Elevator Pitch
by digby
Chuck Shumer says:
I know what you’re thinking. “Hurry up, Schumer! What are the eight words that will save the Democratic Party?”
The truth is, the eight words are far more elusive than you might imagine.
Believe me, I’ve spent two years trying to find them. Slogans are easy. Empty promises, like “better health care,” are easy. But they don’t stand for anything; they’re typical political b.s. To generate our words, we need concrete ideas that clearly and concisely communicate our values. It’s not yet possible for Democrats to boil down our core ideology into eight words. That’s not a knock on Democrats. It took Republicans years to develop theirs. The eight words are the end result, not the beginning of the process.
In part of my book, “Positively American,” I try to start the process by presenting 11 goals, which I call “The 50 Percent Solution.” Taken together, these ideas could help define what Democrats stand for. In the book, I explain each goal, how we can achieve it and why it is important to the Baileys. For example, Democrats should commit to increasing reading and math scores 50 percent by dramatically increasing federal involvement, and funding, in public schools. We should increase the number of college graduates by 50 percent. We should call for reducing illegal immigration by at least 50 percent and increasing legal immigration. We should cut our dependence on foreign oil by 50 percent, and reduce cancer mortality, abortions and childhood obesity each by 50 percent. We should increase our ability to fight terrorism by 50 percent. Sounds like a lot. It is. Together, we can do it—and more. Families, from Appleby to Bailey to Zutter, deserve no less.
What can we predict would be the Republican response?
Only a Democrat thinks in halfway measures. America is worth a 100% effort and that’s what you get from the Republican Party. We are 100% committed to national security, family values, low taxes and small government.
I don’t know why it’s so hard for Dems to understand that political sloganeering and rhetoric are not about 10 point plans and campaign promises. They are appeals to values, hopes, fears, identity and aspiration.
And even when the Democrats do get closer to that concept, (as with their slogan, “together, we can do better”) they miss the point. Doing “better” isn’t an aspiration. Americans want to be the best. Or at least they want their leaders to aspire to it even if they know that it’s not always possible.
Like, for instance, simply proclaiming that Democrats believe in “universal health care” not “better health care” which is, as he says, meaningless. What “universal health care” says is that Democrats believe that all Americans have a right to medical care, regardless of how much money they have. It’s a reflection of our values — that no American should have to face losing their very lives or ability to work and thrive because life has dealt them a bad hand and they are without insurance. There are many good practical arguments as to why we should have it but they’re not meaningful on an emotional level. Make the Republicans argue that some people don’t have a right to health care. (There are some Americans who are comfortable with that, but they are not a majority. There but for the grace of God and all that…)
Shumer has his talents, I’m sure. Rhetoric isn’t one of them. Americans will not identify with a party that only aims for 50%. It’s not in the national character.
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