Frank Luntz has made a career out of wordsmithing for the enemy party. With the most corrupt President in American history sitting in the White House, here’s a primer for how we can flip the script on the GOP.
Wait a minute, you might ask — why aren’t we trying to flip the script on Donald Trump? It’s simple, folks — the moment the GOP has an opportune chance to dump Trump, they will. Then we’ll be saddled with Mike Pence and the rest of the true believers to enact the GOP’s abhorrent agenda and we’ll have provided them with the cover they need to distance themselves from Donald Trump.
No, we need to beat the quislings in the GOP over the head with the fact that they allowed this to happen. We need to push back on every single claim the Republicans make by attacking their credibility — they enabled this regime to take power, what does that say about their judgment and credibility?
In doing so, here are a few helpful tactics that I will share with you. I share this not as an armchair quarterback, but as a public relations professional who understands the power of wording.
1. ADMINISTRATION-REGIME
NEVER SAY: Administration INSTEAD SAY: Regime
Donald Trump’s White House is given an air of respectability and normalcy when we use normal language to describe it, when in actuality the actions we have seen thus far are anything but. The word “regime” carries with it an implication of an authoritarian government, which has the ability to resonate with the voting public — particularly in swing states. It also allows you to rob an incredibly thin-skinned President of a sense of legitimacy and puts the GOP on its heels when it comes to defending its actions.
It also puts you in a position to question citizens about their connection to the Republican Party — “Does this regime represent you?”
2. LAWMAKER -COLLABORATOR
DON’T SAY: Lawmaker (when referring to a Republican) INSTEAD SAY: Collaborator
Collaborator is another word with a negative connotation, particularly when working hand-in-hand with a regime. This term can be used to bludgeon vulnerable GOP incumbents in swing states who may be willing to put country before party — if it benefits their electoral prospects. Again, the people in the House and Senate need to be the target as we are trying to keep them from enacting the worst of the President’s policies, rather than chasing off the President and handing things over to Mike Pence, allowing them to enact more bad policies but this time with some cover of credibility gained from distancing themselves from Trump. When a GOP member of the House/Senate opposes the administration, only then use an honorific title — but not a moment before. And if they slide back into collaboration with the Trump regime, hang the collaborator albatross around their necks. ** BONUS ** — Collaborator can also be used when tying the Trump regime to Russia.
3. FALSEHOODS-LIES
NEVER SAY: Falsehoods INSTEAD SAY: Lies
Call the goddamn things what they are.
4. MEDIA-FREE PRESS
NEVER SAY: Media INSTEAD SAY: Free Press
Much like a basketball coach working the referees (successfully), Republicans have attacked the media consistently and constantly since the myth of the liberal media was invented by another scandal-plagued Republican, Spiro T. Agnew. Now more than ever, we need independent journalists to hold our elected officials accountable — but the “liberal media” meme has been repeated so much that many accept it as fact without any critical thought. As such, we must adjust and begin referring to our journalists as our “free press” — shedding the negative connotation unfairly given to our media and giving them a new term that connects them with a sacred constitutional protection.
5. ADVISORS-SYCOPHANTS
NEVER SAY: Advisors INSTEAD SAY: Sycophants
Most Trump voters won’t know what a sycophant is. That’s okay! They’ll know enough to know it’s not positive. And frankly, we know that the people sitting around Trump aren’t actually advisors — they’re yes-men who tell him what he wants to hear. Sycophant is technically a correct description for this crew — and again, none of them have earned the right to be given the same respect as someone like a Valerie Jarrett.
6. RONALD REAGAN-FDR
NEVER SAY: Ronald Reagan INSTEAD SAY: FDR
Jesus Christ, people, this isn’t rocket science. Ronald Reagan was a horrible president and the GOP has used revisionist history and made him out to be a saint. THEIR saint. So let’s not play into that — let’s embrace our New Deal legacy and draw a real contrast.
7. CONSERVATIVE-REACTIONARY
NEVER SAY: Conservative INSTEAD SAY: Reactionary
This is what they are. Now while the GOP has done a good job of painting “conservative” as something that’s as American as apple pie and as wholesome as the Andy Griffith show, the truth is their agenda is harsh and harmful to the majority of the American people. Reactionary is an appropriate word with which to paint the hyper-conservative backlash.
8. TRAITOR-ANTI AMERICAN
NEVER SAY: Traitor INSTEAD SAY: Anti-American
While certain actions of the current regime could be classified as treasonous, it can be construed as hyperbole when you come out and SAY it. However, you can dance around it and allow your audience to make the connection. Painting their actions as anti-American invites the general public to make that connection and put the regime on the defensive. To paraphrase a famous LBJ story, we may not be able to flat-out call them traitors — but we can make them deny it.
9. VOTER FRAUD-VOTER SUPPRESSION (h/t lmccapp)
INSTEAD OF SAYING: Voter Fraud PIVOT TO: Voter Suppression
The effort to suppress votes by demographic is a particularly nefarious one taken on by the Republicans in order to further tip the scales in their favor — particularly in places where gerrymandering isn’t doing enough for them. Let’s call it what it is. Repeatedly.
10. REGULATIONS-GOVERNMENT PROTECTIONS (h/t Thinking Fella and George Lakoff; also Shadowbelle)
NEVER SAY: Regulations INSTEAD SAY: Government protections
Regulations bad! At least that’s what the average folk have been led to believe. It’s one of the most disingenuous “hot takes” (well, maybe other than “job creators”) that I’ve ever heard. But what is the purpose of these regulations? To protect us! And who can do that? The government! This strikes back at two pillars of GOP orthodoxy — 1, government bad; and 2, regulations bad. By changing this phrasing, we define ourselves as protectors of the common man (and woman).
Additional take from Shadowbelle:
“What Trump and the GOP are trying to destroy are consumer protections, environmental protections, worker protections, and they are doing under the guise of removing regulations that inhibit “business”. Make it clear. “For every new protection, we are going to eliminate two existing protections.”
Make them own the damage. If they think there are too many “regulations”, fine, rewrite them so that the same PROTECTIONS stay in place.”
11. ENTITLEMENTS-EARNED BENEFITS (h/t anon004)
NEVER SAY: Entitlements INSTEAD SAY: Earned benefits
Again, entitlements bad! Money being taken out of my pocket and put into the pockets of someone who doesn’t look like me! Except that’s not how it works. As the credited poster on this one said “Same thing with “employee benefit health care” It should be “earned health care.” (It not only points out that you don’t have health care only because of the munificence of your employer, it also makes it like salary, hence conveying that their theocratic fingers should keep off.)”
OTHER QUICK-HITTER PHRASES TO WORK INTO CONVERSATION
“AID AND COMFORT” — Allows you to paint congressional Republicans as aiding and abetting treason (without saying it) when you state things like “Failing to investigate the Trump regime’s connections to Russia provides aid and comfort to an enemy state.”
“ENEMY STATE” — See “aid and comfort” above.
“HYPOCRITE” — When Bill Clinton was assailed by the GOP for his sexual relationship with a White House intern, it backfired. Why? Because the people pointing the fingers were far bigger reprobates than they accused Bill Clinton of being. Voters will forgive misconduct, but they have a harder time forgiving hypocrisy. Highlight any and all examples of Republican hypocrisy.
“OPPORTUNIST” — It is clear that the modern GOP acts as a ship with no compass, following a path guided only by a lust for power. Make them wear it. (see “Hypocrite”)
“PARTY BEFORE COUNTRY” — We can not say this too much. Literally — it’s impossible to say this too much. For a party that has made patriotism™ part and parcel of its public appeal, we need to consistently drive the point home that the primary focus of the Republican Party isn’t the betterment of the United States of America — it is the consolidation of political power by the Republican Party, and there are no depths to which Republicans will not sink in order to retain that power.
“PERVERT THE CONSTITUTION” (h/t mmtwain) — As the aforementioned commenter said, “I would describe the administration’s actions as an attempt to “pervert the Constitution” Simple direct terms.” I like this very much.
“PROSTITUTED” — For the Republicans who were ardent anti-Trumpers during campaign but have changed their tune, you need to paint the picture that they have merged the world’s oldest and second-oldest professions.
“REPUBLICAN AGENDA” (h/t to Hinoema01) — Great suggestion — “be sure to identify everything that Trump or his cadre do or have done as part of the Republican Agenda.” I agree with this one 100%. It’s just as important to tie him to them as it is to tie them to him. Sow the seeds of dissension!
“NOT EVEN WATERGATE” — Whenever a political scandal has emerged in the last 40 years, the knee-jerk reaction has been to compare it to Watergate. It is important to repeat that not even the Watergate scandal was as dangerous as the Trump regime’s collaboration with Russia.
I’m open to suggestions on more — this is just a starting point.
UPDATE — It appears this diary made the rec list. Thank you all — and thank you all so much for your feedback! As long as this will allow me, I’ll continue to add your suggestions to the diary in hopes that this can be a living, growing document and a step toward a 2018 battle plan.