If you read Machiavelli you know it's beyond sales techniques for Kirby Vacuums:
A very informative article regarding the use of language by conservatives provides some helpful insight.(1) The article's premise, based upon the studies of George Lakoff, a UC Berkeley professor of linguistics and cognitive science, is that conservatives have mastered the art of "framing" the issues. Conservatives have spent decades defining their ideas, carefully choosing the language with which to present them, and building an infrastructure to communicate them through think tanks....
Right now the Democratic Party is into marketing. They pick a number of issues like prescription drugs and Social Security and ask which ones sell best across the spectrum, and they run on those issues. They have no moral perspective, no general values, no identity. People vote their identity, they don't just vote on the issues, and Democrats don't understand that.
Conservatives use "framing" tactics to convince the public that all the policies they advocate are good for "the people" when in reality they are not. The Bush administration is quite adept at this. They apply a wholesome name to a policy and the public is somehow convinced that Bush is taking actions in their best interest."
Good read if you haven't already waded through.
http://www.buzzflash.com/southern/04/01/sou04002.html