"Democratic Messaging: Politically (Ring) Tone Deaf"

Arianna:

One of the biggest problems, as George Lakoff points out in his terrific post, is that the Democrats continue to fight the Iraq battle on the Republicans' turf. Lakoff provides an excellent example of the kind of clear language on Iraq that could be heard across the land: "This is an occupation, not a war." In his Cut-and-Run framing, Karl Rove has found the GOP's crystal clear messaging on Iraq, and the Democrats, even when they disagree with it, are buying into it. And, as always, those who define the terms of the debate inevitably win it.

As well as the Occupation theme that Lakoff has laid out for them, Democrats should pick up the war profiteering refrain -- and bang out every day how, from the very beginning, Iraq has been used to help line the pockets of the Bush administration's corporate cronies. Check out this trailer for Robert Greenwald's upcoming film, Iraq for Sale: the War Profiteers. It delivers a storyline as all-American as motherhood and apple pie -- and a tune as resonant as "God Bless America."

So those are two political ring tones the Democrats should download right away. The ones they're using right now are falling on deaf ears.

One of the biggest problems, as George Lakoff points out in his terrific post, is that the Democrats continue to fight the Iraq battle on the Republicans' turf. Lakoff provides an excellent example of the kind of clear language on Iraq that could be heard across the land: "This is an occupation, not a war." In his Cut-and-Run framing, Karl Rove has found the GOP's crystal clear messaging on Iraq, and the Democrats, even when they disagree with it, are buying into it. And, as always, those who define the terms of the debate inevitably win it.

As well as the Occupation theme that Lakoff has laid out for them, Democrats should pick up the war profiteering refrain -- and bang out every day how, from the very beginning, Iraq has been used to help line the pockets of the Bush administration's corporate cronies. Check out this trailer for Robert Greenwald's upcoming film, Iraq for Sale: the War Profiteers. It delivers a storyline as all-American as motherhood and apple pie -- and a tune as resonant as "God Bless America."

So those are two political ring tones the Democrats should download right away. The ones they're using right now are falling on deaf ears.