The biggest obstacle to an investment agenda is the belief that government can not be trusted to spend the money wisely. Waste is the enemy and past experience has made voters very cynical. Most believe the government would not need additional funding if it would only cut waste and get its priorities straight. Voters want to see concrete plans for how these investments will be made and what they will achieve. Accountability is the watchword.
Voters are increasingly skeptical of promises that sound like empty political rhetoric.
It is important to remember that these issues are driven by values, not just numbers. Particularly when discussing children, seniors, and families, we need to include values language in our arguments. Values language and arguments particularly appeal to non college participants who are looking to benefit their communities and the entire nation. Ironically, college educated people are more likely to look at what is in it for them. The Message Children are the key focus, followed by seniors.