Category Archives: framing

Are the Voters to Blame?

Posted on November 28, 2015 by politicaloptic

“Throw the bums out!” So say plenty of disgruntled voters in the face of government shutdowns, filibusters, and obstructions in recent years. Polls show that approval ratings for Congress are hovering around 15%, near their all-time lows. Over 70% say they want a turnover in … Continue reading →

Posted in framing, politics of extremism | Tagged accountability, apathy, cynicism, government shutdown, ideology, negativity, self-fulfilling prophecy, voters | Leave a comment

Lessons to be Drawn from Denver Debate

Posted on October 6, 2012 by politicaloptic

Democratic supporters of President Obama were looking for a forceful case for his reelection at Wednesday’s debate. Instead they saw the president withdrawn and in rambling mode, woefully unprepared to answer his opponent’s programmed assault. Having spent weeks rehearsing his lines, Romney overwhelmed Obama … Continue reading →

Posted in framing, political rhetoric, political strategy | Tagged Obama, presidential debate, Romney | Leave a comment

Romney: Rights Come from God

Posted on September 17, 2012 by politicaloptic

In some of his recent speeches, Mitt Romney has come out with the claim that our rights come from God. His rhetoric may be nothing more than garden-variety pandering to a key constituency, in this case the Christian Right. Nonetheless, … Continue reading →

Posted in framing, revisionist history | Tagged Christian Nation, Founders, Mitt Romney, rights | Leave a comment

The Occupy Movement: Success and Limitations

Posted on July 30, 2012 by politicaloptic

No one on the progressive side of the ledger can deny the positive impact of Occupy Wall Street (OWS). After two years of angry verbiage from anti-government tea partiers, the occupiers of Zuccotti Park finally provided a blast of fresh air. By refocusing … Continue reading →

Posted in framing, political strategy, progressivism | Tagged E. J. Dionne, Occupy Wall Street, OWS, populism, Tea Party | 3 Comments

Do Liberals Have a Problem with Populism?

Posted on July 20, 2012 by politicaloptic

During the past four years, the Right has shown a marked ability to take advantage of popular discontent. In the face of one of the most severe financial crises of modern times, it was able to adopt a highly successful populist strategy to serve its anti-governmental … Continue reading →

Posted in framing, political strategy, progressivism | Tagged E. J. Dionne, liberals, Occupy Movement, populism, progressives, Richard Hofstadter, Tea Party | Leave a comment

Deregulation Fever

Posted on July 1, 2012 by politicaloptic

Congressional Republicans, unlike the elephant that symbolizes their party, act as though they have short memories. A key example is their embrace of deregulation in the wake of two of the biggest regulatory screw-ups in generations: the 2008 financial meltdown and the … Continue reading →

Posted in economic policy, framing | Tagged Darrell Issa, deregulation, red tape, regulation, small business | Leave a comment

The Buffett Rule and Democratic Tactics

Posted on April 19, 2012 by politicaloptic

Frames are important in politics. The way an issue is presented is sometimes of greater weight than the accuracy of one’s debating points or the clarity of one’s reasoning. What is critical is how one’s argument plays upon the experience of one’s audience and … Continue reading →

Posted in economic policy, framing, political strategy | Tagged Buffett Rule, Ryan budget, Tea Party movement | 2 Comments

The GOP Budget Strategy: Reframing plus Shock Doctrine

Posted on April 3, 2012 by politicaloptic

Without a doubt, the Republicans seem set upon a high-risk strategy. Their congressional contingent last week decided to put all their chips on the Paul Ryan budget plan (all but ten Republicans voted for it in the House), which if adopted … Continue reading →

Posted in economic policy, framing | Tagged framing, gridlock, Medicare, Ryan budget, Shock Doctrine | Leave a comment