There was great irony in the column by Frank Luntz, "Behind anger is a call for change." Mr. Luntz calls for a renewal of trust and for people in power to shut up and listen instead of exploiting the anger. He describes an American people angry about irresponsibility, a lack of accountability and ready to respond to positive and honest leadership.

The irony is the role Mr. Luntz has played as a consultant to the GOP in creating our corrupt electoral culture. His firm researches public opinion, including what sparks fear, anger and hatred. Phrases such as "government controlled health care" and terms like "socialism" applied falsely to policy proposals spark opposition even if the lie is totally bald-faced.

Homophobic images of "weakness" and the opposite of macho "toughness" are applied to individuals without any serious analysis of character.

Adolescent insecurity becomes "strong" while adult patience and perspective is tarred as "naive." Luntz and his firm help PR spin-masters find the images and memes for propaganda to be effective and for real discourse to be destroyed.

He has not spoken up against the misuse of his research in elections, and the loss of trust he bewails is his own fault. But it tells us all that we need to package the truth to sell instead of hoping it can compete with Luntz research in an honest debate.

Don Caughey

Corvallis