Mockingjay and Senator Warren

This weekend I saw part I of this ongoing Hunger Games saga. I was reminded of recent posts on progressive framing, that we need more than just the right policies but also need to frame it in such a way that it inspires and motivates people to take action. Which is precisely the main theme of this movie installment. The President of District 13, along with her propagandist-in-chief played by deceased PS Hoffman, must convince Katniss to be the figurehead of the resistance. It needs a strong character to lead and inspire people to join in the fight and Katniss is The One. The entire film is about first convincing her to accept this role, and then learn how to do it well enough to inflame people to action.

So what about Warren?


Meanwhile, her erstwhile lover Peeta is drugged by the Capitol to be their spokesperson-propagandist. It's a propaganda war, i.e, framing battle, to see who can motivate their troops to victory. I couldn't but help as seeing it as the framing war led by Frank Luntz for the regressives and George Lakoff for the progressives, with Elizabeth Warren the progressives' Katniss. Except in the movie the resistance knows well the value of framing where Democrats and progressives seem for the most part to have missed this boat, except for Obama, Warren and Sanders.

The progressives need Katniss Warren to rile their own base to action, meaning not only getting to the polls and voting but helping out with campaigns, making calls, writing letters; you know, engaging  the war against the regressives. We need to fight and fight hard or lose the battle for democracy. Yes, that is what is at stake and we are fast losing it. And make no mistake, the regressives know it is war and they are waging it full tilt and winning per the last election-battle.

The stakes couldn't be higher, for lives are literally lost due to regressive policies dressed up with blatant and deceitful propaganda. Yes, propaganda and framing are necessary, but the progressives can use it with honesty and transparancy to effect the public good. And that we must. And now is the time. Hopefully progressives that see this movie will get the message. In the meantime, if you get it then email your progressive representatives and get them to understand we too must "catapult the propaganda" as Dubya innocently and stupidly revealed, much to his puppetmasters' horror.

If you're so inclined, join the IPS discussion of the movie here. And just a reminder of Lakoff's war propaganda manual most recently here.