Language Lessons
Democrats need to learn how to communicate their message beyond the faculty lounge
The democrats have had a historic problem with using language to explain their policies. James Carville recently put his finger on the issue —they are addicted to what he terms “Faculty lounge” politics”—in his typically lightly humorous way in an interview with Vox he provides the following illustration,
“They come up with a word like “Latinx” that no one else uses. Or they use a phrase like “communities of color.” I don’t know anyone who speaks like that. I don’t know anyone who lives in a “community of color.” I know lots of white and Black and brown people and they all live in ... neighborhoods. .This stuff is harmless in one sense, but in another sense it’s not.”
Carville reminds us that Biden’s election victory was a close run thing—”We won the White House against a world-historical buffoon. And we came within 42,000 votes of losing. We lost congressional seats. We didn’t pick up state legislatures. So let’s not have an argument about whether or not we’re off-key in our messaging. We are. And we’re off because there’s too much jargon and there’s too much esoterica and it turns people off.”
But is the problem merely an over reliance on jargon—an inability to say something simply—it is also due to a certain lack of authentic passion. Carville gives climate change as an example.
“Do you realize that climate is the only major social or political movement that I can think of that refuses to use emotion? Where’s the identifiable song? Where’s the bumper sticker? Where’s the slogan? Where’s the flag? Where’s the logo?
We don’t have it because with faculty politics what you do is appeal to reason. You don’t need the sloganeering and sound bites. That’s for simple people. All you need are those timetables and temperature charts, and from that, everyone will just get it. “
Republicans have no difficulty injecting their emotions into the game. Trump specialized in channeling the anger of whites who felt they were losing ground by blaming immigrants for their problems. Democrats rightly dislike using hate and venom to win arguments but they must feel the anger of couples who are working two jobs and able to afford a decent apartment and are one paycheck away from homelessness.
Republicans know how to demonize people—to other them—Trump was all about weaponizing slurs against Mexicans, Africans, Chinese, those with disabilities to advance his agenda. Democrats must call out the racism and never resort to these tactics but they also must humanize who they are for and speak clearly about what they stand for and why in language everyone can understand.
Good points made here regarding the Democrats love of logic/reason and failure to employ emotion.