Monday, February 14, 2005

GOOD "REFRAME": "Deficit increases" instead of "Tax Cuts"

Refer to "tax cuts" (a favorite Bush/Republican term) as "deficit increases?"

Let the words "tax cut" never pass the lips of a Democrat/progressive in the media when referring to attempts to "starve the beast." Or, when Republicans do "tax cuts," it's "deficit increases." When Democrats do tax cuts to help consumers and not defund important and historic progressive programs, it's "consumer aid" or some such.

I know this all sounds stupid, but the Republicans have been playing a semantic game for years that has actually been quite successful. If they want to dismantle a program or agency, they say they will "reform" it. The estate tax became the "death tax." Even "tax cuts" were determined by Republican pollster Frank Luntz to be better sold as "tax relief." And of course, anyone who disagrees is "anti-American" at best and a "terrorist" at worst.

Just an idea...

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