And an anecdote
Many readers are no doubt policy geeks. I’m not. (I’m a field geek.) Nor am I a messaging guru.
Michael Sokolove addressed progressives and messaging at New Republic this week and offered a salutary anecdote about progressive geekiness.
“Let’s start with a proposition that nearly all Democrats can enthusiastically rally around: The party’s messaging is awful. It’s piss-poor,” Sokolove begins. Every yahoo progressive off the street is convinced they can do it better and gets it wrong anyway. Not to mention being verbose. We can’t resist showing off to voters with how smart we are.
“Truth,” Democratic messaging strategist Anat Shenker-Osorio a tells Sokolove, “has very little impact on persuasion.”
Sokolove writes:
Democrats, and particularly the progressive wing of the party, are sloppy with language. You get the impression they use words that they like, rather than what might best connect on the receiving end, which really ought to be the point.
Here’s the anecdote involving an interaction with GOP adviser Frank Luntz:
Luntz is not a Trump fan but believes the former president’s resurrection of the slogan “America First” was brilliant. “It’s just two words,” he pointed out, and they resonate. When I countered that America First is a phrase associated with the aviator Charles Lindbergh, an antisemite who wanted the United States to stay out of World War II and negotiate with Hitler, Luntz threw back his head and laughed. “You’re a freak,” he said. “Do you know how many Americans know that? One percent? A half-percent?”
I got the point. Republicans don’t assume voters have much historical literacy. They don’t overestimate their intelligence. But Democrats do.
“That,” as Master Yoda said, “is why you fail.”
The rest of the article rambles around without really going anywhere, IMHO. But the Luntz laugh hit the bullseye.
18 votes plus two
Nevertheless, if you must show others how smart you are….
Courtesy of Richard Greene “The Civics Dean,” author of “WTF are ‘TheMidterms’?”, some information just to drive home the point that the two major parties are not the same.
Here are recent ROLL CALL VOTES in The House of Representatives on 18 of the most consequential and popular bills in modern history — bills THAT AMERICA WANTS.
Democrats cast a total of 3,939 votes for these bills (and just 17 votes against).
Republicans cast a total of 154 votes for these bills (and 3,595 votes against).
Category 1: 13 Bills Passed By Democrats in The House but blocked by Republicans in The Senate
1.“The Women’s Health Protection Act”: Should women have a right to have an abortion in America?
Dems: YES 218, NO 1
Reps: YES 2, NO 208
2. “The Right to Contraception Act”. Should Americans have a legal right to purchase contraception?
Dems: YES: 220, NO 0
Reps: YES 8, NO 195
3. “The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act”. Should the oil industry face penalties for price gouging?
Dems: YES 217, NO 4
Reps: YES 0, NO 203
4. “The Assault Weapons Ban”. Should military style assault weapons be illegal for sale or purchase?
Dems: YES 215, NO 5
Reps: YES 2, NO 208
5. “The Bipartisan Background Checks Act”. Should we expand background checks to cover all gun sales?
Dems: YES 219, NO 1
Reps: YES 8, NO 202
6. “The Paycheck Fairness Act”. Should women receive equal pay for equal work in America?
Dems: YES: 216, NO: 0
Reps: YES: 1, NO: 210
7. “The Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement Act”. Should cannabis be decriminalized federally and have past non-violent arrests and convictions expunged?
Dems: YES 217, NO 2
Reps: YES 3, NO 202
8. “The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Enhancement Act”. Should we enforce the provisions of The 1965 Voting Rights Act ensuring equal treatment for all voters?
Dems: YES 219, NO 0
Reps: YES 0, NO 212
9. ” The Respect for Marriage Act”. Should the Constitutional Right of same sex marriage declared by The Supreme Court be codified into American law?
Dems: YES 220, NO 0
Reps: YES 47, NO 157
10. “The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act”. Should there be consequences for police for discriminatory and illegal policing?
Dems: YES 219, NO 2
Reps: YES 1, NO 210
11. “The American Dream and Promise Act”. Should “Dreamers” who came to The US when they were young have a path to earn citizenship?
Dems: YES 219, NO 0
Reps:: YES 9, NO 197
12. “The Affordable Insulin Now Act”. Should the price of pharmaceutical insulin be capped at $35?
Dems: YES 220, NO 0
Reps: YES 12, NO 193
13. “Child Care for Working Families Act” (part of “Build Back Better) Should the government subsidize the cost of child care for certain working mothers and families?
Dems: YES 220, NO 1
Reps: YES 0, NO 212
14. “The Violence Against Women Act”: Should the government have and fund comprehensive responses to domestic violence, sexual assault dating violence and stalking?
Dems: YES 215, NO 0
Reps: YES 29, NO 172
15. BUILD BACK BETTER: In addition to Affordable Insulin and Child Care (above):Hearing Aids for Seniors, Child Tax Credit, Universal Pre-K
Dems: YES: 220, NO 0
Reps: YES 1, NO 212
2022 Midterm Election Note: Most of the above bills WILL pass in early 2023 if voters re-elect a Democratic Majority in The House and #JUST2MORE Democrats in The Senate. None of these bills will be brought up for a vote in The House if Republicans regain the Majority and either Kevin McCarthy or Donald Trump is Speaker of The House. Republicans need #JUST5MORE Republicans to regain the Majority.
Category 2: 3 Democratic Bills that became law with UNANIMOUS support by Democrats and minor support from Republicans in The Senate
16. The Honoring Our PACT Act”Should Veterans receive health care for serious injuries received from “burn pit” pollution while fighting in our wars?
Dems: YES 222, NO 0
Reps: YES 34, NO 174
17. “The Invest In America Act’ (Infrastructure Bill). An historic, massive infrastructure bill for America
Dems: YES: 219, NO: 0
Reps: YES: 2, NO 201
18. “The CHIPS and Science Act. Should we invest heavily in an American micro-processor (Chips) industry to compete with China?
Dems: YES 219, NO 0
Reps: YES 24, NO 187
19. “The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act”. Should the government fund mental health, school safety and crisis intervention programs and incentivize states to include juvenile records in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System?
Dems: YES 220, NO 0
Reps: YES 14, NO 193
Category 3: 1 Democratic Bill that became law with ZERO Republican support in The Senate
20. “The Inflation Reduction Act”. The largest bill to fight climate change in history, reductions in prescription drugs, a 15% minimum tax on major corporations (and many other things)
Dems: YES 220, NO 1
Reps: YES 0, NO 212
2022 Midterm Election Note: Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other House Republicans have openly declared that THEIR legislative priorities include none of the above. Instead they will say they will focus on: a) Impeaching President Biden, b) Impeaching Merrick Garland, c) Investigating Hunter Biden and d) Making all abortions illegal throughout the United States.
In the end, the GOP’s stance on abortion has a better chance of sinking them this fall. Lead with that. Follow with Democrats’ committment to preserving personal freedom and bodily autonomy.
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Request a copy of For The Win, 4th Edition, my free, countywide get-out-the-vote planning guide for county committees at ForTheWin.us