I have for some time been seeking a term to describe the phenomenon that the radical right has mastered that, so far, I can only think of as "Field of Dreams" framing. It's that phenomenon that allows operatives of the radical right to stick a label on Democrats/progressives/liberals so completely that the fact that they are equally or more-so "guilty" of that label escapes the conventional wisdom.
...more below...
Of course, there's "flip-flopper" - no need to expand;
"activist judges" - Kerry had an agenda for his picks, but Bush doesn't? yea, right. Just because Bush says he'll have no litmus test** for his nominees, doesn't make it so;
There are probably dozens of examples of this, labels that stick to Democrats simply because the GOP says they do, to the exclusion of their own usually more egregious faults. Across the board, labels related to fiscal policies, large/small government, invasion into private lives, etc...
Forgive the toilet humor, but on the elementary school playground we used to call "Whoever smelt it, delt it." Maybe it's time we reply with a little "I'm rubber, you're glue..."
Any thoughts for a consise way to describe this phenomenon?
** a postscript; anybody notice how often the phrase "litmus test" comes out? Most recently (that I saw) from Specter is his retreat back into party line. Anyone paying attention to language, phrasing, framing etc., can't let this one slip by. It must poll well somewhere.