It is very easy to manipulate an idea simply by changing the wording. One could express that they did a very small amount of their homework in very many different ways using the same phrase. Saying that one did some of their homework could mean one problem to all but one problem. Politicians do the same thing. They know what people want to hear, and they will word their statements to sound like what they want to hear.
This infographic by the NY Times shows what words politicians use and do not use during their speeches. Think about some of the most important issues in the upcoming elections. The number one is probably the budget. Well, this is one of the most common words used in every single speech. America is also at the top. But part of budget cuts is unemployment, but no one wants to be reminded of this. So this is a word that is not very commonly used. Challenge your students to write a speech to be elected to your classroom, and ask them what words they may work towards, and what words they may work against.
