The "press" is complicit, and so is our party's language

[maxrandb]

The Returdlicans are absolutely great at "branding".

Take the "Alligator Alcatraz" bullshit. They repeat that moniker over, and over, and over again. Everyone from the Dipshit in the White House, to the Kindergarten Returdlicans repeat it...IN LOCKSTEP.

Pretty soon, EVERY NEWS REPORT about it uses the term "Alligator Alcatraz". What's even worse is, Democratic politicians begin to use that term when discussing the "Auschwitz of Florida".

That's not "fighting for the moment"! That's talking about an unbelievably fascist turn in America on the fascists terms!

Take the "Big Beautiful Bill" for example. The Democratic Party began relabeling it eventually, but by then, the linguistic terms for branding that disastrous piece of legislation had already been set. I actually wretched everytime I heard a Dem use the term "Big Beautiful Bill". Can't blame the media for labeling, if we are doing it ourselves.

If we want to win, I would suggest we STOP LETTING THEM DEFINE THE TERMS OF DEBATE.

Some smart political "strategist" better understand that, in this Tic-Toc. X, Facebook world, if you wait ONE FUCKING SECOND to begin setting your terms, IT'S TOO LATE!

The Retrumplican Party...EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM...won't even acknowledge and use the correct name of the Democrat - IC Party. NOT FUCKING ONE OF THEM.

Are we concerned our "language" will harm "decorum"?

How about this?

Let's worry about decorum after we have stomped this MAGAt Nazi party out of existence.

It is about 60 years too fucking late to start fighting fire with fire.

This shit started when these asspickles assassinated the Kennedys and MLK...and no matter what they may say in public, they privately celebrate those assassinations.

These are the fucking monsters that have seized our country. Can we please STOP using their fucking terms of debate?

[Permanut]

1. The worst example (or maybe the best) is "Proabortion".

That word is 100% Christofascist.

[Bluetus]

11. But we reinforce that

Last edited Wed Jul 2, 2025, 06:57 PM - Edit history (1)

In the recent campaign, the speakers probably used "unrestricted access to abortions" 10 times more often than they said anything like "Keeping government out of our bedrooms".

The latter is far more powerful because:
1) It appeals to "small government" philosophies
2) it appeals to libertarian philosophies
3) Lots of Republicans wouldn't want the government looking into their sex lives

Words matter, and we never seem to learn those lessons.

[wolfie001]

14. Yeah! WTF happened to the "Choice" term!

Woman's right too choose. I hate christo-fascists with is about 75% of christians. I recommend never setting foot in any religious building. ever. Save all your hard-earned $. You're gonna need it now more than ever.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

22. oh I am definitely pro-abortion tho

[Bluetus]

31. It is counter-productive to frame the argument that way

Talking about choice and keeping government out of EVERYBODY'S bedrooms for ANY reason gets us to the same place and is a lot more appealing to those who have a visceral, dog-whistle reaction to "abortion on demand".

Framing is really important. It is a skill that has to be learned.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

32. Abortion doesn't happen in a bedroom, so I'm not sure why you call it a bedroom issue.

The abortion movement has also been moving away "pro-choice" language because choices cannot be made where there are restrictions or lack of access.

Every abortion is on demand and acknowledging that will help diminish the "visceral, dog-whistle reaction" you fear.

[Bluetus]

35. "Bedroom" is a euphemism for sexual relations

as in those ridiculous ads for fake testosterone supplements where the lady's voice says she can see the difference in the man's performance "at work, in the gym, and in the BEDROOM (wink wink)"

There are smart ways to frame things and not so smart ways to frame things. It is all about getting results, not winning pedantic arguments.

I don't fear the dog whistles. It has nothing to do with me. Framing is about persuading OTHERS. As I say, it is a skill. If you have never studied this, then you may not appreciate how important it is. But I can assure you that Frank Luntz and the Republicans are kicking our asses every day because they are 1000x better at framing arguments than we are.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

36. Euphemisms have no place in politics. Abortion is not about sexual relations; it's about ending a pregnancy.

But I can assure you that Frank Luntz and the Republicans are kicking our asses every day because they are 1000x better at framing arguments than we are.

Sure, Luntz and his ilk are always going to be out there scaremongering about partial-birth abortions, teens getting 39-week abortions to fit in prom dresses and doctors drowning babies in toilets hours after birth. Tiptoeing and tee-heeing about "bedroom issues" is not the way to either meet that moment or frame an argument as to why eliminating restrictions on abortion is so vital.

[Bluetus]

40. "Euphemisms have no place in politics"

What !? That's crazy talk.

Politics is all about language. Always has been. The Federalist Papers. The Declaration of Independence. The Gettysburg Address. The Lincoln-Douglass debates.

Pedantics have no place in politics, at least not in winning politics. If we can persuade a majority by framing issues better, that's EXACTLY what we should do.

[AStern]

2. We Go High is invalidating language

and one of many reasons MAGA got away with EVERYTHING.

Talk me down.

[maxrandb]

5. Sadly, we don't live it that world anymore

I remember a time when we "looked" up to those that showed class and grace when being attacked. When we valued "right" over wrong. When we cheered for George Baily and abhorred Mr. Potter....when we strove for and rewarded the morals of compassion and empathy.

The fucking people that voted for Donnie Dipshit and this MAGAt House, Senate and Supreme Court, would murder your fucking children while you slept without batting an eye.

"We'll be fighting in the street,
With our children at our feet,
and the morals they all worshipped will be gone"

[Karasu]

24. No, you are 100% correct. "We Go High" only works in a political system/culture where going high is actually valued and

rewarded. Which is NOT this one.

To put it bluntly, this country is demonstrably far too stupid for that shit to work here. Especially now.

[cachukis]

3. They have a very well funded psyops team using

advanced psychological methodology to manage their propagandized results. On top of that, it makes media companies reliant on it.
They are thinking war while we are thinking peace.
They are okay with war because power doesn't come from turning the other cheek.
Ironically, turning the other cheek often meant, do it again and watch out.
We aren't prepared for the destruction from war; it is anathema.
We are in it with few tools. Flowers in gun barrels ain't gonna cut it.

[DSandra]

34. They are from the business world, which uses psyops and other advances in psychological manipulation all the time

Here's an example just on TV advertising:

Not to mention that many of them are conartists themselves and conartists are usually masters of manipulation and deception.

Democrats have been using a knife in an assault weapons fight.

[wnylib]

4. Florida Auschwitz is the correct term and we should use it.

The so-called Big Beautiful Bill is more accurately called the Doohnibor Bill. (If you don't know what Doohnibor is, hold the printed word up to a mirror.)

[niyad]

30. Don't need a mirror!

[Qutzupalotl]

6. You would like George Lakoff's work on framing the debate

as well as FrameLab, which has a great newsletter with helpful suggestions.
https://www.theframelab.org/

[Bluetus]

33. Framelab is an EXCELLENT resource.

Thanks for that reference.

[SusieCreamcheese]

7. I totally agree

The naming or renaming of places, activities, or legislation; and the nicknaming of political or prominent individuals is childish and intended to reinforce the "power" wielded by the felon in the White House. It also serves to strengthen his propaganda by forcing people to repeat or reprint the misnomer if they want to report or discuss it. A few cases in point:
One Big Beautiful Bill. Midnight Hammer. Liberation Day. Gulf of America. The 51st State. Pocahontas. Governor Newscum. Sleepy Joe. MSDNC.

[erronis]

16. Abso-fucking-lutely!

Of course the M$M is being told to use the regime's terms since their owners love to dine with the donald at one of his filthy resorts. Can't allow lowly reporter to get away with correcting the RW new terminology.

Question of how complicit these M$M owners are with the whole program of destroying the US. Are there meetings/secret missives that lay out this plan so Bezos, Murdoch, Sulzberger, etc. can steer their ships appropriately?

Start with the immigrants (we're all immigrants), then hollow out the middle-class. turn the ones that aren't >0.1% into the bourgeoisie and then declare war on them.

[malaise]

8. You nailed it

Rec

[Silent Type]

9. While appreciate singing to choir, we need to convert the 5% or so of voters who swung to trump in Nov and

those that didn't even vote giving trump the popular vote.

Until we do that, we'll keep losing. Griping about terms like "Alligator Alcatraz," Democratic vs Democrat, "Big Beautiful Bill which is mocking Democratic BBB, etc., ain't going to do that. We have the Democratic vote, we need to peel off some others.

[SusieCreamcheese]

10. Branding by the Bully

The naming or renaming of places, activities, or legislation; and the nicknaming of political or prominent individuals is childish and intended to reinforce the "power" wielded by the felon in the White House. It also serves to strengthen his propaganda by forcing people to repeat or reprint the misnomer if they want to report or discuss it. A few cases in point:
One Big Beautiful Bill. Midnight Hammer. Liberation Day. Gulf of America. The 51st State. Pocahontas. Governor Newscum. Sleepy Joe. MSDNC.

[PatSeg]

12. It might also help if Democrats would

stop attacking other Democrats creating an unnecessary distraction from what Trump and republicans are doing.

[Amaryllis]

13. It's official: Alligator Alcatraz is not a nickname. It's Florida's name for detention site.

It's official: Alligator Alcatraz is not a nickname. It's Florida's name for detention site.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/official-alligator-alcatraz-not-nickname-154111055.html?

[Moostache]

15. Amen..."permanent tax cuts" is another....sunsetting these abortions rasing taxes?!?!? (n/t)

[Kid Berwyn]

17. That would be ungenteel.

And that is frowned upon at the club.

[flamingdem]

18. BIG BEAUTIFUL BETRAYAL bill and ALLIGATOR AUSCHWITZ or GATOR GULAG

if the first in inappropriate.

The problem in a nutshell. Too much conscience gets in the way of branding. They don't bother to think of consequences and it works for their base.

[idahoblue]

19. Every trumplican needs to be labeled a RINO

They have no republican values.
They have no functioning moral compass.
No respect for the Constitution.
No respect for their oath of office.
No respect for their constituents.
No respect for this country.
They are the definition of RINO.

[orangecrush]

20. KICK

[GiqueCee]

21. TELL IT!

[JoetheShow]

23. I've used the term Anti-Abortion for decades

Anytime someone calls me on it, I point out that most cons support the death penalty, most have supported the massive slaughter of war even when the justification was smoke and mirrors, and they absolutely refuse to do anything about the dead bodies in classrooms, theaters, and on our streets. Obviously they're not pro-life. It really irritates me when I hear Dems call it anything but anti-abortion.

[BidenRocks]

25. One example.

We seem to have accepted that we are the Democrat party.
It goes unnoticed by most. Not me!

[JI7]

26. Pro Life is the worst one

I see Democrats and other pro choice people regularly yse that to refer to the other side. The correct term for them is ANTI CHOICE.

[mdbl]

28. Actually, they are anti-women's healthcare.

Fuck the choice shit, I just want to see a Dr who can treat my condition, no matter what it is!

[mdbl]

27. K&R

[TrollBuster9090]

29. They're also great at manufacturing a faux scandal, and keeping it in the headlines. Something WE have to learn to do.

Remember the crap about Obama's Birth Certificate? Faux Noise kept that running as a top story for Obama's entire first term. Now they're doing the same thing with the faux scandal 'coverup' of the White House staff, and Biden's alleged senility.

Bullshit! Two can play at that game.
-How about a TIME CLOCK on WHEN Pam Blondie is going to release the Epstein files. Every night, "It's been 90 days since Pam Bondi promised to release the Epstein files. Where are they? What is the Trump Justice Department trying to hide?

-How about a TIME CLOCK on Trump's TAX returns. He's blathered about them being under audit for 16 years. But that's never been a reason to not disclose them.

--How about a TIME CLOCK on when Jim 'Jacket-off' Jordan is going to answer the Congressional subpoena he's been ignoring for six years.

--How about a TIME CLOCK on that chickenshit SEAN HANNITY, when he claimed that waterboarding isn't torture (during the Bush Jr Administration) and VOLUNTEERED to be WATERBOARDED for VETERAN'S CHARITY. (Keith Olberman even volunteered to donate $1000 to Hannity's favourite charity for EVERY SECOND he can take being waterboarded. I want to see MSNBC mention that every night!)

There are DOZENS of GENUINE scandals that MSNBC, or even those cowards at CNN can put front and centre, which would generate ratings indefinitely. So, why aren't we encouraging that?


PS- "They privately celebrate those assassinations. " Sometimes they're not even private about it! Do you remember when that stupid chimpanzee, Brett Baier, put up a graph showing what happens to the stock market every time there is a prominent blue on black death (George Floyd, Treyvon Martin etc.)? Just trying to convey the message that blue on black violence is okay, because it never harms the stock market. After this made even the FOX audience puke, Baier had to apologize for it.

[live love laugh]

37. I agree wholeheartedly. 🩵💙🩵

[live love laugh]

38. The newz is also calling it a budget bill.

[Hassler]

39. I agree. The Dems calling the Bucks for Billionaires

The Big Beautiful Bill really grates on my ears. The media is even worse.

[Orrex]

41. Trump should always be referred to as "convicted felon Donald Trump"