Language matters...

It's quite telling... (0.00 / 0)

That the term Obamacare has become so toxic. After all, if the health care reform package had been anything of which to be proud (or something upon which Obama could hope to campaign for re-election next year), then there'd be every reason to jump on the opportunity for co-branding offered by the term Obamacare. But since the health care reform package is -- at best -- a tepid, half-hearted attempt at re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, it's clearly not something with which any Democrat would want to be too closely associated.

Welch should certainly take issue with the use of the term -- or, as you so snarkily suggests, pull the discourse further into the ghetto of the blogs and start talking about tea baggers and neo-cons when describing "his esteemed opponents across the isle."  

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by: thingwarbler @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 15:46:20 PM UTC

I like "Teahadists" even better than "teabaggers." (4.00 / 1)

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by: Sue Prent @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 15:48:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Obamacare (4.00 / 2)

... from day one has been used as an epithet from the teabaggers, even if they probably don't know what an epithet is.

You can read JD's latest at five before chaos. Politics. Godlessness. Music. Films of questionable quality. It's all there, folks.

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by: JDRyan @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 15:59:46 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes, (4.00 / 1)

I splooged my coffee over that.
Teabaggese terms must be the shorthand language of default in Washington.

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by: BP @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 15:57:11 PM UTC

Good point (4.00 / 2)

George Lakoff, has made a similar point about Democrats before. In using the terminology and framing of Republicans, we are basically playing on their terms and their agenda. Using their terms means we've already ceded territory in the debate and help legitimize their viewpoints. When you fall into their use of framing and ideas, it's hard to make up any ground.  

"Caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al andar." -Antonio Machado

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by: estebancologne @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 16:02:40 PM UTC

I wish... (4.00 / 1)

...more Dems and progs would listen to him.

[tries not to think of the elephant]

Become a fan of our grassroots campaign on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/todd4v...

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by: ntoddpax @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 17:16:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I guess it's time to pull out my framing curriculum (0.00 / 0)

And go visit the Windsor County democrats, again. Sadly, the last time I did a training there, Peter was not around.

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by: simplify @ Wed Apr 06, 2011 at 00:48:26 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Welch used that term? (4.00 / 1)

Gee-zus. Hope that doesn't become an accepted appellation for the PPACA among elected officials of the Democrat Party.

"That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves and the State ..."- Vermont Constitution Chapter 1, Article 16

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by: kestrel9000 @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 16:03:42 PM UTC

Yep. (4.00 / 1)

He did, and I was kinda shocked, myself, considering I never hear anyone not a teabagger use that term. It's a dead giveaway to someone's politics when I hear it, Welch notwithstanding. I yelled at the radio when he said it.

It's not nitpicking. Language is very important, and the right's mastery of using it is, in part, why we're continually getting our asses kicked in the communications and meme wars.

You can read JD's latest at five before chaos. Politics. Godlessness. Music. Films of questionable quality. It's all there, folks.

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by: JDRyan @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 17:02:46 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Someone invoked this (4.00 / 1)

the other day in a discussion on Daily Kos in which it was asserted that it behooves us all not to read just Lakoff, but Frank Luntz as well:

"That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves and the State ..."- Vermont Constitution Chapter 1, Article 16

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by: kestrel9000 @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 17:32:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'll bet he's kicking himself now. (4.00 / 1)

In his defense, you have to grant that he probably hears that word five-hundred times a day, even from a lot of Democrats who have adopted it casually, just  because it rolls-off the tongue more easily.

Troll-speak always has that advantage.  

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by: Sue Prent @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 17:47:06 PM UTC

I know (4.00 / 1)

And I'm not in any way condemning Welch for something nefarious. He, of all people, should just know better. I really doubt there's too many Dems calling it Obamacare.

You can read JD's latest at five before chaos. Politics. Godlessness. Music. Films of questionable quality. It's all there, folks.

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by: JDRyan @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 17:56:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Doubly Ironic: it's actually Romneycare (4.00 / 1)

It's nearly identical to the MA program instituted by Romney.

You can bet your ass that Luntz made sure swapping its association from Romney to Obama was the very first order of republican echo-chamber business when the time came.

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by: simplify @ Wed Apr 06, 2011 at 00:51:08 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Its actual name ... (0.00 / 0)

"The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act".

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by: netmanvt @ Wed Apr 06, 2011 at 16:33:07 PM UTC