Cenk Uygur, one of The Young Turks, has this on The Huffington Post. He argues that as long as the Democrats neglect to deal with the issue of agreeing on a “message” and “framing” their positions, the oppositon will defeat them every time, even though they have persuasive points of view on the issues.
Executive Summary:
“1. There is no organization on the left side of the political spectrum. None. If the Democratic politicians, the old established DC groups and the liberal media (blogs and radio shows) don’t come together, they will continue to lose every single fight.
2. The reason they will lose every fight is because every issue is settled the minute it is framed.
The framing happens immediately on the Republican side. The White House and Fox News Channel coordinate (as they are on the NSA warrantless spying scandal right now). Then every other conservative host, “journalist,” and commentator follows suit. Once the frame is set, it’s game set and match.
The Republican frame in Alito was that he was a well-qualified, mainstream, devoted and hard working judge who would interpret the law and not make it. The Democratic frame was ??? Nada. Zippo. No response whatsoever.3. Once the Republican framing goes unchallenged, the media repeats it as if it is fact. If you do not counter attack in the media, you have no chance in persuading the public. Do the Democrats think the voters are going to get their point of view by telepathy?
4. The easy next step is to do a poll (sometimes by completely biased polling groups like Rasmussen and sometimes by legit polling organizations). The poll will show that the public supports the Republican position by a slight majority. It’s amazing that it is only a slight lead on most issues when the other side hasn’t even presented its case (and often times the Democratic position will win despite all these problems). Could you imagine if there were trials where only one of the lawyers spoke? Which side do you think would win more often?
5. Then comes my favorite step. Shove the poll in the Democrats face and tell them that they have no hope of winning and that the public is against them. Even more importantly, that they will lose their elections if they don’t run to the “center” by supporting the Republican position instead. They will claim that the poll is definitive evidence that the public does not support their position so they better get on board with the Republicans otherwise they’ll do to them what they did to Tom Daschle.
6. Then the most pathetic part comes. When the Democratic representatives start to cave in, quiver and repeat the same talking points used against them (Biden and Obama last weekend were the perfect examples as they argued forcefully against a filibuster they were going to vote with). They internalize the Republican messaging, start to panic and then, finally, turn against each other.
7. At which point, the base of the Democratic Party — otherwise known as the people who voted them into office — gets pissed. The normal people who vote Democratic but aren’t intimately familiar with DC, can’t understand why their elected representatives won’t represent them. They are left constantly confused as to why their leaders sound more and more like Republicans and won’t fight for their principles. So, they send angry responses to their politicians demanding them to actually stand for what they promised they were going to stand for.
8. Here comes another funny part. Then the Republicans point disapprovingly and tell the Democrats that their own base is crazy, radical and can’t be trusted. If they “pander” to their base, they will lose all the mythical Republicans who vote for them in red states. Aren’t the Republicans so helpful? They just want to help a brother out. Meanwhile, they keep appealing more and more to their base. I wonder why they don’t worry about losing the “center.”
After the Republicans convince the Democrats that their constituency is the “loony left” or the “far left,” the Democrats derisively dismiss their own voters. Thereby making their base even angrier. And on and on the cycle goes.
9. Final result is that the Democrats have been sorely outplayed. They have switched positions in the middle and criticized their own stance and their own voters. So, when the elections roll around, the Republicans say the Democrats are “flip-floppers” and “wafflers” and “weak.” They convince the electorate to vote for them instead because they are strong and mean what they say.
10. Democrats sink further and further into a hole and come out convinced they have to work harder at appealing to the “middle” in the next elections. And this whole charade is complete when the Republicans get together privately after an election and laugh their ass off at how incompetent, weak and clueless the Democrats are.”
Cross-posted at www.seattlefordean.com and www.howieinseattle.com.
Yeah…have got to come up w/definitive ideas to show they are different and act on them so they get implemented. Can we say single payer health care system?
And don’t back down!!
The only single-on -the-mark-consistent statement from the Democrats I have heard is making reference to the Republican “Culture of Corruption”. People grab snippets of news here and there, the more an idea is repeated the more likely folks will hear it.
Take an issue like single payer health care system mentioned above by Street Kid. Kennedy’s “MEDICARE FOR ALL” WILL SAVE BILLIONS AND GIVE ALL AMERICANS THE CARE THEY NEED
Have a message and repeat it, repeat it, repeat it.
Yup! Everyone is affected by health care or the lack of it, or the confusion started by Medicare D–start w/Medicare D, focus on Teddy Kennedy’s MEDICARE FOR ALL, and go for a single payer health care system, one that is similar to that in God-knows-how many other countries.
STRIKE NOW WHILE THE IRON IS HOT–NONE OF THIS COMPROMISE/WAIT UNTIL LATER BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love your political passion, street kid!
A.
Thanks. No matter who I talk to, they all say the same thing…wait a couple years–hell with that–there are people who can’t wait!
I dont’t understand this post. Am I having a “senior moment?” This just sounds like a pity party.
Just what are the “lessons?” This just seems like undirected complaints, loosly focused “reasons” they lost. Everyone knows these issues.
What is the specific action to take so that the Democrats win? How are messages held uniformly and how are they framed? What should be done?
It started in a diary yesterday here: From a Political Novice; A Question
and is being continued today here: “A Question” – Conversation Continuation
A lot of us that are angry at what went wrong are trying to find ways to make it work. Suggestions and participation are welcome. We really want to make this work across the blogosphere.
SallyCat, I want to commend you on your work this afternoon in the Conversation. I was only a lurker, being at work, but I thought you were doing yeoman’s work in that diary. You never let anyone complain without immediately asking them, very nicely, for an idea to solve the problem. And it was a great discussion.
Are you trained in this kind of thing?
Nope no training in questions…
I’ve just been a reluctant peacemaker in management meetings over the past umpteen years. Too much watching bickering on the blogs and in real life.
I’m willing to keep fighting for the health of the party for a few more years – and all the thanks for starting the conversation go to sbj.
I agree that starting the conversation was a great idea of sbj’s.
I think what struck me was that you were acting more like a moderator than the writer of a diary. I’ve noticed that people who write diaries and want to start conversations tend to get into “argument” mode which works sometimes — but also can shut down brainstorming. The idea of encouraging the readers to come up with MORE ideas is not something I’m used to seeing on blogs.
Anyway, I need to take the time to read through the whole conversation. I just wanted to say I was enjoying it — but not in the diary because I didn’t want to interrupt the good flow of conversation.
Okay, I read the discussion from yesterday and understand a little better. One “lesson” is that the Republicans right or wrong bite on an issue and hold on for dear life. Because Democratic values are more humanistic, more idealistic, less mercantile and less quantifiable the human bottom line must be clearly articulated for the folks you are trying to convince. It is a battle of ideas and attitudes.
Some of the values and goals that need to be articulated as part of a platform are:
1.) Universal Health Care for all citizens.
2.) Electoral reform. Aside from all the graft and influence loopholes that need to be closed, “one man one vote” should be the eventual goal. This is not the 18th century anymore. Until that happens all the bullsit about living in a democracy will be just that, bullshit. We need to truly enfranchise our countrymen.
3.) The end of energy dependence on oil should be advocated as a strategic as well as an environmental tool.
And as a final observation, someone downline mentioned Rove as a model of what (playing to win) Democrats should emulate to win in a democratic election. Hamas is another winning example. Should we emulate their tactics?
BTW, in my opinion, “playing to win” is often another way of saying “the end justifies the means.”
If you want to see how it’s done, watch the rovians. They agree on their message and it is repeated all over the nutwing media, “traditional media,” talk radio, the White House, Congress, etc.
and become a sound machine for the Democratic Party – is that what the blogs are here for?
Or are you trying to tell us something with this comment that I don’t understand?
hell no. we should become part of the “progressive sound machine” that helps articulate and disseminate the positive messages, talking points, etc. and the “framing” we agree on. It’s a way of communicating effectively. It’s not an attempt to be “lite” or anybody’s tool. But we have to learn to work together and coordinate our activities and then be diiligent and disciplined in executing our strategies.
I am a Candidate for Congress, Indiana’s 6th District. I know exactly what you are saying about the lack of message, and I have one. It is for candidates for the House, and I have given a copy to Howard Dean, but it has not gone anywhere. Here it is:
The American Promise
The American Promise is a point-by-point path to restoring the promise of America. American Prosperity, renewing American Potential and caring for America’s People lie at the heart of this promise. We, the undersigned Congressional Candidates and Incumbents Will fulfill this promise.
:
1. Good Government Governs Well
We will earn the trust of the People with our integrity.
We will earn the faith of the People with our competence.
We will earn the respect of the People with our results.
2. Public Education will not be Left Behind
We will strengthen the public school and university system to provide opportunity to every person for the sake of our future prosperity.
3. National Security
We understand that true security comes only through peace and prosperity.
We will strengthen Harbor Security and Border Security.
We will respect the sovereignty of the peoples of all nations.
We will strengthen our international alliances to apprehend and seek the prosecution of those, including Al Queda, who use criminal means for political ends.
We will work to dissolve dependency on oil with alternative technology, and regulate the domestic oil industry.
We will not ignore Global Warming.
4. Social Security
We will vote to remove the $90,000 cap on Social Security to guarantee it’s future.
5. Rebuild America
We will focus on American infrastructure and American Quality of Life.
We will roll back the tax cuts on the wealthiest of us to Rebuild America.
6. Healthcare for Americans.
We will work to bring universal health care to America’s Citizens.
7. Right to Privacy
We will propose an Amendment to the Constitution Guaranteeing Citizens the Right to Privacy.
8. Elections with integrity.
We will restore America’s faith in voting by holding accountable elections.
9. No Politics as Usual
We will be accountable to the American People, not to special interest.
10. We promise to keep our promise
We will renew America’s hope and care for America’s people.
By Barry Welsh Indiana 6th District Democratic Congressional Candidate
Barry
Last spring, Congressman sensenbrenner introduced HR 1528, which he titled “Defending America’s Most Vulnerable: Safe Access to Drug Treatment and Child Protection Act of 2005”
The Bill would have increased mandatory minimum sentences, and created a new felony of failing to inform police of any Controlled Substance transaction involving juveniles.
That evening I suggested a renaming in drug policy chatrooms and mailing lists. Rebranded the Snitch Act, we got calls to his fellow members of the Judiciary Committee, asking “Do you support the Snitch Act?”
Check the Bill’s Summary and status page, he never found a single cosponsor.
should be it’s on thread….
I like the “promise” concept. I’m wondering if your “People Before Profits” tag line kind of clashes with “The American Promise” message. I would recommend that you downplay the former and emphasize the latter. That’s just a free “Howie-opinion.” Good luck and keep us updated here on your campaign.
Achieving unity behind a message is always easier when enough people are willing to lie.
BushCo has a great advantage in this regard, but it’s not one we should seek to emulate on those terms.
This is what I’ve been thinking about lately. The right-wingers seemed content to let Alito frame himself as open to supporting Roe v Wade. I’m think if the opposite had happened with one of our SCOTUS nominees – we would have been screaming. But they knew he was lying and that he needed to do that to get confirmed. As soon as he was sworn in, I heard Scarborough talking about how Roe v Wade was as good as dead and Tweety responded to him by saying, “Why didn’t you/he say that during the hearings?” They we comfortable lying, but knowing it was a lie.
This is something I don’t think I’m comfortable emulating – but it does cost us a lot with people who don’t pay attention to politics. They believe the lie and then the wingers get their base AND the middle roaders.
I think a lot of people don’t really care whether they’re being lied to or not, as long as their own personal apple cart isn’t being tipped over. And if we want to improve our success at counteracting the deception-based propaganda from the right we have to help more people understand that the truth always serves them better, even if it sometimes makes us uncomfortable.
This is a huge challenge facing us, IMHO.
Well this a depressing post. Not that it didn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know. But what’s the point — we know it already.
How could you take that information and turn it into a positive message?
I would like to add that despite the incompetence in the Democratic Party, they lost to voting fraud in 2000 and 2004.
You don’t have to read Mark Crispin Miller or Representative Conyer’s report to know that Ohio and other states like Florida and New Mexico were falsified, corrupted voting counts in 2004.
No matter what, who, or why, We The People must secure our votes through hand-counted paper ballots, with a cc ending up in the hands of each voter.
No electronic machine will ever be foolproof, not as long as the corrupters are counting the votes.
No more Secretaries of State running their party’s statewide campaigns.
And finally, Election Day, all of them, should be National Holidays.
(For good measure, We The People should make voting MANDATORY; — we might end up with a democracy finally!)
I found this action item regarding a bill that’s been introduced to extend the deadline that states are under to aquire voting systems under the HAVA act. I haven’t researched the bill itself yet but it looks good on the surface.
Take a look.
HR4666
who owns the media?
“Once the Republican framing goes unchallenged, the media repeats it as if it is fact. If you do not counter attack in the media, you have no chance in persuading the public. Do the Democrats think the voters are going to get their point of view by telepathy?”
The republican framing goes unchallenged because of media ownership, not because the democrats are lame at “framing” the message. So IMHO it is totally naive to blame the democrats because neocon media monopolies propagate republican propaganda, That’s the “frame.”
you succinctly identify how the system fails you can’t begin to fix it properly.
Upstream a writer says the framing happens cuz of who owns the press – the rich do, so they tell the press what do say –
ya, but
there is NOT a 24*7*365 easy to understand easy to say hard hitting hitting em hard message – of course we don’t get a shot at getting into the media.
about the stolen elections –
ya, but
Richard Daley & LBJ & Joe Kennedy ring a bell? they were NOT nice guys – in fact, they were hard ball pricks who would have had Karl Rove set up with drugs and a transvestite to get rid of him – and that is why they won. National politics is dirty – either be dirtier, fix the game so no one is dirty, or get another job.
rmm.
They don’t frigging grasp the consequences of decisions.
A dozen or so civilization-altering decisions have gone by since 1980 with nobody but the impractical radical left accurately describing what they meant.
I swear I was the only person between Canada and McMurdo Station who was taught in school how our system worked. Which in my mind would lead one to look ahead at how it might become broken.
One needs to put Janeane Garafalo and other hot emotional, intellegent people out there to go after the GOPers. You need to have people like Dennis Kucinich out there on Sunday shows and you need to put more money into the PDA, the Greens and Air America. That is just a start. You need a 3 strikes rule for Dem leaderships. Agree with the enemy on 3 major issues than you are gone
Thanks Howie, 8. “Here comes another funny part. Then the Republicans point disapprovingly and tell the Democrats that their own base is crazy, radical and can’t be trusted…. Aren’t the Republicans so helpful? They just want to help a brother out. After the Republicans convince the Democrats that their constituency is the “loony left” or the “far left,” the Democrats derisively dismiss their own voters. Thereby making their base even angrier. And on and on the cycle goes.”
LOL! This is pretty much verbatim the right wing schtick. Well done. As far as 2004, despite differences, I believe one of our strengths was our incredible diversity of Deaniacs, Clarkies, Greens, gays, labor, (The UAW supported the gay and lesbian community here in Detroit which was a pretty big thing here) enviros, NARAL, scientists, white collar, blue collar, veterans, police chiefs, former diplomats, retired CIA, etc – kinda looked like America to me. E pluribus unum. Let’s hope we find it in ’06. Thanks for the read, and good luck to your Seahawks!
PS I remember the initial Lakoff frenzy, unfortunately some of us thought this would be a quick fix and thought by calling regressives regressives (it was fun though and still is) and framing ourselves as progressives we would immediately win all elections from here on out, especially because we had Luntz’ playbook …
Which to me misses Howard Dean’s main point on George Lakoff’s framing – this is an ongoing battle.
Personally, I still like calling ’em rabid right regressive droolin’ draggers but that’s when I’m having a go with them. Some of them are pretty lifelike. Its kinda cute when they call us barking moonbats. Myself, I am constantly knocked out by all the good people that are fighting the good fight in so many ways. I also believe we’re slow to anger, many of us, too may of us.
How could I forget mentioning Dennis Kucinich and his supporters? My bad.
For me, it’s the “lesson not learned” that’s the nub of the problem here. For all the analytical gymnastics of Uygur, I think the fact that I haven’t heard even one Democrat of stature step up and say “We should have united and filibustered this creep” with all the enthusiasm possible.
Uygur’s right about the mechanics of failure in amost all respects, but in the end, the equivocations at the top of the party hierarchy do the most damage.
The fact that the Repub machine controls the talking head circuit in the media is self-evident. The fact that whatever craven and self-absorbed hacks are running the Dem party PR machine are miserable and ineffective toadies of the “go along to get along” establishment is obvious.
When you have atavistic throwbacks like Shrum and Carville and Begala and Brazille and Emmanuel and McAuliffe being the major mouthpieces for the Dems on cable news media, the Dem machine is doomed. Even if these shamelss self-promoting hacks were to refuse to appear on the more iditoic shows like Hardball and Meet the Russert and elsewhere, the fact that anyone in the Democratic hierarchy puts these people forward foir any reason is a sure sign of continuing catastrophe for the party.
These party hacks and their elected servants are under the impression that we serve them, and that it’s our duty to send them money and support their candidates. but they are wrong and we have to start dismissing their antics and their absurd media performances as utter bullshit. If we want a democratic party that stands for anything meaningful, we have to stop giving these hacks any attention and any money. Same with the candidates. no performance, no money, no volunteer work.
We need them to grasp a new reality; that they work for us at our pleasure, not the other way around.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post.
Since last November’s ABC-Washington Post poll which said that 3 out of 4 Americans do not accept the level of US casualties in Iraq, and 6 out of 10 Americans consider Bush dishonest, another one was published this past week.
It says, among other things, that 3 fifths of white churchgoers support Bush, while an equal number of white non-churchgoers do not support him.
I have to wonder about these polls and these poll takers.
ABC-Washington Post is going after supporting results for foregone conclusions drawn along race/religion/gender lines.
This demonstrates to me that one can design a poll to get whatever results one desires, depending on the “frame.” As a people, if we go to the polls printed in newspapers, rather than to the polls to vote… we’ve been “framed.”
Don’t forget that we have three more years of Bush, and their could well be other retirements from the Court in that time.
First, the problem is this: neocons & robber barons have taken over the Republican party, and are ruining America, both financially and idiologically. They don’t care about this country. They are corrupt all the way through and are letting business run America for its own benefit.
Second, as the article made plain, the Dems are wusses. They do not know how to lead or stand up for America. So, they are, by omission, just as responsible for the decline of America as the Repubs are.
Third, we so called ‘lefties’ are really a group that wants America returned to its roots: The principles of the Founding Fathers, The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, “of the People’ for the People’ and all of that stuff that gets in the way of the Rep power grab.
Fourth, The Repubs want power, but do not now how to lead.
The Bottom line: We here but the false frame of Dem vs Rep. I repeat: this is a false frame. The real frame is that this country is being ruined, neither party wants to do anything about it, and we want our country back, to quote MM. Personally, I don’t care which party picks up the banner, but I can bet the Dems will first, if they ever wake up and grow a spine.
The solution is to speak the heart of the matter. We are not partisans, but Americans who want our country returned to the principles of the founding fathers. We are the Patriots and the Minute Men. We need to see ourselves as such.
If you read pre 1776 American history, you will find a lot of parallels to what is happening today: placaters, politicians angling for money and position, King George, loyalists to the Crown, and a core that said, “no more- we will stand up and fight”. This is us.