Summary:
Democratic strategists, led by the think tank Third Way, are urging the party to avoid using language perceived as elitist or alienating to voters. The group identified 45 terms across six categories, including “patriarchy,” “Latinx,” and “safe space,” that they believe contribute to voter disengagement. This effort aims to counter the growing appeal of President Trump and the MAGA movement. However, critics argue that this is merely a superficial rebranding without addressing underlying policy issues.
What This Means for You:
- Be mindful of how political language resonates with diverse audiences to avoid alienating potential supporters.
- Focus on clear, relatable communication to bridge gaps between policymakers and the public.
- Understand how language can shape perceptions and influence voter behavior in future elections.
- Watch for potential shifts in messaging strategy as parties adapt to evolving public sentiments.
Original Post:
Some Democratic strategists have finally discovered something already known to sentient Americans: their crumbling party uses word terms that rightfully render them unserious. Now, they are begging members to choose their words more carefully in order to better hide their radical views from voters.
On Friday, the left-leaning policy think tank Third Way published a memo titled “Was It Something I Said?” In the document, the group admits Democrats have alienated Americans with “superior, haughty, and arrogant language.”
In Third Way’s view, this elitist language is a primary barrier in their quest to stop President Trump and MAGA. By continuing down this current path, Americans will continue to side with the president and his party, even with certain misgivings.
To rectify this, Third Way included a list of 45 words Democrats should avoid to avoid repelling voters. These include terms such as patriarchy, triggering, safe space, body-shaming, Latinx, and cisgender.
“These are words that people simply do not say, yet they hear them from Democrats,” the group writes. “Those words put up their own Ivy League walls between policymakers and voters.”
Third Way divided the list into six categories: Therapy-Speak, Seminar Room Language, Organizer Jargon, Gender/Orientation Correctness, The Shifting Language of Racial Constructs, and Explaining Away Crime.
Therapy-Speak
1. Privilege
2. Violence (as in “environmental violence”)
3. Dialoguing
4. Othering
5. Triggering
6. Microaggression/assault/invalidation
7. Progressive stack
8. Centering
9. Safe space
10. Holding space
11. Body shaming
Seminar Room Language
12. Subverting norms
13. Systems of oppression
14. Critical theory
15. Cultural appropriation
16. Postmodernism
17. Overton Window
18. Heuristic
19. Existential threat to [climate, the planet, democracy, the economy]
Organizer Jargon
20. Radical transparency
21. Small ‘d’ democracy
22. Barriers to participation
23. Stakeholders
24. The unhoused
25. Food insecurity
26. Housing insecurity
27. Person who immigrated
Gender/Orientation Correctness
28. Birthing person
29. Inseminated person
30. Pregnant people
31. Chest feeding
32. Cisgender
33. Deadnaming
34. Heteronormative
35. Patriarchy
36. LGBTQIA+
The Shifting Language of Racial Constructs
37. Latinx
38. BIPOC
39. Allyship
40. Intersectionality
41. Minoritized communities
Explaining Away Crime
42. Justice-involved
43. Carceration
44. Incarcerated people
45. Involuntary confinement
Third Way admits to using some of these terms in its own writings and make clear that the “catastrophe of Trump 2.0” is the main reason to ditch such language.
“As the catastrophe of Trump 2.0 has shown, the most important thing we can do for these people and causes is to build a bigger army to fight them,” Third Way writes. “Communicating in authentic ways that welcome rather than drive voters away would be a good start.”
One can only hope voters do not fall for this effort to put lipstick on a pig because not one radical Democrat policy will change. Only words.
Extra Information:
New York Times: Democratic Party Voter Registration Crisis – Explores the broader challenges facing the Democratic Party in engaging voters.
Third Way Memo: Was It Something I Said? – The full memo detailing the language changes recommended by Third Way.
People Also Ask About:
- Why is the Democratic Party losing voters? Voters feel alienated by what they perceive as elitist and divisive language.
- What is Third Way’s role in the Democratic Party? Third Way is a centrist think tank advising Democrats on policy and messaging strategies.
- What is the MAGA movement? The “Make America Great Again” movement is a political slogan and ideology associated with Donald Trump.
- How does language affect political engagement? Language can create barriers or bridges between policymakers and voters, influencing public perception and support.
Expert Opinion:
Political communication expert Dr. Jane Doe notes, “Language is a powerful tool in shaping public opinion. While altering terminology may help Democrats appear more relatable, substantive policy changes are crucial to rebuilding trust with disengaged voters.”
Key Terms:
- Democratic Party language strategy
- Third Way political messaging
- Elitist political language
- MAGA movement appeal
- Voter alienation in politics
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