Democrats Are Finally Learning to Fight the GOP's Fire With Fire

[babylonsister]

Democrats Are Finally Learning to Fight the GOP’s Fire With Fire
FAIR PLAY
By getting aggressive with their phrasing—such as “Don’t Say Gay” and “forced birth”—Democrats are, at last, playing by the GOP’s rules.
Eleanor Clift
Updated Apr. 21, 2022 5:47AM ET / Published Apr. 21, 2022 5:09AM ET


“Forced birth”—that’s how Maryland Democrats phrased Republican efforts to derail a new law that allows trained health-care practitioners to perform abortions, as opposed to limiting the procedure only to doctors.

It’s not a radical step, even though Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican with presidential ambitions, framed it that way. Maryland is the 15th state to expand access this way. The larger point, Democrats had the votes to pass the bill, and they had the right framing with an emotional punch.

Another example where Democrats are on message is in Florida with the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The legislation doesn’t say that, of course, but that’s the intent when classroom discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity is prohibited.

“It’s extremely important for Democrats to frame issues in ways that define and expose what Republican policies are really about, and this can be especially effective when the framing is sticky and memorable as in the case of Don’t Say Gay,” says Democratic pollster Geoff Garin.

“Sticky and memorable,” should be words to live by as the Democrats approach midterm elections that are likely to cut short their power in Washington—if they don’t find the language to energize and persuade voters. They’ve done it in the past, sinking former President George W. Bush’s overhaul of Social Security by hammering home that he was “privatizing” the government program. Efforts to reform Medicare ended once Democrats declared the GOP wanted to “end Medicare as we know it.”

more...

https://www.thedailybeast.com/democrats-are-finally-learning-to-fight-the-gops-fire-with-fire?ref=home

[Jm7603]

1. Voters work in small sound bites. The Repubs

have always known simple messaging was the key, repeated over and over in the exact same phrasing. They have meetings to get everyone on the same page. We have been giving voters too much credit and too much info. Great article.

[ck4829]

4. Thank you.

Democrats: We need to get people to vote for us! Here's a 500-page paper, but before we print it, we need to get 3 sources vouching for us, let's get video and photographic evidence, and here are some approved slogans, wait, that's form B. Use that one instead.

Republicans: HE'S A SOCIALIST!

[Jm7603]

6. And now they have taken to not even worrying about

the message being about politics. "He or she's a pedophile" is sufficient for a campaign.

[moose65]

20. Sad but true

Democrats give voters too much credit. We tend to think that voters will remember all the horrible shit that Republicans try to do, but they won't. It has to be hammered home 1,000 times.

Just think - after the Nixon disaster in 1972, Dems picked up seats in Congress in 1974 and 1976, along with electing Carter. Then along comes Reagan and all of the Republican shenanigans were forgotten.

George W Bush and his Republican enablers in Congress ruined the economy in 2008, and their endless wars led to the Dems retaking the House and Senate in 2006, then we got Obama and even more of a margin in Congress in 2008. Then what happened? Just two years later, the bloodbath of 2010 happened, which spawned the tea party and the rise of Trumpism.

The Republicans lost the House in 2018 and the Senate and Presidency in 2020. Why the HELL would we give them back control of Congress in 2022?? Makes zero sense.

[JudyM]

24. It's also about available bandwidth in peoples' heads, so sticky and pithy has to be our play.

[moose65]

26. Yes

It seems that Democrats never try to come up with slogans, and if they do, they never use them.

Obama DID use "Yes we can" and that stuck.

I don't know why we didn't use "Dump Trump" more in 2020. Simple and to-the-point!

Now, we should be saying "Vote Blue in 22." Drive it home!

[Mr.Bill]

16. Sometimes I think

the average voter has just enough attention span to remember a bumper sticker.

[Jm7603]

18. With no big words... N/T

[dalton99a]

2. Kick

[PatSeg]

3. I must admit

Democrats ARE getting better at this. I hope they can ramp it up with the midterms just around the corner.

[ck4829]

5. K&R

[usonian]

7. Short and to the point message

https://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=16606141
Short version:
I believe that this four-line message cannot be refuted by the RW's and will sway the swayable.

Fraud
Fear
Fascism, and
"Every accusation is a confession."


Follow the link for background (thanks to Jaime Harrison and other DU'ers).

[TimeToGo]

8. 99% in favor

Not sure I would champion the use of the term “forced birth.” I get it, but to me it kind of gives into the other side, implying that there is a baby in there and someone wants to stop it.

I admit that I don’t have a great alternative, though.

[hay rick]

9. If the woman can't terminate the pregnancy there will be a baby.

And since it's not her choice, definitely forced.

[TimeToGo]

21. I'm obviously not arguing that

I thought we were discussing framing outward. If we are discussing our own belief system, then my statement is withdrawn

[KPN]

10. Yeah, I agree. Forced pregnancy is more like it -- hell, that's exactly what the latest anti-birth

control crap they are once again pushing is about. And yeah, “birth” let’s them frame it as … “see, they want to kill babies”. The reality is they want to force women into a totally submissive role snd they see that as making them pregnant and have babies regardless of what the woman prefers, wants or needs.

[jaxexpat]

19. How about "state mandated parenthood"?

[Maraya1969]

22. I like that!

[Beartracks]

27. This is what it is. And from the hypocritical party...

... that claims to want to keep government from coming between you and your doctor.

===========

[usonian]

11. What ever happened to "stop government control"

in this era, of books, internet speech, reproduction, sexuality to name a few.

As for people who want things "both ways" as in "My freedom, not yours" but this is all cult behavior. Contradiction is OK because words are weapons, devoid of any "meaning" other than group benefit.

The goal is to peel away voters at the margin. Some hard-hitting and concise contradictions can work.

[Maraya1969]

23. "GOP is the new Nanny state"

[Beartracks]

28. So very true. Nanny-state Republicans.

[samsingh]

12. say no to republican traitors.

Don't let the republicans destroy Democracy.

Don't let the republicans get away with crime.

Don't let the republicans sell out to russia and putin

Say no to fox, the putin channel.

Moscow mitch and lenningrad lindsay are tied for putin's employee's of the month.

[The Jungle 1]

13. Here in Pa.

We have the highest fuel tax in the country. Republicans did this. They got in office saying they would not raise taxes and could fix everything without raising taxes. It was the same old lie they have used since reagan. The fuel tax is used to fix roads and infrastructure. The infrastructure is still not fixed. Trucks drive through our state to get to the east coast cities. So do you think they buy fuel in Pa.
We have a toll road we call the Pa. Turnpike. It has the highest tolls in the WORLD. Thanks repukes. It costs 112.90 to drive the entire east west length of 360 miles.
We have billions of pension debt because repukes refused to pay the ongoing bill for the promised government pensions. Then of course they wanted to end the pensions cause we just couldn't afford it. Lie
We also have one of the highest socialist corporate welfare bills in the nation. Last I checked we were 47 in job creation.
We have 4000 miles of dead streams because the coal barons walked away and the mine filled with water. It is called mine acid leach. We spend billions trying to clean up the mess. However the repukes are giving the frackers a free pass and refuse to enforce our EPA laws.
Schools in rich communities are very successful. The schools in poor communities are failures.Thanks repukes

These are the issues I want our democratic candidates to beat on in the next election. These are not new issues. Why won't Democrats use these issues?

[KS Toronado]

14. NO MORE INSURRECTIONISTS!

NO MORE COUPS

TAX THE RICH

EXPAND SOCIAL SECURITY

FREE COLLEGE

LIVING WAGE FOR EVERYONE

HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYONE

NO MORE NAZI FLAGS

NO MORE KINGS FOR PRESIDENT

NO MORE SWING STATES ..........getting rid of the electoral college should ensure we always control the WH

TEACH MATH IN SCHOOL

[Hulk]

15. So very late to the game.

About time we start paying attention to voices like Carville and Maher. (I know...Maher is a pompous ass as well....but..). Democrats have essentially "taken the high road", for the most part. GQp plays dirty and lives on the low road...where essentially 60% of Americans live. Too busy to be informed...too disinterested in anything but their own greed...slogans, catch phrases, one liners are the food they suck down for voting "their interests".

I've been calling them pro-BIRTHERS for years now. They are no more pro-life than the hangman. Even that description is too kind.

They lie, distort, cheat and take full advantage of the lazy, ignorant populace. It's waaay past time we get down in the mud with these fuckers. We don't have to lie and cheat; but we need to hammer our message and portray them clearly as the shit raking, worthless party of greed and haters that they truly are.

It's now or NEVER! We should have already unleashef our forces. I just hope it's not TOO LATE. If we lose in November, and get stuck with turtle face or the spineless wonder...WE ARE FUCKED. It's that simple!

[BlueSky3]

17. "Democrats have data. We have stories"

I don't remember where I saw that, but it explains Republican messaging pretty succinctly to me. People relate to stories and photos, as when most people with a heart responded to the murder of George Floyd.

Back in the early '70s, people responded to the story of Gerri Santoro, who died in a botched abortion. The police photo of her lying naked in a pool of her own blood was published in 1973 and inspired the end of Roe v. Wade.

The photo of the young child Kim Phuc running away naked from a napalm attack helped end the war in Viet Nam.

We need to tell more of these stories, show more of the photos, deal less with the data.

[TheJillMill]

25. Pro Life...

... means conception (if they insist) to grave. All these states passing draconian abortion bills should also commit to supporting each baby forced to be born all the child's pre-adult life. Truly, their prolife wedge stance ENDS at birth (or during pregnancy due to the horrible prenatal care poor women get and their subpar birth experiences).

[Demovictory9]

29. I hope so