"Do Intelligent Arguments Make A Difference?"

DiA a depressing thought:

I'm trying, and failing,to think of an instance where voters on any side have been persuaded bya reasoned opposition on any issue. It might happen with individualvoters on particular issues, largely of the technical variety—ifsomeone sits down to figure out whether they support a bond issue,maybe—but I can't think of a single issue where an argument, howeverelegantly expressed, has tipped the balance. These, I think, are themethods by which public opinion...