General Discussion

Bernardo de La Paz

(60,320 posts)

23. What is wrong with "What is wrong with" ...

Sat Dec 28, 2013, 03:48 PM

Dec 2013

It's more powerful to phrase issues positively and to not give opponents entries.

Simply state things. Frame the issues. Choose the language.

State "Let's move dead money out of war-mongering into building and re-building infrastructure where it can live and prosper." (Bombs sit in arsenals and don't produce anything. Bridges enhance productivity.)

Asking "What is wrong with cutting the defense budget in half?" opens the door for opponents to say "That makes us twice as vulnerable!" Whether it is true or not, it sways voters.

Even using the phrase "defense budget" plays into the hands of the neo-con military industrial complex. "Defense" sounds good; "war-mongering" has a deservedly bad reputation.

Emphasize powerful concepts like "Money spent on food stamps for the hungry goes immediately and productively into the economy as well as building our future with well-nourished children. Money given to the rich in tax cuts goes into inflating prices of luxury property and art and other non-productive assets."

Say "The Democratic Party is the place for progress, unlike the dead ideas of the do-nothing Republican Party."

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What is wrong? [View all] kentuck Dec 2013 OP

Well..you know...political parties are only about winning elections. Tierra_y_Libertad Dec 2013 #1

Yep. Oakenshield Dec 2013 #50

The same could be said about DU at times. L0oniX Dec 2013 #64

Hope and Change. nt Demo_Chris Dec 2013 #2

That was a really helpful addition Pretzel_Warrior Dec 2013 #4

I did. Not every post needs to scream like a chainsaw. nt Demo_Chris Dec 2013 #8

+1 n/t jtuck004 Dec 2013 #13

+9 to make that an even 10. RC Dec 2013 #24

It was concise and to the point, thank you! n/t sabrina 1 Dec 2013 #47

Especially when some posts are chainsaws.nt Skidmore Dec 2013 #60

And I had always thought of it as a squeaky wheel. I like your analogy better. n/t A Simple Game Dec 2013 #72

The Demo Chris post was complete, and elegant in its simplicity. bvar22 Dec 2013 #17

Warren voted for the latest defense budget Cali_Democrat Dec 2013 #54

So that makes it ok? Strange logic. nm rhett o rick Dec 2013 #74

It's a quick cred-building technique. JNelson6563 Dec 2013 #62

You call fellow Democrats "haters" because they dont show the unwavering rhett o rick Dec 2013 #77

+1000 kentuck Dec 2013 #79

That is becoming so glaringly obvious that it hurts - it is all about the win, and right after the djean111 Dec 2013 #3

exactly. liberal_at_heart Dec 2013 #5

It's populism and common sense. Uncle Joe Dec 2013 #6

Nothing is wrong with that - TBF Dec 2013 #7

Oh... we WILL cut our "defense" budget... Bigmack Dec 2013 #9

Here is a taste of what happens when you "fight back" in a Democratic Primary: bvar22 Dec 2013 #19

It happened here, too, Bvar22, in 2008. Blue_In_AK Dec 2013 #37

Thank You, Blue. bvar22 Dec 2013 #45

When I complained about the quality of Democratic politicians a poster A Simple Game Dec 2013 #73

Great post! Enthusiast Dec 2013 #42

Excellent post as usual, Bvar, it needs to be an OP as so many appear to develop anmesia sabrina 1 Dec 2013 #48

Great post. nt Demo_Chris Dec 2013 #49

Reading this doesn't surprise me think Dec 2013 #51

Message to the left: We only want your votes, not your ideals and principles. L0oniX Dec 2013 #66

Now more than $20,000 a SECOND lake loon Dec 2013 #21

It's always about the money. Welcome to DU. WHEN CRABS ROAR Dec 2013 #46

Welcome to DU. go west young man Dec 2013 #59

kentuck, What is wrong? saidsimplesimon Dec 2013 #10

Bernie Sanders "Military Budget Has Tripled Since 1997, ErikJ Dec 2013 #11

Yes we could cut the budget in half and should. former9thward Dec 2013 #12

I find that premise, "massive reduction in military forces," fleabiscuit Dec 2013 #20

Well, any cuts to spending will INVARIABLY be dumped on personnel Scootaloo Dec 2013 #76

I thought Congress appropriated the money for different military programs? kentuck Dec 2013 #80

And still our military is incompetent. broiles Dec 2013 #14

Our military is mostly there to break shit and kill people--and it's pretty competent at that. TwilightGardener Dec 2013 #22

Oh? Don't you know ...they are fighting for our freedoms. L0oniX Dec 2013 #67

Very like that first attending to this... jtuck004 Dec 2013 #15

You're just another Goddam radical fringe leftist. Jackpine Radical Dec 2013 #16

What Is Wrong Answers - Right Wing, Corporatist, Oligarch Point Of View cantbeserious Dec 2013 #18

We should put you in charge of "something". Enthusiast Dec 2013 #39

Kick this post KansDem Dec 2013 #58

What is wrong with "What is wrong with" ... Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2013 #23

The only two Democrats I can remember who came right out on a National Stage and said that bvar22 Dec 2013 #52

Don't forget Mike Gravel: Follow the money. L0oniX Dec 2013 #68

It seems that ProSense Dec 2013 #25

This vid needs to go viral, but at close to 4 minutes, I guess it's just too long. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #26

The Oligarchs, Corporations And Banks Own And Control The Politicians That Own And Control Us cantbeserious Dec 2013 #29

, blkmusclmachine Dec 2013 #27

when it comes to the democratic party establishment, losing has no adverse consequences. KG Dec 2013 #28

We did NOT win the cold war. The USSR just lost first. Scuba Dec 2013 #30

Well said. Enthusiast Dec 2013 #34

Our administrations, for some time now, have been perps, not just players. jtuck004 Dec 2013 #31

Plus one! Thanks for sharing that............nt Enthusiast Dec 2013 #33

Excellent! L0oniX Dec 2013 #69

kentuck, it's populist common sense and it's the right thing to do for electoral success. Enthusiast Dec 2013 #32

Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2013 #35

The Treasury belongs to the ruling class, not the working class. That's why. nt valerief Dec 2013 #36

what's wrong: he who controls the media, the images, controls the culture. BlancheSplanchnik Dec 2013 #38

It's apparently wildly radical, Marxo-Commie-Satan ... common sense. DirkGently Dec 2013 #40

Bribery The Wizard Dec 2013 #41

We could easily cut the defense buget sulphurdunn Dec 2013 #43

Poor, poor kentuck...... DeSwiss Dec 2013 #44

what is wrong with it, as we all know, is that none of these ideas makes tptb any richer, any more niyad Dec 2013 #53

Does anyone else keep notes of their recent activity? fleabiscuit Dec 2013 #55

Nothing wrong, that's the truth, ruth... MrMickeysMom Dec 2013 #56

That, and common sense is something you have to work at. fleabiscuit Dec 2013 #57

I'd say there is nothing wrong JNelson6563 Dec 2013 #61

That budget doesn't include nuke research or nuclear weapons upgrdes either. another_liberal Dec 2013 #63

In a just world criminals would be held accountable. ananda Dec 2013 #65

Where's all the usual anti left, corporate loving, centrist right responses and attacks? L0oniX Dec 2013 #70

The United States can still be the dominant military power Harmony Blue Dec 2013 #71

Some people just have slightly different priorities. raouldukelives Dec 2013 #75

I might quibble with the numbers but agree with the gist Prophet 451 Dec 2013 #78