The Language of Politics | Messaging Matters

United Airlines violence toward passenger: how should we respond?

Written on April 11, 2017 by Messaging Matters in Democratic Messaging, Good Government, Republican Messaging

United Airlines’ not-so-friendly skies

One of the most talked-about news stories this week is how United Airlines “bumped” a passenger from its Chicago to Louisville flight on Sunday, and then literally bumped him off the plane when he refused to leave. As at least one writer explained clearly, the United episode is a result of the oligopoly that airlines have, with government approval of laws, rules and mergers that give airlines economic, and even physical, power over passengers. Given this airline power, the question becomes, how should consumers and voters respond? Here are a few ideas:

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Tags: air travel, airline, high-speed rail, social media, United Airlines

Senate Intelligence Committee hearing: Russia waging cyber war against United States

Written on March 31, 2017 by Messaging Matters in Democratic Messaging, Democratic vs. Republican Presidents, Media Watch, Republican Messaging

Trump/Russia Inauguration Day protest

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee held an open hearing designed to lay out Russia‘s intentions and techniques (“active measures)” to influence the U.S. 2016 elections, and to propose actions and solutions to address them going forward. According to Independent Senator Angus King, from what he heard during the hearing, “we’re engaged in a new form of aggression, if not war,” from Russia. King’s statement echoed former Vice President Dick Cheney, who said a few days earlier that, “in some quarters,” Russia’s interference in the U.S. election “could be considered an act of war.” Witnesses at the hearing agreed that Russia is engaged in cyber “warfare” against the U.S. This is a crucial first step in investigating whether Donald Trump‘s campaign colluded with Russia to steal the 2016 presidential election.

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Tags: 2016 Elections, cyber warfare, Devin Nunes, Dick Cheney, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, House Intelligence Committee, Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Preisdent Barack Obama, Roger Stone, Russia, Senate, Senate Intelligence Committee, social media, Twitter

Democratic and Republican healthcare plans reflect very different values

Written on March 24, 2017 by Messaging Matters in Democratic Messaging, Democratic vs. Republican Presidents, Republican Messaging

Maternity and newborn healthcare, on the Republican chopping block.

Republicans yesterday were forced to pull their American Health Care Act (AHCA) for lack of Republican support. House Speaker Paul Ryan and his GOP colleagues made more changes to the bill, were subjected to more arm-twisting, and are reportedly voting on it today. While it’s conceivable that House Republicans can ultimately agree on a bill that has enough giveaways for recalcitrant members, the so-called “healthcare” bill is as good an example as any of the vast difference in values between the Democratic and Republican Parties.

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Tags: Affordable Care Act, Democratic Party, health care, healthcare, Obamacare, Planned Parenthood, Republican Party, Twitter

The allure of the phony Republican anecdote

Written on March 17, 2017 by Messaging Matters in Democratic Messaging, Democratic vs. Republican Presidents, Good Government, Messaging Maxims, Republican Messaging

Surf and Turf, a staple of food stamp recipients’ diets according to GOP.

Humans are a storytelling species. Thus, it’s no surprise that narratives — essentially, ongoing story lines — are an important part of successful political communication. In Messaging Maxim #4: Feed the Narrative, we mentioned that it is valuable to:

craft a true but negative story about your opponents’ ideas, actions or positions, and then look for statements or actions by them that you can point to as furthering that narrative.

Republicans are very good at constructing narratives (for example, “Scary Brown People”); however, many Republican narratives are false. That’s why you will see the GOP using anecdotes, i.e., possibly false or possibly true stories involving as few as one person, to further their phony narratives, rather than citing any meaningful facts, evidence or accurate math.

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Tags: anecdote, food stamps, narrative, Republican Party, Ronald Reagan, Scary Brown People

A positive approach to save the world

Written on March 11, 2017 by Messaging Matters in Democratic Messaging, Democratic vs. Republican Presidents

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, 1963

Many people at this very moment are hating Donald Trump. They’re criticizing him on Twitter (his favorite insult forum), Facebook and other social media. They’re commiserating with their friends and co-workers by telling each other what a disaster Trump is or mentioning Trump’s latest move with disdain or despair. These folks should ask themselves what their goal really is. If their goal is to turn America around and effect positive change once again, then perhaps a more positive approach is called for.

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Tags: Barack Obama, Democratic Party, Donald Trump, Great Society, New Deal, Republican Party

Donald Trump’s media mistake

Written on February 28, 2017 by Messaging Matters in Democratic vs. Republican Presidents, Fox "News" Watch, Media Watch

Caricature of Trump White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer

For over 40 years, Donald Trump has been a media creature. He has successfully used the media, from his books to his TV and radio interviews to his reality TV shows to his tweets, to further his business and political interests. Trump’s love of the spotlight was well rewarded during the 2016 Republican primaries and general election with an astounding $2 billion or more of free media coverage. That’s why Trump’s rookie mistakes towards the media since stepping into the White House are so surprising.

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Tags: 2016 Elections, CNN, Donald Trump, John McCain, media, Meet the Press, New York Times, Russia, Sean Spicer, TV, White House Correspondents' Dinner

In the Trump age, be your own news editor

Written on February 22, 2017 by Messaging Matters in Democratic Messaging, Media Watch

Faux News, the original Fake News

In September 2015, we gave some recommendations on how to bypass the corporate mainstream media, which were doing an awful job reporting real news. We suggested that readers and viewers choose their own news sources, follow such sources on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, and share important stories. This way, you can act as your own news editor and broadcaster. Given the mainstream media’s abysmal 2016 election coverage, and with Donald Trump now in the White House, these efforts are more important than ever.

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Tags: Affordable Care Act, Congress, culture war, Dmytro Firtash, Donald Trump, media, Medicare, Milo Yiannopoulos, Obamacare, Republican Party, Russia, RussiaGate, Social Security, Sweden

Trump’s troubling ties to Russia

Written on February 15, 2017 by Messaging Matters in Democratic vs. Republican Presidents, Media Watch, Republican Messaging

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin chairs Cabinet meeting in Moscow, Feb. 1, 2010. (AP Photo/Alexei Druzhinin, Pool)

Several weeks ago, Donald Trump kicked off a constitutional crisis by firing the Acting U.S. Attorney General, Sally Yates, after Yates opposed Trump’s Muslim Ban. Since then, after rulings by numerous federal courts, Yates’ view has been validated. Now it turns out that another correct decision by Yates, regarding Russia, was ignored by Trump and his White House staff, with dire consequences.

Republicans obsessed with fighting Culture War

Written on February 6, 2017 by Messaging Matters in Democratic vs. Republican Presidents, Fox "News" Watch, Media Watch, Republican Messaging

Budweiser beer, latest target of Republican Culture War

Like a dog with a bone, many Republicans just won’t let go of their battles over culture in America, from LGBT rights to guns to infusing government with their religion — often referred to by the phrase “God, Guns and Gays” — to the media we consume. Led by Donald Trump himself, these conservatives seem to be spending an awful lot of time fretting over Super Bowl commercials and other corporate policies. The results vary from ill-fated boycotts to a further tearing of the fabric of America.

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Tags: Apple, Breitbart, culture war, Donald Trump, Facebook, Fake News, Google, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Jerry Falwell, LGBT, Microsoft, Muslim ban, Muslims, Steven Bannon, Teletubbies

Donald Trump’s Constitutional crisis

Written on January 31, 2017 by Messaging Matters in Democratic Messaging, Democratic vs. Republican Presidents, Republican Messaging

Richard Nixon leaving White House grounds by helicopter after resignation.

In October 1973, President Richard Nixon committed the “Saturday Night Massacre,” in which he fired the Watergate Special Prosecutor who had been appointed at the behest of Congress, which caused the U.S. Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General to resign. Nixon also abolished the office of the special prosecutor. This Constitutional crisis, which occurred nearly five years into Nixon’s presidency, ultimately led to Nixon’s impeachment and his resignation.

Last night, after just 10 days in the White House, Donald Trump had a Saturday Night Massacre of his own. Trump fired Acting Attorney General Sally Yates after Yates wrote a letter to top Justice Department lawyers, directing them not to defend Trump’s Muslim immigration ban in federal court. Trump also fired Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Daniel Ragsdale, for reasons thus far unspecified. Several days earlier, Trump fired top career officers in the State Department.

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Tags: Dana Boente, Daniel Ragsdale, Donald Trump, ICE, Jeff Sessions, Merrick Garland, Muslim, Muslim ban, President Barack Obama, Richard Nixon, Sally Yates, Saturday Night Massacre, U.S. Supreme Court, Watergate