Luntz Watch: Keep Lying, It Works
By on Feb 23rd, 2005 at 2:20 pm
Luntz Watch: Keep Lying, It Works
[Influential conservative strategist Frank Luntz has produced a 160-page playbook to advance the right-wing agenda. Think Progress cuts through the spin and gives you the tools you need to fight back. Check here for updates throughout the week.]
Never mind that President Bush’s budget is the largest in American history, or that his first-term tax cuts are responsible for a much larger portion of the federal deficit than any spending increases.
Luntz’s message on the budget? Our earlier lies worked — why fix what’s not broken?
“Americans still believe the primary cause of the deficit is wasteful Washington spending, not the tax cuts,” Luntz says. “So tell them: ‘Americans aren’t taxed too little. Washington spends too much.’” Problem solved!
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unfortunately, that sounds right…
It seems that a good many Americans will just believe what they’re told. How else can you reconcile the fact that FOXNews watchers are consistently misinformed?
They must be getting it from somewhere…
February 23rd, 2005 at 2:59 pmWhy can’t we on the blue side do the same thing. Don’t we have some sort of organization that can do the things they do? Yeah, two wrongs don’t make a right, but we need to get back in control by one way or another, before we, as a nation, go down the tubes.
February 24th, 2005 at 12:23 amHow can FOXNews watchers be misinformed when they consistantly have both sides on their shows. I was overseas in Japan for 5 years with CNN as my only news of America. If you want slanted news just continue to watch the worst 15 minutes of America every half a hour and don’t worry about FOXNews.
February 24th, 2005 at 12:34 pmWe do have organizations like this – they’re smaller, and more honest, though. Check out the Rockridge Institute, and frameshopisopen.org.
February 24th, 2005 at 12:34 pmOf course both sides engage in the war of obfuscation. Discuss abortion with a Dem and you’ll hear that women should have control of their own “health care.” Using code words, staying on-message, allowing only pre-screened questions at media functions….The real culprit is the busted two-party system that allows minimal critical thought because division is seen as a lack of strength.
February 24th, 2005 at 3:10 pmAh, but those words ‘health care’ are exactly what we liberal women think of abortion. Many times a woman chooses the difficult solution of abortion because of health issues. Imagine trying to deal with a major post-partum depression, raising a baby and be pregnant at the same time? Many times it is exactly that, a ‘health care’ issue. A conservative wouldn’t see it that way, but women need to be able to make their own choices. If we can’t make them with legal abortions, we will be making them with illegal ones. If I had to put my existing children at risk by having an unwanted pregnancy, I’d have an abortion. It’s my health care choice.
February 24th, 2005 at 4:34 pmI do not wish to make light of the difficulties involved concerning raising a child, but how does the fetus in the womb relate to those issues? You say “health care” but mean economic difficulty, social stigma, greater responsibility, a treatable illness (post-partum dep.), etc. You are not speaking of the fetus being a physical threat to the mother. When I hear “health care” I think cancer, prescription medication, surgery, etc. I think of a mother in danger. Calling a difficult, unwanted or awkward pregancy a “health care” issue is, in most cases, simply not accurate. To call it such will not help win the war of terms or ideas or get an extra vote or two for whatever side you come down on–it only muddies the deep waters further and takes us both away from discovering a truer understanding.
February 24th, 2005 at 5:06 pmWith the control the Rebublicans exibit over the media – the Propaganda that is being put out – beware !!
February 24th, 2005 at 8:35 pmBad things and times can get worse – that is my fear .
It’s time to get it together and EFFECTIVELY OPPOSE what is being done .
Fascinating Luntz document. There are also a couple of books about how the conservativwes are winning the abortion debate but basicly they frame the issue in ways that play upon ignorance, force yes – no decisions. How many people know that most fertilized eggs aren’t born? Nature, or God if you prefer, is the biggest abortionist out there.
Frank Luntz’s number one reason why Kerry lost. Kerry couldn’t speak from the heart, couldn’t say what he meant, was too much a Washington politician. He strongly implies Bush would have been toast if Dean had been the candidate.
February 25th, 2005 at 12:36 am“We run deficits because Washington spends too much.”
Since the Republicans are running the show, doesn’t this message rebound on them? Can’t it be used against them?
Surely Democratic Congressional Candidates can come up with 5 examples of stupid Republican spending.
February 25th, 2005 at 12:42 pmTHE LUNTZ PLAYBOOK
Do you have a new link to it? The current link doesn’t work!!
Best,
Russ Tisinger
March 2nd, 2005 at 4:57 pmAnnenberg School for Communication
University of Pennsylvania