Reconstructing Luntz - Part I

I've decided to work on the Luntz memo and toss out some talking points so Dems & progressives can defend themselves against the noise machine.

I'm going to focus Luntz's, The 14 Words Never To Use, from his recently leaked report.

Here's the List:

Never Say --- Instead Say
Government --- Washington
Privatization/Private Accounts --- Personalization/Personal Accounts
Tax Reform --- Tax Simplification
Inheritance/Estate Tax --- The Death Tax
Global Economy/Globalization/Capitalism --- Free Market Economy
Outsourcing --- Taxation, Regulation, Litigation, Innovation, Education
Undocumented Workers --- Illegal Aliens
Foreign Trade --- International Trade
Drilling for Oil --- Exploring for Energy
Tort Reform --- Lawsuit Abuse Reform
Trial Lawyer --- Personal Injury Lawyer
Corporate Transparency --- Corporate Accountability
School Choice --- Parental Choice / Equal Opportunity in Education
Health Care Choice --- The Right to Choose

Part I
1. Government --- Washington
2. Privatization/Private Accounts --- Personalization/Personal Accounts
3. Tax Reform --- Tax Simplification
4. Inheritance/Estate Tax --- The Death Tax


1. Government --- Washington
This may be the only entry that will work for both Democrats and Republicans. What Luntz suggests here is outsider 101. Given that the Republicans are solidly in power, it's going to be a much tougher sell for the GOP than Democrats. However, the conservative advantage in the media provides for an even playing field.

Luntz says:

The fact is, most Americans appreciate their local government that picks up their trash, cleans the streets, and provides police and transportation services. Washington is the problem. Remind voters again and again about Washington spending, Washington waste, Washington taxation, Washington Bureaucracy, Washington rules and Washington regulations. Then remind voters that if Washington created this mess, it is Washington's responsibility to fix it. "If we expect to succeed, we must look to ourselves and not to Washington to raise our kids, start our businesses and improve our day-to-day lives." If you must talk about government, use the context defined by President Bush: "Government should help people improve their lives, not try to run their lives."

It appears that Luntz is trying to position the GOP as the outsider. Remind voters that the party in power is the Washington elite. Dems and progressives should also remind voters that the state we are in is due to a decade of GOP control. Responsibility for the state of the nation lays squarely on the shoulders of the party in power and that party is failing. We've tried the GOP for a decade and it's not working. Remind voters that blaming Bill Clinton won't work anymore. Dems and progressives should also reinforce the positive aspects of local government while stressing how local government is being squeezed by Washington.

2. Privatization/Private Accounts --- Personalization/Personal Accounts
What more can be said about the privatization of social security? It may be the single most covered topic of the new year. However, Dems and progressives must keep drilling home its points.

Luntz says:

Many more Americans would "personalize" Social Security than privatize"one-third would privatize it. Why? Personalizing Social Security suggests ownership and controlwinners and losers. BANISH PRIVATIZATION FROM YOUR LEXICONIn short, Luntz advises lying to voters. Note Luntz's own language here: "...suggests ownership and control." [Emphasis mine. -CRK] The term does not actually grant ownership and control, it only suggests ownership and control. Remind voters that personalization does not grant control, it only puts your name on a file. Dems and progressives should remind voters that to date, there is no plan from the Bush administration, only a loose collection of ideas designed to make the Wall Street money changers rich. Tell it like it is: the plan is to privatize Social Security where there will be winners and losers. Ask voters if they would like to deal with a "Government Investment Advisor" when planning their retirement.

3. Tax Reform --- Tax Simplification
Tax Simplification sounds great. But we know what it really means: cutting taxes for the wealthiest Americans while slashing programs that help the rest of us.

Luntz says:

While a majority of Americans are generally in favor of tax reform, one-third of the population fears that they would end up paying more in taxes if the tax code was in fact reformed. However, almost all Americans believe they would personally benefit from a tax code that was simplified - in terms of money they owe, time they spend and anxiety about the IRS. When more Americans fear the IRS than root-canal surgery, something should be done to simplify the tax code.

The GOP hates to offer up real ideas. Instead they tend to throw out carefully worded trial balloons to see if the phrase will serve to mask their true intentions. Dems and progressives need to offer a real solution here. Until that solution is revealed, remind voters that every time the GOP touches the tax code working people lose and Washington special interests win.

4. Inheritance/Estate Tax --- The Death Tax
There are several details about the estate tax like thresholds, triggers and tax levels, that I simply don't know. But that's a good thing because most American voters don't know the details either.

Luntz says:

While a sizeable 68% of America thinks the inheritance/Estate Tax is unfair, fully 78% think that the Death Tax is unfair. And while a narrow majority would repeal the Inheritance/Estate, an overwhelming majority would repeal the death tax. If you want to kill the estate tax, call it a death tax.

The Death Tax is an opening for Democrats to speak about the debt/deficit. By speaking about the Death Tax through the lens of the Birth Tax, Dems and progressives can turn the table by weighing the morality of who should pay the bills of government. Talk about the fundamental fairness of who pays the tax: someone who has used the resources of America or someone who has yet to use those resources. Remind voters that the GOP is shifting the tax burden not just from the wealthy to the working, but from the living to the unborn.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::

Part II
5. Global Economy/Globalization/capitalism --- Free Market Economy
6. Outsourcing --- Taxation, Regulation, Litigation, Innovation, Education
7. Undocumented Workers --- Illegal Aliens

Part III
8. Foreign Trade --- International Trade
9. Drilling for Oil --- Exploring for Energy
10. Tort Reform --- Lawsuit Abuse Reform

Part IV
11. Trial Lawyer --- Personal Injury Lawyer
12. Corporate Transparency --- Corporate Accountability
13. School Choice --- Parental Choice / Equal Opportunity in Education
14. Health Care Choice --- The Right to Choose