Paul Wilczynski's Observations

Myths of Democratic Renewal

Ruy Teixeira of The Emerging Democratic Majority Weblog feels that

Rather than pursue the changes necessary to address this failure [that they are bedeviled by public perception that they stand for little and lack clear ideas to deal with the nation's problems], however, much of the Democratic party seems in thrall to one or another of a series of myths about how the Democrats can renew their popular appeal.

These myths, according to the article, appear to include George Lakoff's concept of framing.

Teixeira seems to feel that clarifying the Democrats' message isn't enough. He believes that Democrats have to change what they believe in before they can be accepted.

I disagree. Republicans - especially the ultra-conservatives who appear to be in charge these days - have had a decade of very carefully couching - or framing - their message in terms which the public finds acceptable. For example, they're calling the estate tax - a tax on relatively large estates which Republicans are against - the death tax which implies that most people people who die will have to pay it. So everyone becomes against it - especially the vast majority of people whose estates would never have to pay it. Republicans who use this type of framing have been very successful at it; yet Teixeira believes Democrats shouldn't do what's been proven to be successful.

posted by Paul Wilczynski @ 9:41 AM