Framing your message: Use your frame, not your opponents.

Framing - it's the concept of expressing your message on your own terms, and not those of your opponents. Conservatives are great at framing. Slashing government services to the middle class and the poor is not called "service cuts" it's called "tax relief" or "fiscal discipline." After all, who could be against that?

What's wrong with this quote? (Source 08-10-10)

"Progressive Majority is not going to let conservatives dominate the 2010 elections. We're helping nearly 150 progressives with their November campaigns - more than nearly any other organization. In November, voters will once again prove that progressive politics is a winning politics."

-Gloria A. Totten
President, Progressive Majority

 The three sentences in Ms Totten's statement are good. There is nothing wrong with them. Except that they are in exactly the opposite order of what they should be. Now, to be fair, I do not know Ms Totten, or the origin of the statement. It may have been off-the-cuff, or taken from a larger text. However, it is useful for this brief discussion on framing.

When making a political statement, it is key to lead with the conclusion first. Yes, I know we are taught exactly the opposite in school. But in the example, the strongest sentence is the third sentence - which is basically the entire point of her idea - progressive politics is popular with voters/Americans, and candidates can win by being progressive (as opposed to conservative, or centrist/conservative, or reactionary). The "We're helping..." sentence should stay in the middle. Lastly, the "not going to let conservatives" dominate" should be at the end.

By keeping first sentence about conservatives, your framing tells the audience that:

1. Conservatives are going to dominate the 2010 elections.

2. Progressive politics does not dominate elections.

3. Most people vote conservative if in fact conservatives are dominating elections.

4. If most people are voting conservative, shouldn't I seriously consider it?

We know how this story ends - it ends with progressives not being elected.

Always lead strong with a value statement that sets the framing on your terms. "Progressive values are American values, and in November, the voters will prove it!" Once your frame is set, you are speaking about your values, your issues, your plans, and your ideas on your terms.

Great writing about framing, values, and morals in politics has been done by George Lakoff, author of "Don't Think of an Elephant!: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives" and "Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think."

--

Daryl Northrop

Comments

[libhomo]

I think the biggest problem for Democrats, who are the politicians being referenced in the quote, is that they keep governing like conservatives.

[Daryl Northrop]

Lib - thanks for commenting! I agree. On about 90% of the issues, there is really no substantive difference between the two parties. The other 10% are wedge issues. As more and more Americans are coming to realize, the two major parties are doing a terrible job of representing the color, richness, and diversity of political thought in this country.