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Forum Post: How The Republican Party Is Instructing Their Politicans To Speak About Occupy Wall Street

Posted 12 years ago on Dec. 1, 2011, 9:35 p.m. EST by puff6962 (4052)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

This story has been reported on a number of outlets. This article is from Yahoo News Group:

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Republican Governors Association met this week in Florida to give GOP state executives a chance to rejuvenate, strategize and team-build. But during a plenary session on Wednesday, one question kept coming up: How can Republicans do a better job of talking about Occupy Wall Street?

"I'm so scared of this anti-Wall Street effort. I'm frightened to death," said Frank Luntz, a Republican strategist and one of the nation's foremost experts on crafting the perfect political message. "They're having an impact on what the American people think of capitalism."

Luntz offered tips on how Republicans could discuss the grievances of the Occupiers, and help the governors better handle all these new questions from constituents about "income inequality" and "paying your fair share."

Yahoo News sat in on the session, and counted 10 do's and don'ts from Luntz covering how Republicans should fight back by changing the way they discuss the movement.

  1. Don't say 'capitalism.'

"I'm trying to get that word removed and we're replacing it with either 'economic freedom' or 'free market,' " Luntz said. "The public . . . still prefers capitalism to socialism, but they think capitalism is immoral. And if we're seen as defenders of quote, Wall Street, end quote, we've got a problem."

  1. Don't say that the government 'taxes the rich.' Instead, tell them that the government 'takes from the rich.'

"If you talk about raising taxes on the rich," the public responds favorably, Luntz cautioned. But "if you talk about government taking the money from hardworking Americans, the public says no. Taxing, the public will say yes."

  1. Republicans should forget about winning the battle over the 'middle class.' Call them 'hardworking taxpayers.'

"They cannot win if the fight is on hardworking taxpayers. We can say we defend the 'middle class' and the public will say, I'm not sure about that. But defending 'hardworking taxpayers' and Republicans have the advantage."

  1. Don't talk about 'jobs.' Talk about 'careers.'

"Everyone in this room talks about 'jobs,'" Luntz said. "Watch this."

He then asked everyone to raise their hand if they want a "job." Few hands went up. Then he asked who wants a "career." Almost every hand was raised.

"So why are we talking about jobs?"

  1. Don't say 'government spending.' Call it 'waste.'

"It's not about 'government spending.' It's about 'waste.' That's what makes people angry."

  1. Don't ever say you're willing to 'compromise.'

"If you talk about 'compromise,' they'll say you're selling out. Your side doesn't want you to 'compromise.' What you use in that to replace it with is 'cooperation.' It means the same thing. But cooperation means you stick to your principles but still get the job done. Compromise says that you're selling out those principles."

  1. The three most important words you can say to an Occupier: 'I get it.'

"First off, here are three words for you all: 'I get it.' . . . 'I get that you're angry. I get that you've seen inequality. I get that you want to fix the system."

Then, he instructed, offer Republican solutions to the problem.

  1. Out: 'Entrepreneur.' In: 'Job creator.'

Use the phrases "small business owners" and "job creators" instead of "entrepreneurs" and "innovators."

  1. Don't ever ask anyone to 'sacrifice.'

"There isn't an American today in November of 2011 who doesn't think they've already sacrificed. If you tell them you want them to 'sacrifice,' they're going to be be pretty angry at you. You talk about how 'we're all in this together.' We either succeed together or we fail together."

  1. Always blame Washington.

Tell them, "You shouldn't be occupying Wall Street, you should be occupying Washington. You should occupy the White House because it's the policies over the past few years that have created this problem."

BONUS:

Don't say 'bonus!'

Luntz advised that if they give their employees an income boost during the holiday season, they should never refer to it as a "bonus."

"If you give out a bonus at a time of financial hardship, you're going to make people angry. It's 'pay for performance.'"

64 Comments

64 Comments


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[-] 7 points by SoldOut (150) 12 years ago

It will be interesting to listen to the right wing media adapt this terminology

Maybe we should review the way we say things.

They literally are conspiring on how best to deceive people.

That is blatant propaganda technique (We never say propaganda technique ----- we say advanced marketing methods)

[-] 3 points by JadedGem (895) 12 years ago

I think we should! I think in response to the deregulation, and privatization of hospitals, prisons, oil, electric, landlines, Monsanto Seed that makes Frankin Food for our kids and allows no labeling and bought out all the small seed companies they could trying to gain a monopoly on seed , we should stress this is are not real businesses but Gravy Train Enterprises! Consumers have been deprived of choice and profits aren't even capped and regulated. Monopolies are bad for capitalism and choice in the market.

[-] 2 points by SoldOut (150) 12 years ago

Hmm, so on the BIG Oil & GE "gravy train" they pay very little to no "country support money" (Is that our new word for taxes)

Did I say that correct. we definetly need to spend some time on designing a more honest way for us to talk.

[-] 1 points by JadedGem (895) 12 years ago

I'm honest! I am honestly tired of being ripped off! I use itty biddy words to make sure even very special people can understand me. The concepts I feel comfortable talking about can be grasped by 4th graders. I expect no one to be smarter than a fifth grader. I can't even get trolldom to nibble. Damn!

[-] 2 points by SoldOut (150) 12 years ago

The point I was trying to make is that the language the republicans are being coached to use is being manipulated to make a fucking sound like a back massage

I am saying we need to create a honest language (as compared to theirs) that we use here on this site, that calls a fucking what it is

[-] 2 points by JadedGem (895) 12 years ago

Fox news doesn't let them see themselves getting trounced by honest working people and moms. They don't even know what to say. Lets get them! lol

[-] 1 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

FRIDAYS should be PROTEST FOX news days. Every Friday.

What a great way to head into the weekend.

[-] 1 points by JadedGem (895) 12 years ago

I AGREE! Everyone knows they don't pick and choose some stuff and Monopolies are BAD. I have found that they do not want to mess with my honest simple replies. When its good and cut and dry they are at a loss for words. When you tell them you are in fact someone that knows where your money is going and who is and who isn't paying their taxes they have nothing cute to say. They are afraid to respond and draw attention to your post. What I love to hear from a troll is silence!

[-] 1 points by SoldOut (150) 12 years ago

I agree, about them being cowardly, but they have their goal and we have ours.

When you make true statements, it is fun to watch them spin it. If you stay with it, then they sometimes just start making things up. Then the last thing they do is call you names. Why? ---- THAT'S ALL THEY GOT!!

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

Yes, but their language is very seductive to a broad swathe of the American public. The key is to force them into issues for which there is no propaganda counterforce.

For instance, if you craft your message to be the neutering of big money in our political system.....they begin to wriggle.

If you add to your message the protection of social security and medicare....they begin to writhe.

But, if you are anti-capitalism or even anti-corporations, then you have fallen into their language trap and you will be branded socialists.

You have to play the hand you're dealt.....and use it to win the pot.

[-] 1 points by FrogWithWings (1367) 12 years ago

Social Security does not need to be protected. There is nothing there to protect. What everyone should do, that has paid into the Queen of England's Social Security fraudulent system, is to simply demand a lump sum cash out and be done with it.

[-] -1 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

You sound like someone who needs a lump sum.

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 12 years ago

don't eat the trolls

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

They will be assimilated into the Puff-borg.

[-] 1 points by JadedGem (895) 12 years ago

I particularly like the association of the words Gravy Train with basic services that should be run by the government and generate no profits. All the profits they are allowed to generate is gravy train money. Money they didn't really earn, just money they got politicians to let them CHEAT the TAX PAYERS out of. Evey dime they have ever made in profits was theft plain and simple.

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

There does need to be reform of our anti-competitive, monopoly, legislation. It should be imperative that mergers and acquisitions be required to show that competition will not be lessened by the combination of enterprises.

History shows us that when you combine two bad businesses......you end up with a larger bad business.

Utilities.....Oil companies.....should almost be GSE's. They should be run to remain in the black, but really do not make the world a better place if they are allowed to just run roughshod over the people.

[-] 2 points by WorkerAntLyn (254) 12 years ago

Ugh. It's both amazing and disgusting how they put spins on things to deceive the public. Make it sound nice, and people buy into it. Look on the bright side, they've provided us with new chants:

Government Spending is Government Waste

No, Washington/Governor/Senator/Congress, you don't get it.

Neither my name or class is "Taxpayer".

Feel free to add to the list. Let's put a spin on their spin.

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

If you are going to poison a dog, do you make the poison taste bad?

No, you mix it with something the dog likes.

Similarly, the Republican party, Fox News, and talk radio mix lies in with messages of anger, frustration, and resentment.....along with the minimum of truth......and disguise their intent.

Once you have somebody emotional, you have them. I learned that in car sales. Sometimes, the easiest way to close a deal was to piss the customer off. The paradox amazed me at the time, but over the years, I have seen the same dynamic in play in everything spewing forth by the Right.

[-] 1 points by WorkerAntLyn (254) 12 years ago

Oh, I work in retail sales. Trust me, I learned the same spin. Make them feel an emotional connection, make them think you're on their side. No, I don't care if you don't buy today, I'm just looking out for you. Hm, pissing the consumer off doesn't work in retail. And it certainly never worked on me on the car lot. (Though I did tell a few car salesman where to shove it when they did piss me off) But I do consider myself a more informed consumer than most people out there.

Frankly, I don't support either party. Spin is used by politicians regardless of what party they claim. The news though. Ugh, I could write an essay about what's wrong with the every news station and how they've abandoned their ethics and only sell sensationalism instead of doing their job. A quote from an ex-print newsman I know - "Will you please report the news, not be the news?"

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

The sales manager who instructed me upon that tactic was one of the most clever and flawed individuals I have ever known. He had been married four times and all of his ex-wives still loved him to death.

Someone once asked him how he could swing that and he replied, without a moment's hesitation, "You treat a queen like a whore and a whore like a queen and they will love you forever." Now, that is some dark shit.....but, in many ways, this man knew more about human psychology than any professor I ever met.

The Republicans have somewhat adopted the spirit of my car manager's advice. They have systematically discredited and disabled government all the while decrying that government is the enemy. They have taken a queen and treated her as a whore.

Similarly, the Republicans have taken naked greed and cronyism and have sold them as something desirable and good. They have taken a whore and treated her like a queen.

Unfortunately, that strategy seems to have paid dividends.

Like I said, my sale's manager knew a bit about human nature.

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 12 years ago

"job creators" isn't working

people want careers

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

Yes. The only way for America to again be America is for us ALL to become experts in our jobs, our hobbies, and in our thoughts.

[-] 1 points by imhotep3223 (81) 12 years ago

Stop trying to outsmart their lies. The reality is Fox News knows they lie , we know they lie and to give them or their lies credence is foolish. Stop watching fox news and teach others to do the same.

[-] 1 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

Fox news is like George Castanza.....if you just do the opposite, you're likely on the right track.

[-] 1 points by imhotep3223 (81) 12 years ago

LMAO but oh so true.

[-] 1 points by alexrai (851) 12 years ago

Orwellian double speak at its finest.

Its nice to see that they have taken notice though, kind of flattering that a little movement could ruin the good name of capitalism in a little over two months.

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

Please, somebody protest FOX news.

[-] 1 points by RedJazz43 (2757) 12 years ago

They're only talking. Such a critique only makes sense if it's linked with the fact that Democratic Mayors are having their police forces kick the shit out of us. Both are parties of the 1% and it is not at all clear at this point which is more benign.

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

The takeover one of the parties.....dominate the Democratic primaries.

It is easier to co-opt a party than you think. Look at how the evangelicals and tealbuggers dominate the Republican primaries.

[-] 1 points by RedJazz43 (2757) 12 years ago

The Democratic Party has been the grave yard of every mass movement since the days of the Populists more than 100 years ago. Absolutely the very worst fate that could befall OWS is for it to become captive of the Democratic Party, which is just the other party of the 1% functioning within the corporate state of the 1%. We need to build entirely new institutions.

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

Was the Union movement a Populist movement?

Was Civil Rights a Populist movement?

Was the New Deal a Populist Movement?

[-] 1 points by RedJazz43 (2757) 12 years ago

The first popular mass movement to be effectkvely coopted by the Democratic Party was the Populist movement in the 1890s.

The CIO was effectively coopted by the Democratic Party after initially being quite independent in the late 1930s.

The civil rights movement was quite independent of the Democratic Party and electoral politics in general until Johnson effectively co-opted it into the Democratic Party in the mid 1960s.

I remember chants of "Hey hey LBJ how many kids did you kill today" until the antiwar movement was effectively co-opted into the Democratic Party first by the McCarthy campaign and then by McGovern.

The New Deal was an extremelty effective mechanism within the Democratic Party that was able to co-op all sorts of oppositionist movements into the Democratic Party.

The list is longer, but those are some of the key examples.

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

So, in a sense, these movements achieve their aims by merging into the Democratic party.

[-] 1 points by RedJazz43 (2757) 12 years ago

No, They were evicerated and essentially died as meaningful oppositionist movements upon subordinating their political independence to a Democratic Party whose most basic purpose was support of the very system to which formerly they had stood in clear opposition, Nowhere is this more evident than with the labor movement which is absolutely schizophenic (or perhaps two faced) when it comes to supporting the needs of their membership on the one hand or that of the Democratic Party on the other, This is in stark contrast to the early and mid 1930s, before its raproachment with the Roosevelt administration when the labor movement was more democratic, more independent, more militant, more active, more representative of its members needs and in terms of being an activist movement, actually bigger than it became. Despite a later growth in numbers to a very large extent these larger numbers were passive members seeing labor organizations as service organizations rather than their movement which they owned, controlled and directed to their needs,

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

That was the answer I was hoping you would provide. All of those movements were integrated into a political party....the Democrats....before achieving true results.

Thank you.

[-] 1 points by RedJazz43 (2757) 12 years ago

All of those movements were captured by the Democratic Party and eviserated before they were able to fulfill their vision of a truly just and democratic society.

[-] 1 points by RedJazz43 (2757) 12 years ago

The Democratic Party is a much greater danger to OWS than cops, the black bloc, trols, or Republicans

[-] 1 points by thomasthetank (41) 12 years ago

How do you figure, sparky?

[-] 1 points by RedJazz43 (2757) 12 years ago

The Democratic Party has been the grave yard of every popular mass movement since the days of the Populist Party more than 100 years ago.

[-] 1 points by OWSWhat (66) 12 years ago

If you flip flop this then most dems also fear the Tea Party. The bottom line is that if we all do not start getting along, America will never be "one" ever again. If this continues soon their will be violence and it could also be neighbor against neighbor. We need "one party" in which we can all agree on issues. All members of congress on both sides should be kicked to the curb and get some fresh new ideas in there.

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

There will always be philosophical inclinations that lead men to group together for their shared interests. Political parties have existed since our ancestors started rubbing sticks together.

Today, however, we do not actually have political parties. What we have are two groups who fractionally vary in how they obtain funds to run their next campaign.

That is what needs to be radically altered and that should be the principal focus of the Occupy movement.

[-] 1 points by americanboy (48) 12 years ago

Anybody got a light? Mine just died.

[-] 1 points by JasonBurguess (6) 12 years ago

Money has No Place In Government. Politicians should never get paid for anything, it should be a volunteer position

[-] 4 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

What if you're poor? How can you afford to live in DC without, at least, some compensation for room and board? What if you have a family.....I hear DC public schools are to be avoided. That shit adds up fast.

But, I understand your sentiment. I think that being a servant of the people is a noble profession and requires expertise. That expertise should be compensated. However, what we currently have is politicians who know, from day one, that their jobs is to raise money so that they can fend off opponents in the next race. They are currently getting paid to collect war chests and that has got to end now.

[-] -3 points by fjolsvit (957) from Washington, DC 12 years ago

Troll

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

How so?

[-] 1 points by flip (7101) 12 years ago

nice job - in all respects

[-] 0 points by fjolsvit (957) from Washington, DC 12 years ago

I didn't make that post. This site has been compromised. This is the second time I have seen something posted with my UID. Not sure what's going on.

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

That's a scary thought. I only have to deal with puff6269.

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

I have another one titled something like puff6962BorgTroll. I must assimilate him.

[-] 1 points by alexrai (851) 12 years ago

Sounds tempting I know, but that just makes it more likely that they'll take bribes (and I don't mean just campaign contributions and kickbacks).

[-] 1 points by JasonBurguess (6) 12 years ago

These monsters are Lying and being coached on lying so the people will believe them. Don't support Republicans no matter what they say, same with Democrats, they are both lying so they can get rich! I say we kick them ALL out of office and start over with professors and PhDs and never let anyone run that will make money from it, we should not pay politicians and we should not elect anyone who makes more than $100,000 a year, because NO ONE DESERVES that kind of money. NO ONE! If you are rich and you spend money on a car, or a boat or a huge house, you should be kicked in the balls for not giving a shit about your fellow man, give to the poor, give to the needy, give to those who have nothing, you will be richer in the end then if you greedily squander your money on yourself. Fuck these lying politicians I hope we can someday say that we won this class war by removing them and their kind from EVER holing any power over anyone.

[-] 1 points by WorkerAntLyn (254) 12 years ago

$100,000? That is not that much money to make in a year. If you want to start a business, you have to save a good amount of money. Don't you want more businesses so people can have more jobs? And it's also true that certain trades require skills other people can't do or don't want to. I mean, technically I probably could learn open heart surgery, but I have no desire to learn it. So if somebody else takes the time to, I don't mind if they earn more money than me for it.

The key isn't to take money off of people. The key is to make sure that if you run a business, you have to pay people enough to have a decent life, and no less. That means every business would have to pay their employees the minimum amount to have food, housing, pay their bills, etc. Including the hours, not just the wages, to do so.

[-] 1 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

That is a very clever mischaracterization of the objectives of OWS. Please don't propose something so misguided. People are going to make money....some a lot of money....and the key is to craft a philosophy that brings out the right incentives for our leaders.

Incentives are the key to the world. If you are able to discern them in your fellow man, then you have a very high probability in predicting their behaviors.

If politicians get elected by stocking large warchests for their next campaign, then they will spend the majority of their time harvesting money instead of doing their job. If that big money comes from the rich or corporations, then the Congressman has become somebody's bitch.

Remove big money and you restore the proper incentives for our leaders.

[-] 1 points by americanboy (48) 12 years ago

I need a light....

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

I don't get it.....a reference to puff?

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

Why isn't this part of some handbook for the OWS movement? It would be in the chapter entitled, "Reality."

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

First Power, Then Change.

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

There are ways around these tactics.....

For instance, OWS could come out very strongly for veterans' benefits and demanding free education....free....be provided to out of work veterans who served abroad.

[-] 0 points by puff6962 (4052) 12 years ago

Fascist.

[-] 1 points by tomcat68 (298) 12 years ago

rofl :P