This is a short diary, but one important enough not to make as simply a comment. And it will deal with one simple point, to answer William Shakespeare:
What is in a name?
WINNING FUCKING ELECTIONS IS IN A NAME.
What names do I mean?
The names of Obama's and the democrats bills.
What the hell is "Health Care Reform"? Are you shitting me? Is that seriously all they could come up with? Where is the marketing?
What if "Social Security" had been called "The Retirement Payment Act"? It would've FAILED.
What if "Medicare" had been called "The Senior Citizen Insurance Reform Act"?
It would've FAILED.
You had the clearest gift in the world, the death of Senator Kennedy, who'd spent his career trying to enact universal healthcare.
Why not market it that way?
The Kennedy Bill.
or:
The Ted Kennedy Healthcare Reform Bill.
Make Republicans vote against a "Kennedy" name. Not freaking "Obamacare." Or if Kennedy doesn't work, use a term similar to the beautiful "Medicare" or "Social Security" and give it a beauitful name:
Americare.
The America Cares Act.
Then, in every press conference, on every TV show, democracts could say "Republicans want to overturn Americare!" "Republicans oppose Americacare!"
You slip "America" into the name and the subtext is Republicans are opposing America itself.
Even more bold? Name it after ONE SINGLE PERSON who died because they didn't have coverage. Think of the powerful narrative, like with the Polly Klass bill or the Amber Alert:
The Rachel Griffiths Act
Imagine Obama gathering with the family of Rachel Griffiths (name I just made up) who died of a treatable form of Cancer after losing her benefits for a pre-existing condition. Imagine Obama personally hugging each of the members of her family as he signed the bill, vowing never again to let there be another Rachel Griffiths.
THIS is how you win the debate -- you make the narrative about PEOPLE, not names.
Think of the "Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act" -- how powerfully that worked. How the republicans NEVER attack it (or else they'd be attacking a real person who suffered).
What about Wall Street Reform?
Why not:
The American Banking Reform Act
The American Savings and Recovery Bill
TARP? It sounds like a freaking pool covering.
ENOUGH with the freaking acronyms, democrats!! Get some damn clever marketing into your bills. Use the word "American" in them. Use individual narratives to sell them.
Just as you successfully did with Lily Ledbetter.
Just as Bush successfully did with "The Clear Skies Act" or "No Child Left Behind".
Barack Obama, for the man who won on "hope" and other brilliant marketing, where is your marketing strategy on these bills? You still refer to "Bush Tax Cuts"?? Are you serious?!?
How about introducing the American Middle Class Recovery Act? Whatever you want to call it, give it a clever name and have EVERY DEMOCRAT on EVERY TV SHOW repeat it over and over and over until Americans know EXACTLY what it is. Then make republicans vote against it.
Why can't we employ basic naming conventions in marketing our bills?