% of the vote.
Two famous evangelical Christians, Roger Stone and Grover Norquist, even supported him.
But the most surprising fact for me, about Dennis Hof winning the election, was as follows:
He’d been dead 3 weeks.
His body was found by porn star Ron Jeremy and a prostitute who worked for Hof.
So why would the people of Nevada elect a dead pimp?
Because the law in Nevada is, if they die, the winning candidate is replaced by a member of their own party.
So Dennis Hof would be replaced by a Republican, that was all the voters cared about.
They preferred anyone, even a dead pimp, to a Democrat.
Jennifer O’Kane, who had been repeatedly raped by Hof, said “No Democrat was going to win, that’s just politics.”
That’s what’s happening in America: the Montagues and the Capulets.
Nobody is really listening to what any of the candidates are saying, no one cares.
Policies won’t change anyone’s mind: Republicans just hate Democrats and that’s that.
It’s like gang warfare, the Bloods versus the Crips, on a national scale.
You are loyal to your party, your house, your gang, and you don’t change sides.
It’s nothing to do with rational argument.
That’s why, in his retirement speech in 1796, George Washington warned against political parties:
“They are likely in the course of time to become potent engines, by which cunning ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.
The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.
It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarm; kindles the animosity of one party against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions.”
Doesn’t all that sound strangely familiar?
“Kindles the animosity of one party against another”
“Domination of one faction over another”
“Cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be able to subvert power”
“Opens the door to foreign influences”
It’s almost as if George Washington could see into the future.
For sure we’re all now living in interesting times.
Great post, Dave. As always.
I live in Australia.
We have two parties taking the piss.
You have convinced me to vote for an Independent.
And convinced me to convince others to do the same.
Thank you.
Perhaps we need to ban political parties and/or remove their names from the ballot.
Maybe replace it with their last tweet….
Or more telling… their first.
Hey an astoundingoffers
Are you in?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kJ8D6pEvWRJRNntydgEXgO6fEj7GX8h9/preview
Hi Dave,
recently stumbled on one of you Youtube videos and was captivated by what you said. At first I didn’t get it; “form follows function” then a day or two passed and I had a problem and someone pointed out something I had over seen, boom! I had an eureka moment and replied “form follows function!” This can be applied across many things not just advertising. I get it now.
I have just ordered all your books, and some you recommend in the you tube videos.
The Art of Writing Advertising: Conversations With William Bernbach
The Feeling of What Happens: Body, Emotion an… by Damasio, Antonio R.
Breakthrough Advertising Eugene Schwartz (costly but I will make it pay for itself)
Various books by Edward De Bono
Oh, luckily I’m not middle class and have no problem with your book title “Predatory Thinking”.
I have two businesses, they tick over although one has taken a nose dive recently due to competition taking the stage. I have great products but I now know thanks to you that it’s because I’ve never created the correct Impact, Communication or Persuasion. I have been trying to sell the form to my customers not it’s function to meet desires.
Seriously Dave I can’t thank you enough for sharing your knowledge.
My plan now is to submerge myself in the books and attempt to master the art of copy writing. I have just applied some of what I have gained to one of my businesses and blow me it bloody works. I am seeing noticeable results already just by changing my approach by matching a desire with a product function. The best bit is it is not a real function as such but more of a provocative function that I tied to prove it’s a luxury product.
I can see I am going to have fun with this.
Dave I just picked at random one of your videos on this website; “Toshiba Woofer” fuck me I can’t believe you are responsible for this. This is legend mate. I remember this TV commercial really well, it has Ian Dury doing the narration/rhyming.
Dave I just had to try and find a way to thank you. I hope you get to see this message.
Dave you talk about gestalt, which is interesting how one stand out advert can have such a big impact in the consumers mind. Is there any books that you recommend that would give me a better understanding of this please?
Wishing you all the best
Darron
Donald Trump is a miscreant, worse than any president in modern times. Nevertheless, he is sometimes more right than Democrats and their media flacks. His express views on the multi-lateral institutions that regulate global trade in capitalism’s current neoliberal phase are an obvious example. Trump thinks, or says that he thinks, that American workers have been getting a raw deal. He is right.