I wrote this a while back when the Republicans had released talking points on the Occupy Movement. Given the election season, most of the points still should have resonance with us plebes....
1. When Republicans use terms like “free market”, or “economic freedom” or “trickle-down economics”; they are talking about capitalism which is the underlying economic principle of all the above. It is perfectly acceptable to correct them on this usage and demand that they use the term capitalism. And when capitalism only serves the rich, something is very, very wrong.
2. To avoid that pesky tax issue Republicans will couch it in terms like “taking from the rich” and “burdening job creators”. They are taking from the rich large amounts of money to maintain and forward policies that will continue to support the 1%, while complaining that the poor create too much of a burden on society and that social programs must be cut to alleviate that burden. Now might be a good time to remind them that Reagan ran up the defense budget and cut taxes on the wealthiest Americans specifically to create a large deficit; so Reagan could then justify spending cuts to social programs and environment regulations. David Stockman, Reagan's former chief financial advisor eventually copped to the scheme. They may call it policy, but it boils down to good old manipulation, fraud, and a betrayal of their duty to the American people.
3. Republicans will avoid talking about the middle class and instead will talk about “hardworking taxpayers” or “the self-reliant”. Bring the conversation back to income disparity, tax disparity and the working poor. Wage stagnation, the loss of home equity, the foreclosure crisis and the replacement of wage growth with consumer credit are also acceptable here.
4. Republicans will discuss “careers” and not “jobs”. With 9.3 million people underemployed and about 14 million unemployed, the only “careers” the Republicans should be worried about are their own. How one can have a career if one can't even find a job? And let's be honest, with talk of this being a jobless recovery, many people who had careers are now struggling to just find jobs.
5. Republicans will justify continued deregulation and smaller government by using the term “government waste”. The true waste is any money spent by the government to perpetuate the One Percent's control over policy, regulatory agencies, and campaigns. What they call “waste,” we need to call corruption, conflicts of interest, undue influence, corporate malfeasance, and bribery. And don't even get me started on the scandals and fraud committed by privatizing education, prisons, and that of private defense contractors.
6. Republicans will never be willing to compromise. To a Republican, to compromise is to sell out. Any Republican found compromising may be cannibalized by other Republicans. If a Republican says they are willing to cooperate, treat them with extreme caution. You may even want to grab a biohazard suit and have the offending politician checked for rabies and anthrax.
7. Republicans may tell us “they get it.” They are the 1% and therefore part of the problem. They have long-term careers, they have pensions, they have healthcare, and, most importantly, no compassion or empathy for anyone making less than 6 figures annually.
8. Republicans will use the term “job creator.” See #2.
9. Republicans will say that “we are in this together” or that “we either succeed together or we fail together.” They have been cautioned against using the term sacrifice. If Republicans (and really all politicans) believe this, we would not have the mess of an economy and government that we have today. Nor we would have Rove still reaching for his permanent Republican majority. (Also see #7)
10. Republicans will blame Washington (D.C.) for all of our grievances we are voicing. Neither the Republicans or the 1% will take any responsibility for this mess willingly, so it is up to us to call them out for the liars, cheats and losers they are, frequently and vociferously.
11. Republicans will use terms like “pay for performance” or “performance incentives.” These are “bonuses” and "golden parachutes" plain and simple. Most of these do not appear to be indexed to any real job performance or profit margins. It is perfectly acceptable to identify this practice as a scam.