Back in the GOP's glory days, remember how thrilled we were to hear a constant barrage of cleverly titled, poison-based reform bills from Congress?
The Hit Parade of Truthiness includes The Healthy Forests Act (chop 'em down!), the Clean Water Act (now with 20% MORE arsenic!), etc.
You gotta hand it to them, they sure knew their marketing. So how can we beat them at their own game?
With healthcare on the front burner, the question must be asked, "What would Don Draper do?"
One of the basic premises of healthcare/insurance reform is that something must be done in order to save Medicare. Without significant reform, Medicare's cost is projected to spiral out of control. Town Hall screamers, egged on by misinformation designed to create a spiral of fear, have now succeeded in the GOP's goal of gutting significant reform. Voluntary end-of-life counseling, anyone?
One way to reframe the debate, and to get control of it back, would be to better market what we are trying to achieve.
One suggestion would be to rename what we are doing, "The Medicare Extension and Protection Act."
Members of Congress could come back to work next month stating, in all truthfulness, that they heard their constituents loud and clear. They could rightfully state that their efforts at reform are based on a wish to protect and extend Medicare benefits. Who in their right mind could argue against a bill titled like this?
Yes, I know, the GOP will find a way. But, as we learned the hard way under W., there's no substitute for clever marketing.
Perhaps there is a better title for the bill. Perhaps progressive Senators can come up with something more clever. But something as basic as this is crucial in our getting the debate back on OUR terms. And hey, at least the title in this case would be true, instead of just truthy.
If you agree with the premise, please be kind and recommend.