Thursday, November 06, 2008

Communication Strategies

If the GOP ever gets a clue it is going to need to do a few things:

*Impose message discipline and voting discipline on its members.

*Cut off the bolshevik drive-by media. Reward those outlets that give a fair shake, ignore those that don't. Empower conservative media by giving them the scoops and the inside track. Disempower the bolsheviks by cutting them out of the loop. Ignore the outraged cries of unfairness from those who show little familiarity with the very concept of fairness.

*Control the terminology of debate. For example, no Republican should even use the term "same sex marriage" when discussing the issue. Using the term carries an implicit message that such a thing exists, and that people are being denied the right to it. The simple fact is, such a thing does not exist. Pick something more pertinent to the issue as seen by your supporters. How about "coerced approval?" A GOP politician could simply say when asked about "gay marriage": "I am opposed to coerced approval of homosexual lifestyles. As far as I'm concerned, two people can have any relationship they like, and privately call it whatever they like. But what they cannot do is use the power of the state (which in the final analysis comes at the point of a gun) and force everyone else to change the meaning of an already defined term. They want this term for the purpose of compelling others, under penalty of law, to voice approval of their lifestyle. I oppose this, and find this to be a very ungrateful way to reward those who have already extended them so much tolerance and understanding." GOP politicians should stick to the message and make sure they refer to the issue as "coerced approval," no matter how much crying the other side does. It's a point of basic honesty, because the term most accurately describes the issue. Having the correct term means the battle is half won. And it makes it very clear to supporters what the ramifications of losing the battle are.

Again, this all assumes that the GOP is capable of getting a clue.

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