Language is Everything. Framing impeachment

[Shanti Mama]

Last edited Thu Nov 28, 2019, 01:30 PM - Edit history (1)

He did not try to "dig up dirt" on an opponent
He did not try to "start an investigation"

tRump tried to bribe a foreign government to INTERFERE IN OUR ELECTION

We have to say this over and over again.

editing to add: BRIBE, not quid pro quo anything. Bribery and extortion.

[MineralMan]

1. The House Judiciary Committee Will Decide

what language is used in the Articles of Impeachment. We need to make sure we use the terms they use in discussing it, once we see the Articles.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. In the meantime (and beyond) framing the language is a big failure in the media. We MUST frame it.

The media incessantly says "to dig up dirt in an investigation". The framing presumes there was dirt, which would have to be proved to justify its usage that way.

The only justifiable kind of way to say it is "to create an investigation into alleged dirt". Only one side is alleging. Only one side would create (bogus) investigations. That there is an allegation is a fact. That there is a desire on one side to create an investigation is a fact. That there is dirt to dig up is not a fact.

Frame it that way.

Frame all the issues that way and the film will fall of the eyes of a lot of wobbly low-info types.

Call out anyone who tries to frame allegations by presuming them to be facts. Media, social media, friends, even family (but keep it - not personal).

P.S. "bribe a foreign official to interfere in American elections" is very defensible as a fact at this point, so a good way to counter-frame it.

[MineralMan]

13. The media do as they please.

If you know of a way to force the media to do things your way, let me know.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. Sustained public pressure. Ltrs to ed, comments, boycotts, email to writers, lots of tools,

Any Democrat on media can correct such biased questions or premises, immediately. That would be national video or small town newspaper comment section.

Counter-propaganda works when:

* It is true
* It is clear
* It is immediate
* It is in same media outlet as much as possible

... and finally

** When it is repeated at least as often as the propaganda / sloppy framing.

[MineralMan]

22. Sad;y, those things don't actually work.

The media run on money. No money; no changes.

The real answer is to own the media. We don't. Not even on the Internet. The left owns almost no media at all. Why is that? Do you know?

The Washington post was recently bought, and not by anyone on the left. Apparently, it was available. Why was it bought by who bought it, and not by people on the left?

We need to own more media outlets. That is the only way we can control what the media say.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

23. Those do work. The RW deploy those. Those techniques stole Elec College. Russia deploys those.

Use what has been proven to work in elections.

The profit motive means the media are responsive to the people (aside from constantly wanting (for profit) to "both sides" and horse-race). Every Democrat on media should immediately pounce on any "both sides" argument as bogus (i.e. climate crisis), and on any horse-racing (i.e. calling out media for enabling tRump by pumping up when he sucks the air out with lies & scandalous attacks on government).

Where the media is not writing but people are writing on the media (social media), then it is more level.

[MineralMan]

25. Negative stories and scandals always triumph over the positive.

It's very simple. Bad news sells; good news doesn't.

The same is true for all of the things you mentioned. A complaint will have a better chance of being aired or published than praise for something. Every time. Murders get front page or top of the news coverage. Good news, if it is mentioned at all, comes after the bad news.

Lies often come before truth. They're more interesting than facts. Whataboutism counteracts bad deeds very nicely in most people's minds, so politicians use it all the time.

Human nature, I'm afraid, favors what is spectacular, exciting, or even frightening, rather than what seems to be boring.

Complexity is more interesting than simplicity. So, rumors about Biden's son gets covered, even though there is nothing to it. Rumors can be whatever someone wants them to be, so spreading rumors is a great way to counteract bad news about yourself.

It's pretty clear, really.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

28. No. The truth will out. Our goal is to out it in the short run. No, complexity is NOT the way to go.

Please stop being defeatist and devote your energy in positive ways instead of negating us.

Please stop with the "there is no hope unless we buy hugely expensive media we can't afford to buy".

Use what has been proven to work.

tRump did not win 2016 and Republicons win many other elections over the years by complexifying.

Simplify wherever possible. That is why I highlighted that counter-propaganda needs to be clear.

Nihilism is clear but not useful. Really.

[MineralMan]

29. Good luck with that. Seriously.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

30. Only thing you have offered is "buy expensive media" and negativity to grass roots and framing.

You did say wait on the framing until the Judicial Committee drafts Articles. Then what? Your suggestion is to then wait until you can buy expensive media and otherwise it is hopeless.

Fine, give up hope.

[Alithea]

15. I agree that the framing so far has been both (1) innacurate and (2) ineffective in

persuading low information types, who go based on what something "sounds like".

Saying he wanted "an investigation to dig up dirt" or that this was a scandal of "Dollars for Dirt" sounds like he was doing his duty to root out corruption, which it total BS.

I don't understand why they don't say:
- "extort a foreign government to announce an investigation against his rival to make it seem like there was dirt", or
- "committed bribery by soliciting the announcement in exchange for releasing his unauthorized block of the military aid".

Both are more accurate and more instinctively understandable as wrongful behavior.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. Yup. Extort foreign ally with tax dollars for benefit of adversary Russia. . . . nt

[Qutzupalotl]

34. Yes, or just say "to smear his opponent." n/t

[StarfishSaver]

3. Thank you

[MasonDreams]

4. Testify!! The Truth, The Whole Truth, and nothing but Truth

He did NOT care if there was corruption
He did NOT care if there was even a real inquiry
His action WAS. INTERFERE IN OUR ELECTION.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. And following all that his action was to cover it up, justify it post facto, deny, delay, .... . .nt

[MasonDreams]

7. Yes thanks, THEN COVER iT UP

[Alithea]

17. Right and right

[DanieRains]

6. Trump Caught Trying To Cheat

Cheating is OK with Republicans.

Obviously.

[muntrv]

8. How about "extorted" a foriegn government to mess

with US elections.

[Alithea]

16. Correct

[BuffaloJackalope]

9. George Kent:"You can't promote principled anti-corruption action without pissing-off corrupt people"

Look at all the pissed off Republicans.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

31. hear, hear!

"You can't promote principled anti-corruption action without pissing-off corrupt people."

[Catch2.2]

10. Yes! Thank you!

The Dems need to learn how to word/frame things!!

[RestoreAmerica2020]

11. Start with, not fiction, not misspoken, but that Trump IS A LIAR, A CHEAT, A CON AND A RACIST!

..repeat it every single time a Dem leader and/or pundit has a platform. Repeat repeat repeat..use his own tactic against him. Hell, personal attorney and long time friend, admitted Michael Cohen [as we know serving jail time because he followed TRUMP'S ORDER to bribe two women [that we know of] to be silent days before 2016 election] said IT during Senate hearing, he said "trump is a racist, a con and a cheat."

In searching for quote..came across NPR article of Feb this year re hearing testimoney of Michael Cohen's transcript and video. DAMN I've forgotten how scathing his testimoney was! Dems should just use his own words against odious guy in WH, not only for presidential campaign, but as public service infomercial to all Americans as a reminder of just who is in OUR house making decisions for all of us. And still, afterall the maldad this corrupt, criminal in WH has done while in office, to steal the presidency--el pendejo is still in office, just frikn crazy! [article at link]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.npr.org/2019/02/27/696752450/michael-cohen-to-testify-publicly-before-congress-on-alleged-trump-lawbreaking&ved=2ahUKEwiW8J_Gso3mAhWNoJ4KHdtkB98QFjADegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw2IvdS2eTVJQ6vn1Lfbt7wZ

[Baltimike]

12. not "dig up dirt", MANUFACTURE dirt. nt

[Garrett78]

14. Trump and his Admin. should be framed as a national security threat, a clear and present danger.

Trump extorted what should be an ally by withholding vital military aid for personal political gain, is clearly a puppet of an adversary, and more recently he's propping up war criminals. And the US's attorney is acting as Trump's personal attorney, while traveling the world promoting conspiracy theory nonsense. Meanwhile, the Trump Admin. is giving a boost to white supremacists/right wing terrorists, who the FBI considers the greatest domestic threat we face. The FBI, of course, is - along with our national intelligence agencies - actively being undermined by Trump, Barr, Pompeo, Mulvaney, et al.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. +1. . . . nt

[Shanti Mama]

21. Exactly!

[Martin Eden]

24. EXTORTION

Bribery is when you tempt someone. Extortion is when you have them over a barrel, such as withholding desperately needed military aid in return for something.

[WheelWalker]

26. Guns for Dirt.

[kairos12]

27. Dems are terrible at this.

Rethugs know if it bleeds, it leads.

Dems ignore the reality of: if it thinks, it stinks.

[radius777]

36. Agree, the Right is much better at driving a narrative

that is entertaining and easily consumed by common people.

Liberals are often too dry and professorial - Rachel Maddow, Lawrence Odonnel are good examples of this. They're good if the audience were intellectuals like them, but it's simply not entertaining.

[Poiuyt]

32. This is a VERY important thread

People like Democratic ideas and policies, but republicans have much better messaging. It's all about PR .

[Hekate]

33. He tried to MANUFACTURE dirt

[radius777]

35. Trump worked with Russia to steal 2016,

and he bullied and extorted Ukraine into helping him steal 2020.

Dems focus too much on what Trump did to Ukraine or Biden - and not enough on what he did to us in attempting to corrupt our democracy.

[Cha]

37. Agree! Mahalo, Shanti Mama!

[Mike Niendorff]

38. Let's be a little more clear:

He tried to extort a foreign government into planting false stories about his 2020 opponent.


MDN