In the spirit of The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce, I thought it would be appropriate to develop a lexicon of oft-used Republican talking points, commonly used words and phrases, dog whistles and other "uses" of their special language and translate them into English.
This list will probably be short at first, but as time goes on I hope others will contribute to the list and help it to grow as I periodically republish it (which I plan to do). And consider this an invitation to do exactly that in the Comments.
Without further ado, I present the list, over the flip.
Anti-American: In disagreement with Republican doctrine.
Baby Killer: An individual who supports a woman's ownership of her own body. See Feminazi.
Brave: Proposing or voting for legislation that negatively impacts unions, educators, or the poor, to the benefit of corporate interests and the wealthy.
Choice: As relates to abortion rights, an unused term (see Baby Killer). As relates to legislation, a modifier that means removal of money from government programs and giving it to corporate interests, e.g. school choice, Medicare choice, Social Security choice.
Class Warfare: Calling attention to an assault on the middle and lower classes by the upper class and Republican politicians.
Color-Blind: Someone who does not recognize the political, economic or social inequality of nonwhite races.
Common-Sense: In alignment with the Republican agenda.
Communist:An individual who falls to the political left of Glenn Beck.
Compromise: Democrats give in to all Republican demands.
Courage: Proposing cuts to programs that benefit the politically powerless while giving tax breaks and handouts to the politically powerful.
Death Panel: Something which is not a panel and doesn't cause death, but which Republicans are desperate to scare people about.
Democracy: A system where Republicans can implement their agenda unimpeded when they hold a legislative majority and Democrats are blocked by filibusters, secret holds and parliamentary tricks the rest of the time.
Elitist: An educated individual whose expert opinions or scientific research refute one or more facets of Republican ideology.
Extreme: Of ideology, philosophy or legislation, being to the political left of Michele Bachmann.
Family Values: Codifying conservative Christian morality regarding sexual conduct into law. For Christian morality regarding charity, peace, caring for the sick, loving one's neighbor, etc., see Communist.
Feminazi: An individual who believes women are not property. See Baby Killer.
Fiscal Restraint: Cutting government programs which help the lower and middle classes to pay for tax cuts and handouts to the wealthiest individuals and corporations.
Freedom: 1. In America, living under Republican rule, regardless of what civil or personal liberties are actually enjoyed or suppressed. 2. Outside America, under political or economic domination of the United States of America.
Freeloaders: Workers striving to protect their jobs and benefits.
Government: When enforcing the safety of workplaces, consumer products or the environment, providing education or a safety net for the middle and working classes, the embodiment of all evil. When bombing foreign nations, preventing gays from marrying, or torturing prisoners, the guardian of the American way of life.
I'm Sorry: I regret that I got caught.
Job Creators:The richest Americans, regardless of the number of people they employ.
Job-killing: Legislation which reduces income and profits for the richest Americans. See Shared Sacrifice.
Judicial activism: A court ruling that opposes the Republican agenda.
Judicial restraint: A court ruling that supports the Republican agenda.
Liberal: An individual or political position that differs from Republican doctrine.
Mainstream Media: syn. Lamestream Media, Liberal Media.
Muslim: See Terrorist.
Obstructionism: Refusal to support Republican legislation.
Partisan: In disagreement with the Republican party line.
Patriots: Christians, conservatives or union-busters who commit acts or threats of violence or coercion. See Terrorists.
Pro-Life: The fundamental belief that everyone's life is precious and has to be protected until the moment of birth; after that, they're on their own.
Quotas: Efforts to give minorities equal opportunity in hiring or college admission.
Racist: Someone who does not believe in European-American political and cultural supremacy, esp. a civil rights advocate. See Special Rights.
Radical: To the left of Rush Limbaugh.
Real America: Places and people that vote Republican.
Reasonable: A Democrat willing to capitulate to the Republican agenda.
Redistributionism: The practice of being less than comfortable with concentration of wealth in the top 1% of the American population.
Religious Freedom: When conservative Christians are allowed to use public funds to promote their religion while denying members of other faiths the ability to practice their religion at all.
Religious Persecution: When conservative Christians are prevented from dominating the political agenda.
Ronald Reagan: The primary deity in the pantheon of Republican worship. A cross between Jesus and John Galt. The embodiment of all modern Republican ideology. Not to be confused with the historical 40th President of the United States (see Communist).
Serious: Of a Republican candidate, prone to make enough insane statements to garner attention from the media and Tea Party activists. Of a Democratic candidate or officeholder, tending towards capitulation to Republican policy initiatives.
Shared Sacrifice:The poor share sacrifice with the middle class. See Job-killing.
Socialism: Government programs that benefit Americans other than the richest individuals and corporations.
Special Interests: An organization that donates to, or a constituency that favors, Democratic candidates and officeholders.
Special Rights: Civil rights for anyone who isn't white, male, Christian, and heterosexual.
Strict Constructionism: A judge's practice of Judicial Restraint.
Tea Party: a) The people the Republicans must placate at all costs; b) A group of people very upset that a black Democrat was elected President; c) People who believe anything FOX News tells them and thus form an easily manipulable conservative base. Ed: This one needs work. Ideas?
Terrorist: 1. A Muslim, union member or liberal who commits acts or threats of violence or coercion. See Patriot. 2. A Muslim, union member or liberal who can be connected through six degrees of Kevin Bacon to someone described in definition one. 3. A Muslim, union member or liberal.
Union Thug: An individuals who belongs to a union, supports union rights, or is sympathetic to unions, who organizes with others in public demonstrations of any kind.
Voter Fraud: Minorities, students, and other demographics which traditionally vote strongly Democratic have unimpeded access to the polls.