Language: Key Mechanism of Control

The Center For Media and Democracy reports that The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is now headed by Republican fundraisers Cheryl Halpern and Gay Hart Gaines.

I bring this to your attention because CPB vice chair Gaines was a charter member of GOPAC, a group associated with Newt Gingrich's 1994 House takeover. It's a cinch he's now poised to reshape PBS and NPR so they are "Republican friendly."

How will they do it? Myriad ways, including influencing the language on PBS.

The Nation's David Corn recently reviewed a 1990 GOPAC memo titled "Language: A Key Mechanism of Control" that lists words to use to talk up GOP vision as ebodying ''caring," "freedom" and "prosperity" while trashing Democrats as "corrupt," "intolerant" and "traitors."

My first observation is quite simple: aren't Republicans confused? They got the lists mixed up. It is they who now own the words "corrupt" and "intolerant."

Likewise they've proved themselves to be traitors to both the American Dream and regular Americans who don't have seven figure incomes or Lear jets.

So now we can expect to see objective PBS slowly turned into a reich-wing marketing tool. Great, just what we needed on top of all the other debacles the Repos have brought us.

I think we ough to take every opportunity to turn the tables on them. Ignore their Orwellian language. Let's co-opt everything good for Progressives, since we actually are the caring people, in favor of freedom and prosperity for all, not just for Bush's brazillionaires.

Yes - shamelessly I'm referring to that joke you've seen go around in which Bush is so concerned when Rummy tells him "3 Brazilians have been killed," asking, "How much is a brazillion?

But I digress.

From the man now in charge of PBS, your key to using language to deceive and control:

Language: A Key Mechanism of Control

As you know, one of the key points in the GOPAC tapes is that "language matters." In the video "We are a Majority," Language is listed as a key mechanism of control used by a majority party, along with Agenda, Rules, Attitude and Learning. As the tapes have been used in training sessions across the country and mailed to candidates we have heard a plaintive plea: "I wish I could speak like Newt."

That takes years of practice. But, we believe that you could have a significant impact on your campaign and the way you communicate if we help a little. That is why we have created this list of words and phrases.

This list is prepared so that you might have a directory of words to use in writing literature and mail, in preparing speeches, and in producing electronic media. The words and phrases are powerful. Read them. Memorize as many as possible. And remember that like any tool, these words will not help if they are not used.

While the list could be the size of the latest "College Edition" dictionary, we have attempted to keep it small enough to be readily useful yet large enough to be broadly functional. The list is divided into two sections: Optimistic Positive Governing words and phrases to help describe your vision for the future of your community (your message) and Contrasting words to help you clearly define the policies and record of your opponent and the Democratic party.

Please let us know if you have any other suggestions or additions. We would also like to know how you use the list. Call us at GOPAC or write with your suggestions and comments. We may include them in the next tape mailing so that others can benefit from your knowledge and experience.

Optimistic Positive Governing Words

Use the list below to help define your campaign and your vision of public service. These words can help give extra power to your message. In addition, these words help develop the positive side of the contrast you should create with your opponent, giving your community something to vote for!

active(ly)
activist
building
candid(ly)
care(ing)
challenge
change
children
choice/choose [choice a Republican word? I don't think so.]
citizen
commitment
common sense [If they had any, we wouldn't be 8 Trillion in debt]
compete
confident
conflict [Oh, now this is one they're good at, creating conflict]
control [This fits, as in Republicans intend to control you]
courage [Not much. They send other people's children to fight their wars.]
crusade [Yes, but always for the wrong things.]
debate
dream
duty
eliminate good-time in prison [I'm for that when these neo-cons all land there]
empower(ment)
fair
family
freedom
hard work [Give me a break. They all live off investments and interest.]
help
humane
incentive
initiative
lead
learn
legacy
liberty
light
listen
mobilize
moral
movement
opportunity
passionate
peace [HA! They dare try and use this one? Have they no shame?]
pioneer
precious [Yeah, like what? Our natural resources they're destroying?]
premise
preserve [What? Certainly not our air or water. Or the lives of our troops. Or New Orleans. Must refer to their bank accounts.]
principle(d) [Not even possible in the same breath re: Bush et al]
pristine
pro- (issue): flag, children, environment, reform [Repos are pro-flag, anti-child]
prosperity [For the Brazillionaires, no doubt]
protect [the truth from being known, that's what this is about]
proud/pride [Oh, dare we hope they pair this one with gay?]
provide
reform [Yes, I agree the Republican party is stunningly corrupt, in need of reform]
rights
share [? I didn't know this word was in their vocabulary. Oh, wait, that's STOCK SHARE
strength
success
tough
truth
unique
vision
we/us/our


Contrasting Words
Often we search hard for words to define our opponents. Sometimes we are hesitant to use contrast. Remember that creating a difference helps you. These are powerful words that can create a clear and easily understood contrast. Apply these to the opponent, their record, proposals and their party.

abuse of power
anti- (issue): flag, family, child, jobs
betray
bizarre
bosses
bureaucracy
cheat
coercion
"compassion" is not enough
collapse(ing)
consequences
corrupt
corruption
criminal rights
crisis
cynicism
decay
deeper
destroy
destructive
devour
disgrace
endanger
excuses
failure (fail)
greed
hypocrisy
ideological
impose
incompetent
insecure
insensitive
intolerant
liberal
lie
limit(s)
machine
mandate(s)
obsolete
pathetic
patronage
permissive attitude
pessimistic
punish (poor ...)
radical
red tape
self-serving
selfish
sensationalists
shallow
shame
sick
spend(ing)
stagnation
status quo
steal
taxes
they/them
threaten
traitors
unionized
urgent (cy)
waste
welfare

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While making fun is fun, we seriously need to use their own techniques against them. There is no way we can let them get away with calling themselves caring, look where they put "compassion" as a negative trait! That says it all.