The Language Police

from: Watchblog



Frank Luntz wrote a lengthy report for the GOP on how to produce good propaganda. You can download it here. A few tasty morsels to whet your appetite:

Symbols

The American people cannot always be expected to grasp the connection between your policies and your principles. Symbols bridge this gap, so use them, and use them liberally.

I could never grasp that connection either with the GOP. Apparently I wasn't paying enough attention to the soccer mom and the flag.

By the way, Luntz says that most powerful symbols are, in order, the American flag, the Statue of Liberty (une femme francaise!), and the Bald Eagle.

Bipartisanship

Anything described as 'bipartisan' is an automatic winner with the American public...

How about 'bipartisan cockfight'?

9/11

Without the Context of 9/11, you will be blamed for the deficit. The deficit is a touchy subject... The trick then is to contextualize the deficit inside of 9/11...

Why The Deficit Is Immoral

The media will always focus on the few who will be hurt rather than on the many who will be helped when the budget is under control. You need to fight back and frame the debate in terms of... the personal and national immorality of passing along increasing debt to our children and future generations.

There Goes the Sadomasochist Vote

STOP TALKING ABOUT PAIN

Retirement and Social Security

In fact, as it now stands, 48% of American believe the people retiring before they do will benefit the most from Social Security, while only 17% believe that they personally will benefit the most. That's why it's so important to replace the word 'privatize' with the word 'personalize'.

Ahh...


'Retirement', as such, no longer exists... The so-called 'Golden Years' are now 'Working Years'...

I thought that MoveOn was a little over the top with its 'working retirement' commercial, but here is a GOP consultant saying exactly that in black and white.

[Some] will continue to work, by choice or necessity, until the day their health gives out.

Just shoot me now.

Not only has the economic turmoil of the past few years changed Americans' financial positions and depleted their nest eggs, but it has also led an incredible 28 percent of us to postpone the day we expect to retire.

A Republican wrote this. I swear.

Social Security in this light is a difficult subject because there are many obscure facts and figures. Stay Away From Them!!!

Especially with George...

Let's face it -- seniors love to talk about their kids and grandkids, so talk about them. Tell them about the opportunity America has to insure their retirement security. This point, though simple, is extraordinarily powerful, ESPECIALLY with older women.

Maybe they can tell the old fogies that Social Security is constipated, and privatization is like prune juice. And don't forget Matlock!

Your audience needs to know that their contributions are AT RISK AS WE SPEAK.

Yikes!

Energy

This was John Kerry's best line at the convention and it continues to resonate even today: 'I want an America that relies on its own ingenuity and innovation -- not the Saudi role family.'... Right now, the Democrats are exhibiting perfect pitch when it comes to their energy message.

At least they do something right...

[In ANWR] the sun doesn't shine at all for eight weeks; and wind chills during the winter can drop to minus 110 degrees.

No sun for EIGHT WEEKS?! F^&k ANWR!

The Fourteen 'Words' You Can't Say at the GOP Convention

In a delightfully Orwellian turn of phrase, Luntz announces that 'YOU [Republicans] are the language police'.

The "14 Words Never To USe" are:


Government, Privatization/Private Accounts, Tax Reform, Inheritance/Estate Tax, A Global Economy/Globalization/Capitalism, Outsourcing, Undocumented Workers, Foreign Trade, Drilling for oil, Tort Reform, Trial Lawyer, Corporate Transparency, School Choice, Healthcare 'Choice'.

Oddly enough, Luntz recommends replacing the last phrase with 'the right to choose'. He also notes that 'the older the get, the less eager you are to have a wide range of choices'. Just a wide range of pictures of your grandkids...

A final thought on cuisine

The term 'tort'... at best reminds one of a French pastry."