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Congressional Republicans are suffering from a
communications problem. This diagnosis comes from an
authority, a consultant named Frank Luntz who helped draft
the 1994 Contract with America.
This time around, Luntz has issued a 222-page guide
called The Language of the 21st Century,
which tells
GOP lawmakers that You have suffered through
communication disaster after communication disaster, and
nothing ever seems to change. Linguistically, you are out
of touch with the American people.
And so, the 35-year-old Luntz has introduced the must
serious effort ever made by either party to put together an
effective, comprehensive national communication
strategy.
In other words, the GOP nominee in my congressional district is supposed to sing the same Luntz lyrics as the GOP nominee in your district, with the Republican U.S. senate candidates adding a harmonious Luntz voice to the chorus, and this great choir will resonate with American voters so that Jesse Helms of North Carolina can continue to determine the foreign policy of the entire United States.
Luntz provides specifics to candidates. For instance, on
Social Security, he advises: You don't need the specific
solution -- yet. You just have to keep asking: Do you trust
Washington to manage your Social Security fund, or is it
possible that someone else can do a better job?
Of course it is always possible that somebody else can do it better -- as the saying goes, there's never been a horse that couldn't be ridden, and never a rider that couldn't be thrown.
But a candidate tossing out one-liners like that might
make himself vulnerable to some joker in the audience
(despite the best efforts of local party regulars, heretics
occasionally sneak into the town meetings
operated
by GOP congressmen) who then asks Well, congressman, why
do you keep trusting Washington to defend our nation when
the Defense Department spends billions on a bomber that
can't operate when it's raining? Could you tell us when
Washington is trustworthy and when it isn't?
Actually, it appears that Luntz is trying to make work for himself. Republicans controls both houses of Congress and a fat majority of gubernatorial seats, so whatever they've been doing has been effective. Luntz seems to be inventing a disease and selling the cure.
On the off chance that he's right, though, I might as well get into this business myself, and so I offer these suggestions for Republican candidates:
Do not say: After accepting campaign contribution
checks from them on the floor, we will invite corporate
lobbyists into our hearings, so that we can guarantee that
the buyers will be satisfied with the legislation they
purchase.
Instead, say: The constitution guarantees to all
Americans the right to petition the government for redress
of grievances, and I support equal rights, not special
rights.
Do not say: We have worked diligently to produce an
effective communications ogilopoly dominated by huge
corporate interests that charge big money for campaign
advertising so that only millionaires or people who
represent their interests can hold public office.
Instead, say: The Liberal Media Elite have opposed us
and our policies every step of the way, but with your help,
we can destroy their pernicious power.
Do not say: I'm a three-term incumbent and I have
built up a network of connections, so that I can keep
federal money flowing into this district and get the
regulators off your backs sometimes.
Instead, say: The corrupt Beltway culture needs a
cleansing influence that represents real hard-working
Americans, and as a Washington outsider, I can make a
difference.
Do not say: I support trampling the Constitution and
increasing crime and corruption by continuing this
expensive and ineffective War on Drugs.
Instead, say: Drugs threaten the very foundation of
our society, and I pledge to continue and expand the noble
crusade against this menace.
Do not say: To help out struggling companies like
General Motors, we want to federalize the tort system and
take decisions out of the hands of local juries, and to
make sure you pay more every month to get less from a
monopoly, we made all cable TV regulation come from
Washington.
Instead, say: The government that is closest to the
people works best, and we shall continue to devolve power
to the state and local governments.
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