There is a belief on the left, that just by saying the correct words, we can make everything “all better now.” That seems to be common among several politicians, media types, and bloggers on the scene today.
So, what are the right words and why can’t we find them to use them? Is there a political Thesaurus?
Well, that is totally on us as we have the same words available to us that the Reich wing use against us.
We say, “Jobs program.“ They say, “Wasted money. “ We say, “Welfare is a hand up, not a hand out.” They say, “Welfare is a waste of money. It just keeps lazy people dependent upon it.“ (Even with only two examples, you probably see the pattern.) Money makes their world go ‘round. If it isn’t spent on them, or given to them, it is being wasted.
We see money spent to aid people who need a little support to get up and going as what it is, an investment. We use the wrong words to fight back with. Rather than use their words to fight with, we need to develop and use our own lexicon.
Something as simple as labeling the folks who refuse the vax and mask regimen required to end the COVID problems — they are not really expressing their desire for personal ”freedom,”they are walking, breathing, virus incubators who want to host the next mutation that will most likely be even worse than the current series. They are trying to kill us rather than help protect us all from the common enemy, COVID.
What do you call someone who won’t bother to get up off the sofa and go vote? A traitor to the Constitution. The same is true for those state and local governments that are all trying to control who gets to vote and even which votes count.
That document is what all our servicemen and women swear to uphold and defend. We still mean it, even if that oath has been and/or still is being perjured by our former President and his Congressional and Senate accomplices. It still matters. It and its amendments are the touchstone of our country. It is what makes us America instead of Somalia. People have died to protect the ideals and beliefs set down in that document. Not just servicemen, but the Freedom Riders, Dr. King, Malcom X, Joe Hill, the strikers who earned us the “weekend” and OSHA, protestors of all sorts - even including protestors trying to tear it up and replace it with their own fascist and oligarchic ideas of “government.”
Words Matter. The newest iteration of COVID is a threat to our lives and society. Tucker Carlson is a lying puppet for the traitors who wish to destroy democracy. The Republicans are against a Federal Government, at least when Democrats are the controlling majority. As soon as Republicans take the majority, they’re all in favor of the National Government controlling your life and opportunities.
Too many regular folks mistakenly believe that if the Rs have power, then they will hand out goodies to their voters. The reality is that they hand out the goodies: tax cuts, easing of protective regulations, a reduction of inflation, jobs, infrastructure (ha), etc., but to their owners (ahem) contributors.
Use simple words, plain English, direct and to the point. Don’t waffle and try to be collegial with “my friend across the aisle” unless they have shown themselves to be your friend. Call them out on their hypocrisy and double dealing, especially when they proudly point to popular legislative accomplishments like the infrastructure bill that they voted against.