From George Lakoff’s diary
Democrats, in addition, need to call an extremist an extremist: to shine a light on the shared anti-democratic ideology of McCain and Palin, the same ideology shared by Bush and Cheney. They share values antithetical to our democracy. That needs to be said loud and clear, if not by the Obama campaign itself, then by the rest of us who share democratic American values.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
One of the reasons why Barack's acceptance speech was so successful, is that he "gets" this. He talked about republicans view of the ownership society and reframed it as "it means you're on your own"
We need to take a second look at his speech, Bill Clinton's too, that's why he is so effective. He reframes it with a smile and then repeats it again and again.
It is like the "Head On" commercial....it is annoying beyond belief, but was repeated so many times, it sticks.
Now it drives "logical, thinking people" crazy to have to talk the way repugs do, but that is what works. We can do the same thing, only honestly. Baracks framing of the ownership society works because it is also true and people know it is their gut.
Here’s a perfect example. John McCain wants to frame himself, sell himself as the "maverick." He even talks about his heroes as a young man were Marlon Brando and James Dean...loners, rebels, mavericks, risk takers, straight talkers. It worked for Reagan...a real John Wayne type. And, it has worked for McCain for a long time.
Now here is the fun part. We take that image, that "frame" and reframe it. He’s right; he is a maverick, but of the worst kind. McCain judgment is questionable. Selecting an untested, rookie, without properly vetting her and keeping his staff informed demonstrates a lack of judgment and questionable governing ability. Would he do the same thing with a major decision like "bomb, bomb Iran, perhaps?" He is a risk taker, a loner, a maverick in the worst sense of the word. We can reframe "maverick" to be a risk taker, a loner, a shoot from the hip rebel, who acts before he thinks. That risk taking tendency, along with his ‘fly off the handle" temperament, shoot first and ask questions later, is a risky choice.
Second reframe: Republicans are deserting the family. Their answer to everything is "you’re on your own..." Fill in all of Barack’s acceptance speech points). For all of their talk about "family values," they are deserting the family in favor protecting big oil with 4 billion dollar tax breaks, deserting the family deserting the family and protecting the super rich (with so many houses they can't remember)... by protecting the mortgage companies, Wall Street and predatory lenders, deserting the family and protecting the rich...we can go on and on with example...those are powerful themes that resonate so deeply in the "gut" of everyone.
We are genetically programmed to protect our families...using that frame along with Republicans protecting the wealthy will enhance the "you're on your own" frame. Think of the success they had with just speaking the words 9 11. We are so programmed to be afraid when we hear that, and we were programmed that way long before Sept 11th. When my house was on fire, my first thought was to call 911. My hands were shaking so much I could hardly dial the number....I was afraid! When my mother was terribly sick and I found her writhing in pain alone at her home, my first thought was to call 911. Again, my hands were shaking and I was very afraid. We program our kids at 2 or 3 now to know about 911. Now, the repubs took great advantage of this, unknowingly maybe, but it works.
Repetition, reframing; connecting their policies to our deepest instincts like protecting our families works! And it will work against John McCain.