If you are already aware of the document “Language: A Key Mechanism of Control”, then you have a head start today. You already know how important the document was for GOP messaging in the 1990s and how well it worked.
As we continue with the basic messaging concept that “your enemy will teach you how to defeat him,” this means you also understand why we must revise this document for Democratic purposes in 2022 and beyond.
We begin our update of this document today, and after our rewrite is complete we will distribute it to everyone in the Democratic party whose message discipline needs improvement.
First, some background information for folks who are not familiar with this notorious piece of political history.
In 1990, conservatives were concerned that George Herbert Walker Bush was not dynamic enough to expand the political influence they gained during the Reagan years. They were also deeply worried that their unpopularity with people of color meant upcoming demographic changes might push them into irrelevance in the new millennium. The GOP was in desperate need of a strategy that would reinforce their existing areas of strength and help them remain a viable party as long into the 21st century as possible.
GOPAC, a group formed in the late ‘70s to seek out and train future Republican leaders, created and distributed a pamphlet for all their 1990 midterm candidates, asking them to use one list of words in talking about themselves, their campaigns, and the Republican party in general, and use another list of words when talking about their opponents’ lives, their campaigns and the Democratic party in general.
These words had been tested in focus groups for their effectiveness, and were eagerly embraced by all the candidates who wanted to “speak like Newt [Gingrich],” the House Minority Whip and leader of GOPAC at the time, who was a master of attention-getting language but considered an unlikely prospect to run for president in his own right.
It is hard to describe the enormity of the impact this messaging strategy had on American politics. 1990 and 1992 were test runs for a mind-blowing GOP upset in 1994, when they won control of both House and Senate in stunning midterm election success that was immediately labeled the “Republican Revolution”.
Between 1931 and 1994, Republicans had controlled both houses of Congress for only four years (1947-1949 and 1953-1955). Having House and Senate majorities at the same time was a power windfall no one but true believers had any idea was even remotely possible.
Gingrich’s House colleagues rewarded him for his leadership role in the historic comeback by electing him Speaker of the House in January 1995, and the GOP rode a tsunami of success throughout the rest of the ‘90s to take the majority of governorships and state legislatures. Back-room whispers about establishing a “permanent Republican majority” became openly cocky proclamations.
It wasn’t rocket science, it was message discipline: have a simple message; keep repeating it; criticize and ridicule the other side at every opportunity; co-opt the other side’s message whenever you can.
Our country is suffering from the aftereffects to this day.
Democrats spent most of the last 30 years complaining about what Republicans did and how they did it, instead of just copying what worked. For decades we’ve been standing around watching sis go pit-a-pat. But we can do that.
We can do that.
Let's start by updating that list of words from 1990 for our purposes.
Here is a link to the relevant portion of the GOPAC pamphlet. If you aren’t familiar with it, please read it now.
The document features two lists of words:
- Optimistic/positive words and phrases to describe and define our campaigns
- Contrasting words to define the opponent
It also includes this encouraging bit of advice:
This list is prepared so that you might have a directory of words to use in writing literature and letters, in preparing speeches, and in producing material for the electronic media. The words and phrases are powerful. Read them. Memorize as many as possible. And remember that, like any tool, these words will not help if they are not used.
You may be surprised to the point of laughter as you see some of the words Republicans claimed as their positive descriptors in 1990, since most of them could never apply to the GOP of today (pro-environment? seriously?).
We can take most of these words back. We can also add in a “rephrase and reframe” section to encourage Democrats to stop repeating popular negative frames on autopilot because they haven’t been given anything better to say.
Below are some examples to get us started. Add your suggestions in the comments and we will build the lists together.
*
OPTIMISTIC/POSITIVE
Use these words to define yourself, your campaign, your vision of public service, and the Democratic Party.
accountable
authentic
best for all of us
blue in ‘22
Brandon Is Winning
care for our neighbors
concern for everyone
civic duty/civic pride
civil rights
common sense
compassionate
courage/courageous
deeply held values
Democrats are average Americans
Democrats are everywhere
Democrats are soccer moms
Democrats are the majority
Democrats live in the heartland
Democrats live in Middle America
Democrats live in rural areas
Democrats live in the suburbs
Democrats rebuild what others tear down
election protection
empowerment
ethics/ethical
experienced
eyes on the prize
facts
fair/fairness
family-friendly
forward
future
generous
golden rule
governing
health/health care
help is on the way
historic moment
keep the House blue in ‘22
keep the Senate blue in ‘22
inclusive
life-saving health care
listening
majority
moral/moral high ground/moral clarity
movement
my country
our country
party of progress
patriotic duty
peace
a president we can be proud of
principle/principled
pro-child
pro-choice policies value women’s lives
pro-environment
pro-family
pro-veteran
pro-worker
prosperity
public service
qualified
rebuild/rebuilding
reform
religious freedom
representative government
reproductive freedom
responsible/take responsibility
rich pay their fair share
right vs. wrong
tell us your concerns
this is not a moment, it’s a movement
truth/truthtellers
upholding constitutional rights
vaccine mandates are pro-life
vision
voter suppression
we are the majority
we rebuild what others tear down
what we want the flag to stand for
women’s freedom
women have heartbeats too
*
RESTATE/REPHRASE/REFRAME
avoid the crossed-out phrases
abortion restrictions → government-mandated pregnancy
abortion rights → abortion care
“cancel culture” → consequence culture
conspiracy theory → conspiracy fantasy
“critical race theory” → teaching accurate history
“Democrat party” → Democratic party
entitlements → earned benefits
gun control → gun safety
i think/i believe → most Americans think/most Americans believe
pay taxes → investment in improving our cities/towns/country
politically correct → cross-cultural respect
“pro-life” → forced birth/forced pregnancy
social justice → inclusive justice
*
DEFINE THE OPPONENT
Use these words to define the opponent, the opponent’s record, and the Republican party.
1930s Germany
afraid of the future
afraid of history
afraid of truth
anger industry
anti-birth control
anti-democracy
anti-education
anti-expert
anti-science
attention-seeking
backward
bizarre
borrow and spend
bully
chaos/chaotic
cheat/cheaters
childish
controlling
corrupt/corruption
coup plotters
crisis creators
cruelty
crusaders
dangerous
death threats
delusion
denial of medical care
destroying democracy
dictatorship over democracy
disarray
disgrace
disinformation
do-nothing
embarrassing
ethics violations
extremist
far-right extremist
fringe ideas
getting away with wrongdoing
government control over your personal life
greed/greedy
handmaid’s tale
hiding something
hypocrites
immature
impulsive
incompetent
inexperienced
insurrection/insurrectionist
irresponsible
Jim Crow 2.0
lie/liars
minority rule
misinformation5f
obstruction/obstructionist
only concerned for themselves
out of control
overturn Roe completely
pathetic
picking fights
power grab
pro-COVID right
radical extremists
rape culture
refusing responsibility
regressive
secretive
selfish
sensationalist
shame/shameful
sore losers
stuck in the past
Team COVID
the cruelty is the point
traitors
treason
troll caucus
trump
Typhoid Mary
uncaring
unethical
unlikeable
unqualified
violent/the violent right
what are they hiding
*
This week’s task: Rewrite the 1990 GOPAC memo and compile a list of words and phrases to define Democrats in a positive way and highlight the differences between the parties. Make every effort to use words the average 95-year-old and the average third-grader would both understand.
This is a cumulative effort. You can make comments to this diary all week, and input on all topics will also be accepted in all future weeks.
We can do this.
Happy brainstorming!
The broadcast was spreading / from station to station / like an infection / across the nation
