07 December 2010

PCCC asks for opinion on the President's "tax cut deal"

Progressive Change Campaign Committee asked its subscribers to give them our thoughts on the "deal" Obama's people worked out with the Righties. Here's what I wrote:

I think the President is doing a terrible job of messaging and message framing, and that by caving in to the Republicans and negotiating with himself in advance of any negotiations with them, he looks weak. These are strong negatives for our chances of regaining electoral majorities.

Generally, as George Lakoff says, we have to stop framing everything the way the Right Wing Propaganda machine specifies. By saying "No Tax Cut Extension for the Rich" we're giving them the framing, and ceding the issues. We need to make it a moral issue. "Everyone needs to pay their fair share. Those in the middle class are already doing so, and the law should keep their share of the burden of government the same; but those who have more than enough need to pay their fair share of the burden. Our country has serious economic problems and is seriously in debt. The rich can afford to shoulder more of that burden than the poor and the middle class and it's only right that they do that."

If we frame it that way, people will see that the issues are FAIRNESS and MORALITY, not tit for tat with the Republicans, and will support our position.

The president handled this badly and we ended up... as usual... ceding ground.

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