Sadly, much of what the author proposes seems to be true?
Rational argument would cause all smokers to just stop. Why? because it is progressively killing you, harms many others and burns thousands and thousands of dollars, that if they had been invested elsewhere, could have bought and paid for a couple of houses? Or a prosperous business and complete financial independence? Or, all the foregoing?
It is said that around 30% of us understand politics? Another 30% understanding economics.
This is the 60% that we might appeal to with rational comment.
However, the remaining 40% who understand neither, usually decide elections, and are usually persuaded by endless non core promises, or endlessly repeated, [brainwashing,] more and more and more hip pocket politics?
We really do need to change this mindless mindset, if you'll pardon the phraseology or the very apparent oxymoron, by challenging assumptions.
And we might do that by asking people to clinically dissect and justify their often rusted on political opinions?
Even if that means we need to tolerate the burning smells emanating from previously unused "conservative" cerebral circuits?
They most need to understand that the only illusion is permanency, that the only constant in the entire universe is constant change, that we need to adapt and move with that change, or be virtually steam-rolled by it.
And we also need to see that change, as positive change we can all believe in and embrace?
Is climate change a man-made phenomena and therefore still reversible?
I certainly hope so; given, if this amount of recent change is natural and ongoing and is therefore entirely irreversible.
[Next stop Venus and express annihilation, no stops, all tickets please!]
Rhrosty.

...I think the dilemma of politics is a case of believability and credibility, more so than a case of rationality and coercion. And dragging in fossils from the past as Bob Hawk and Paul Keating, to back up their in-credible arguments for the future, is farcical. I long ago concluded both of them as a good reason for the demise of union credibility, and fiscal intelligence, and abandoned the Labor Party as a consequence of them.

...And to back up the farce, and to uncloak any semblance of credibility, “If my eyes don’t deceive me; there’s something going wrong around here”, Malcom Fraser delivering the 2012 Whitlam institute, Gough Whitlam oration. I mean to say, I just walk away forever from anything outside of a radical new approach to Australian politics, which represents a return to honesty and relevance..."Ground Level"