Frame This

I've never really cared for George Lakoff, author of Don't Think of an Elephant, because I think he is a snake-oil salesman taking advantage of Democrats desperate to become politically relevant. Rather than encouraging Democrats to re-think their positions and develop new ideas, he encourages them to dress up their old ideas in different wording. His basic premise is that conservatives take unpopular ideas and make them popular by using certain phrases that tap into certain feelings. In other words, conservatives trick people.

This belief that Republicans are winning votes not because Americans are increasingly accepting their goals, but because they are tricking people with fancy wording ("frames"), is a common sentiment among Democrats - and the very reason they can't regain power. Democrats believe average Americans are stupid and average Americans clearly see that. Publicly urging Democrats to treat voters as if they were stupid is awful advice. Lakoff deserves to be run out of town.

These critiques aside, Lakoff is really good at developing talking points. In fact, in a lame attempt to dispute the conservative/libertarian "frame" on Katrina he actually states our position better than anyone else:

Here's where the Katrina framing war stands. Conservatives understand full well the importance of framing. They are busily framing Katrina to advance their right-wing agenda and expand their power. Their message is simple: The hurricane proves that conservatives were right all along.

--Katrina showed what happens when state and local officials become dependent on the federal government and fail to take responsibility for making security their top priority. Conservative commentators have, additionally, used Katrina as demonstrating the inadequacy of government in general and as providing a rationale for shrinking it further.

--Katrina reveals the dangers of environmental organizations that sue to stop levee-raising projects in order save an obscure species. Katrina proves that we must expand our domestic oil and gas production by opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and eliminating environmental protections.

--Katrina showed that the nation needs capable corporations like Wal-Mart and Halliburton to take responsibility for delivering services, massive cleanups, and large-scale rebuilding. Prevailing wage laws and environmental regulations must be suspended so private companies can do their work.

--Katrina showed the importance of individual responsibility. Those who failed to take individual responsibility to get out suffered greatly or even died. Those who stayed behind to loot or act in otherwise unlawful ways revealed the underbelly of urban liberalism and government welfare.

--Katrina sets our priorities straight: rebuilding homes and businesses rather than spending on government entitlement programs like the Medicare drug benefit, Medicaid, the Centers for Disease Control, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, global AIDS funding, and so on.