[Cross posted from Frameshop --JF]
CALL TO ACTION
The following words are being used widely in media discussion of
Social Security:
"problem"
"confront"
The Bush White House wants the public to
repeat these terms to set the frame of Social Security being in "crisis, " and to limit debate entirely to proposals for radical change.
Do not repeat these words.
The progressive position:
Social Security is a successful social program protecting millions of Americans. It will thrive in a healthy economy, and can be maintained by lifting caps on payroll contribution and controlling government spending.
To advance this Progressive frame
repeat these words:
- "We believe all Americans deserve the protection of Social Security"
- Social Security is Successful
- Social Security is Healthy
NOTICE:
Repetition of Progressive langauge is an effective strategy to counter the Bush war on Social Security.
IMMEDIATE ACTION: Dividing up into work groups to contact media, politicians and grassroots leaders.
Frameshop is open.
Repetition
It's time to drive home a very basic point:
We need to accept the principle of repetition as the core principle of framing.
Con think tanks and political groups have been very good at getting their frames repeated. They do this work covertly. They develop ideas backstate, agree on language in dark rooms, make phonecalls to officials in the midle of the night, send faxes all over the country under ambiguous names. Everything gets put in place. Then, when the President stands up on TV and declares "Social Security is a big "pr----m," the chain reaction of Conservative framing explodes.
We cannot stop this Conservative chain reaction, but we can make sure that we counter it with our own.
Our efforts at framing will be most effective if we agree on a message, then generate ways to repeat it over and over and over again.
I've reduced all of our discussions to one message (above the fold).
Now, I want to ask everyone to take out a post-it note, write the word REPETITION in big block caps on it, and post it in a prominent place.
We will battle these Con frames by repeating our own frames and getting them in place to be repeated.
Diary Teams
Today, I want to take page out of the dKos playbook.
Geetting our Social Security frames repeated is going require a combined coordinated effort.
In this Frameshop, today, I would like to see individual diarists volunteer to launch diaries that have the sole purpose of getting our Social Security frame out there.
Propose (1) An area of the media, politics or grassroots; (2) Lead a discussion on strategy here, (3) decide when you are ready to launch the diary (4) launch the diary and provide the link in the thread.
As new diaries are launched, I will collect them all up top so people can go directly to them.
There will obviouisly be variation in the way you get your messages out.
Feel free to use past Frameshop diaries to refine your message.
But be sure to include these basic terms:
Social Security is Successful
Social Security is Healthy
Social Security protects Americans
Get-the-Frame Out "Action Diaries"
The following diaries have been launched to get the Progressive frame on Social Security repeated in response to the Con frame. IF you would like to join these specific work groups, report directly to the diary listed.
Diarists: Make diary titles straight forward and recognizable. Follow this model:
"Social Security Action: "[area/focus]"
Frameshop will update these lists regularly:
Television:
[link to your diary here] [TBA]
Government:
[link to your diary here] [TBA]
Print Media:
[link to your diary here] [TBA]
Radio:
[link to your diary here] [TBA]
Internet Media:
- Google
Send them progressive news source suggestions that pushes the right frame (see comment by srolle below)
[link to your diary here] [TBA]
Grassroots Orgs:
University/School Orgs:
[link to your diary here] [TBA]
Misc:
Frameshop will stay open to update this effort. Report on how things are going in the coordinated diaries will be updated here.
And here's incentive: the first team to report back that their effort was repeated in their target outlet WINS a dozen donuts from Frameshop (freshness not guaranteed).
OK, get to work. And remember: Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat...
Update [2004-12-17 15:8:16 by Jeffrey Feldman]:
Ah, the media.
Today on New York public radio, the Leonard Lopate show ran a one hour conversation on Social Security in which Len, basically, spent the whole time asking his Liberal leaning guests if they thought Social Security was realy in trouble. And he kept asking, and asking, and asking, and asking. Repeating, and repeating, and repeating the Bush frame. So I sent off a Frameshop letter. The response:
I appreciate your suggestion,. But the segment was intended as an examination of the impact of privatization, not a salute to Social Security. Nonetheless, both of my guests sang its praises and suggested that it continues to work perfectly well.
Sure that's what they "suggested," but they did it in response to a constant repetition of the Bush frame. Rule #1 about framing: facts don't matter. It's the frame that sets the terms of the debate.
Congratulations Leonard Lopate! You just gave George W. Bush's war on Social Security 60 minutes of free airtime in New York City! Good job, buddy.
Update [2004-12-17 17:19:36 by Jeffrey Feldman]:
Mrclean reports that Steve Inskeep from NPR's Morning edition sent him this response to a Frameshop email:
Thanks for listening, and for sharing your concern. The story you mention never used the word "crisis." The word "investment" was used, but not to describe Social Security as a program. If you'd like, you can listen again at www.npr.org.
Steve Inskeep
NPR
Morning Edition
That means they went to the transcript to check. No way they could respond without checking. So, kudos, everyone! Frameshop has just reached it's second NPR show!
Donuts all around....
Update [2004-12-17 19:49:0 by Jeffrey Feldman]:
Kudos to Chris Bowers over at MyDD. Headline on that blog reads
"Social Security is Healthy and Successful".
Chris tells everyone to go home for Christmas and push this frame. And we agree. Thanks, Chris!