Monday, January 28, 2013

Regressive re-frame image makeover can't conceal the facts

I've been praising the progressives for finally getting on the framing bandwagon, which I think helped them greatly in the last election. But this is not to say that it's all about framing. The progressive frame is based on genuine authenticity, since it matches their proposed and enacted policies. The GOP, on the other hand, after soul-searching about their defeats, think it's just a matter of messaging their frame better, that it has nothing to do with their actual policies. Paul Krugman highlights this in his recent blog post, "Makers, takers, fakers."

Recently Louisiana Governor Jindal noted that his party must not be perceived as favoring the rich while sticking it to everyone else. But he dealt with it as merely a matter of rhetoric, saying the right things. But he has offered no policy suggestion to implement that frame. In fact his policies are to the contrary. For example, he's pushing a plan to eliminate State income tax. To make up for the revenue lost State sales tax goes up. The rich are rewarded with less income taxes, while increased sales taxes disproportionally burdens the poor and middle class. The words don't match the actions.

What the regressives are not understanding is that it is their worldview as exemplified in their policies that the majority of people no longer want. It isn't just a matter of framing. Granted if the framing isn't good your message doesn't get a chance to prove itself. But the frame must match the actions, must be genuine, honest, transparent. But we can see that is not part of the regressive agenda, since they continually lie, cheat and steal to gain power for the powerful. That isn't just framing but framing that matches the facts. Ah, the facts, another thing regressives just cannot stand.

All in all this is good though, since the GOP will continue to self-destruct every further since they aren't getting the message of the recent election. I say keep it  up, believe it's just in the message. Part of recent advances in progressive framing is exposing regressive lies that don't match their policy. Consequently the general public is waking up and no longer just accepting things at face value, meaning just the frame. Regressive framing tricks are no longer working, while progressive honesty is. And this will herald the death knell of the GOP. It's not Obama that is trying to kill the GOP as Speaker Boehner projected with his paranoia. It is his own party's worldview whose time is past, and they are doing a fine job all by themselves of sending it into oblivion. Good fucking riddance.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.