Reframing the Republican lie about wealth in America

[Squigglenob]

In America, the Republicans are seen as the party of money and wealth. This perception is certainly accurate in one sense - the GOP is the favored party of the wealthy elite. Unfortunately, the party is also supported in large numbers by those who have no wealth, and thanks to the policies of the Republican party, no hope of ever attaining any. But they continue to support the party for reasons that seem irrational to us. Why?

In a nutshell, I want to argue here that they do so because the GOP has, through a long-term and exceptionally effective messaging campaign, drawn around itself the ideology of hope. Forgive a brief over-generalization, but they're the party that preaches wealth and that tells people they can join the club (never mind that the message is a lie, given our current economic policy structure). In the popular frame, the Republicans are often seen as being about getting and having money while the Democrats are about taking your hard-earned money and giving it to people who didn't earn it. The GOP would have you believe that they are dedicated to creating wealth while their opponents are committed to redistributing wealth. This is a powerful message in a nation framed by the Puritan work ethic.

The Democratic party does not at present have an effective counter-message that offers hope in ample measure. Their policies and promises paint a picture of a comparatively flat economic landscape. In essence, the party seems to say "if you want to have enough, we can help you." This is a viable and valid message for a rational population, but in America's media-saturated, hyper-consumerist culture "enough" is a glass ceiling message that doesn't parse as "you can have X" - instead, it parses as "you can only have X." People want to be well-off and if nothing else in the world is clear to us, it should be that hope trumps rationality every time. Successful political action must appeal to the public's aspirations, because psychologically Americans are unwilling and unable to let go of the American Dream they've been fed since they were toddlers.

This must change. Now. Read the rest of Sam Smith's post at Scholars & Rogues

[mzmolly]

1. "the ideology of hope"

Very interesting.

Republicans are often seen as being about getting and having money while the Democrats are about taking your hard-earned money and giving it to people who didn’t earn it. The GOP would have you believe that they are dedicated to creating wealth while their opponents are committed to redistributing wealth. This is a powerful message in a nation framed by the Puritan work ethic.

That appears to be how it's "sold."

[Demeter]

2. "This must change. Now.

If other constituencies are to have access to genuine power and opportunity, the GOP wealth lie must be exposed for what it is and the parties that legitimately favor the creation of wealth instead of the hoarding of wealth must begin crafting messaging that fosters truth and policies that engender a new economic reality for the 99% of Americans on the outside looking in. In a pragmatic sense, this task falls most immediately to the Democrats. However, all parties are implicated in the mission, as are all independents, because the Republican economic disenfranchisement project is aimed at the entirety of the culture. In a very real sense this isn’t about Republicans vs. Democrats, it’s Republicans vs. America."

[mzmolly]

9. Absolutely, poverty has increased dramatically under Bush.

As has the income gap to my understanding? We have plenty of statistics to change this perception.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

3. Grand Oil Party is about rich getting richer & poor getting screwed

One thing to point out is how some of these rich are getting rich such as through tax-payer subsidies such as argi-business, defense contractors, no-bid contracts, etc. They seem to take away a whole lot more $$$ from the gov't troth than do the poor on welfare, but their propaganda stirs up hate against the poor. Look at the illegal immigration spin. Most repukes are blaming the immigrants themselves instead of the gop corporations that are hiring them.

[drslammy]

4. Yup

The corporate welfare angle is important. That's the last item in the table, but I feel like it's an area that would benefit from further development.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

6. Welcome to DU!

When I discuss corp welfare with Republicans they don't like to stay on that subject for long. For some reason they think it is ok, but complain loudly about gov't handouts to the poor. If you really want to get them going talk about how Wall street is nothing but legalized gambling.

[drslammy]

7. Thanks - good to be here.

And when you hit them with that line and they recoil you know you're onto something. As we always said back home, "a bit dog always barks."

[indepat]

5. The entire 'puke screed is but one big lie the easily duped swallow hook, line, and

screed.

[barb162]

8. The GOP has also fashioned itself the party of moral values

And a lot of people buy into that, despite it being so clear they aren't.

[Gelliebeans]

10. thanks for posting this

I really liked the bullet points on reframing the message (I copied a couple)

<snip>

GOP policies favor the hoarding of wealth by an elect few. Those who oppose them promote the creation of wealth by providing opportunity for the many.

The GOP promotes a rigged game where wealth is inherited and business is done via secret deals; those who oppose them insist on a level playing field where wealth is achieved via a fair process.

The old frame of haves vs. have-nots is counter-productive, since people tend to identify with aspirations and identification with “have-not” is defeatist. Even as we may hate them, we also want to be them (or at least, we want to have the freedom and possibility that attends having what they have). Instead, the message of hope that will end GOP ownership of the wealth frame revolves around the haves and the will-haves. Although it’s less catchy rolling off the tongue, another way to frame the haves is to emphasize that they’re the “keeps” or “keep-aways,” which focuses on their greed and selfishness.

When possible, we should point to the idea that at its core we’re seeing a struggle between old money and new horizons. They’re inbred and rule by downward pressure, while we leverage the inherent creativity bound up in America’s birthright of diversity