June 16, 2005
Combat tactic #1: Language
In 1996, GOPAC released a memo entitled "Language: A Key Mechanism of Control." In it, the Republican political action committee instructs their members in how language makes a difference. They list "positive" and "negative" words, explaining how to use the positive words when talking about Republicans and the negative terms when referring to Democrats.
This is the easiest trick in the book to turn-around on the Republicans. Here are the word lists:
Positive Words:
* active(ly)
* activist
* building
* candid(ly)
* care(ing)
* challenge
* change
* children
* choice/choose
* citizen
* commitment
* common sense
* compete
* confident
* conflict
* control
* courage
* crusade
* debate
* dream
* duty
* eliminate good-time in prison
* empower(ment)
* fair
* family
* freedom
* hard work
* help
* humane
* incentive
* initiative
* lead
* learn
* legacy
* liberty
* light
* listen
* mobilize
* moral
* movement
* opportunity
* passionate
* peace
* pioneer
* precious
* premise
* preserve
* principle(d)
* pristine
* pro- (issue): flag, children, environment, reform
* prosperity
* protect
* proud/pride
* provide
* reform
* rights
* share
* strength
* success
* tough
* truth
* unique
* vision
* we/us/our
Negative Words:
* abuse of power
* anti- (issue): flag, family, child, jobs
* betray
* bizarre
* bosses
* bureaucracy
* cheat
* coercion
* "compassion" is not enough
* collapse(ing)
* consequences
* corrupt
* corruption
* criminal rights
* crisis
* cynicism
* decay
* deeper
* destroy
* destructive
* devour
* disgrace
* endanger
* excuses
* failure (fail)
* greed
* hypocrisy
* ideological
* impose
* incompetent
* insecure
* insensitive
* intolerant
* liberal
* lie
* limit(s)
* machine
* mandate(s)
* obsolete
* pathetic
* patronage
* permissive attitude
* pessimistic
* punish (poor ...)
* radical
* red tape
* self-serving
* selfish
* sensationalists
* shallow
* shame
* sick
* spend(ing)
* stagnation
* status quo
* steal
* taxes
* they/them
* threaten
* traitors
* unionized
* urgent (cy)
* waste
* welfare