Populist Reform of the Democratic Party

yallerdawg

(16,104 posts)

1. We have to change the frame of the conversation.

Fri Dec 19, 2014, 10:55 AM

Dec 2014

In personal interactions, as over the Thanksgiving table with conservative relatives or in your social or business life with colleagues and coworkers, the first thing to realize is that, for the most part, conservatives believe deeply that they are morally right, that they and other conservatives are operating from the right moral principles. They don’t believe that they are immoral, and they don't believe that right and wrong don't matter. As moral beings, they want to be treated with respect. And in personal relationships, respect is appropriate.

I know deeply religious conservatives who are morally opposed to abortion and birth control, opposed to any restrictions on public and private expressions of Christian faith, and opposed to taxation and regulation which supports any of these anti-Christian views. But, they are Democrats! The frame they see it in is the message of Christ, and the Republican Party consistently delivers anti-Christian values - hate, intolerance, war, disdain and contempt for the poor, obvious racism, economic inequality.

As Liberals and Democrats, we have allowed the right wing to label us as baby killers, godless atheists, communists who want to take their hard earned money and give it away to the undeserving. The argument has ended right there. The lines are drawn.

But we can change the frame.

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Word Wars: "The private depends on the public" [View all] Cosmic Kitten Dec 2014 OP

We have to change the frame of the conversation. yallerdawg Dec 2014 #1

Good points Cosmic Kitten Dec 2014 #2

The Republican Party thrives on cognitive dissonance. yallerdawg Dec 2014 #4

We fail if We deceive, they don't suffer their conscience Cosmic Kitten Dec 2014 #5

We play the same game. yallerdawg Dec 2014 #7

I love Lakoff. His book, "Moral Politics" was very good. CrispyQ Dec 2014 #3

Democrats need to wake up to these Word Wars. Cosmic Kitten Dec 2014 #6

I agree with you. The Right Wing Noise Machine managed to change the language sabrina 1 Dec 2014 #8

Don't misunderestimate the right-wing speechifiers ;~/ Cosmic Kitten Dec 2014 #9