Framing The GOP

[Sapphire Blue]

by Parker Blackman
March 14, 2005

We all know that the current leaders of the Republican party—be it President Bush, Tom Delay or Bill Frist – represent the extreme right wing of their party. But most of America doesn’t see them that way, because nobody has successfully framed them as such. It's time we start calling them what they are—irresponsible, reckless, extreme and radical. These are four adjectives that most accurately describe their agenda. More important still, these adjectives imply un-American values and speak to a flaw in their collective character.

This group of leaders is endangering our country's safety, our children’s future, our health and other things we hold close to our hearts. Most Americans are moderate in their views; extremism on either side of the political spectrum makes them uncomfortable. Reckless behavior makes them very uncomfortable. Americans would rather that their leaders be conservative in the true sense of the word. The majority of Americans don’t want Social Security dismantled. They don’t want us to fight an endless war in Iraq with more of their sons and daughters maimed or killed. They don’t want their air polluted and their water poisoned, and they don’t want their public school system destroyed.

Most Americans think of themselves as living responsibly, looking out for their children’s future and making good choices that will provide stability in their careers. Many of us give back to society, whether it’s at church, at school or through volunteering and charity work. If we frame the Republican leadership as extreme and reckless, we are painting a picture that contradicts how people behave in their own lives—and what they expect from their leaders.

This frame can be applied to any issue—health care, Iraq, Social Security, oil drilling in the Arctic—thereby allowing all progressive interest groups to repeat a singular theme as it applies to their particular issue.

Continued @ http://www.tompaine.com/articles/framing_the_gop.php

[etherealtruth]

1. Exactly

Why have we, as a group, done so poorly characterizing our issues in ways that resonate with mainstream America?

[Sapphire Blue]

2. For starters....

By allowing the radical right-wing to incorrectly define themselves as mainstream America.

By allowing them to define us as un-American, unpatriotic, etc.

By allowing them to hijack & pervert Christianity, morality, values, etc.

By allowing them to portray us as ‘Bush bashers’, then walking on eggshells to avoid any hint of ‘Bush bashing’ (case in point - the Democratic Convention)..

[etherealtruth]

3. The problem is that the repub machine has been genius at this...

[Sapphire Blue]

4. Repeat after me....

The current leaders of the Republican party represent the extreme right wing of their party. They are irresponsible, reckless, extreme and radical.

They do not represent mainstream America.