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The problem with relying on words and logic to persuade is that pretty much anything can be gussied up in the right hands to sound reasonable and logical. What's more, people who for whatever reason are inclined to agree with a speaker will usually not see the holes in the argument. I argue for a living -- I'm a litigation attorney -- so I see this all the time. I can argue pretty much any side of a dispute, do it convincingly, and then turn around and do the other side with equal passion and conviction, and be just as persuasive.
So what do I find persuasive if not logic? Data. Facts. Experience. Testing. Science. But that's a lot of work (which is why I don't pretend to be an authority on very much, even though I do read a lot and try to formulate reasoned views). The guys on talk radio are doing argument, and argument is much easier. Limbaugh, for example, is a very talented showman and has found a very successful "schtick" but I wouldn't rely on him for sound policy prescription or political advice.
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