IdeaLog
Don’t start with facts, engage emotions
Posted on June 30, 2021
The conservative movement has abandoned virtually all public policy direction and is, instead, spending its energy feeding grievance and outrage. The question is, how do we respond? Unfortunately, our usual refutation of facts won’t...
Call them “deniers”
Posted on June 16, 2021
Before we get to message framing around “election deniers, vaccine deniers, climate deniers, insurrection deniers,” etc., let’s talk about why. Mitch McConnell and his allies are counting on gridlock to disillusion Democratic voters and...
The pillars of Trumpism are hate, lies and destruction
Posted on June 2, 2021
Whether or not Donald Trump runs for office again, most conservative voters have swallowed the ideology of Trumpism hook, line and sinker. Nevertheless, a significant percentage of conservatives reject the Big Lie and can...
The Big Lie is a historic opportunity
Posted on May 19, 2021
Right to the point: First, we should do everything we can to get conservative policymakers clearly on record in support of “The Big Lie.” Second, call it “The Big Lie” even after you’re sick...
It seems SCOTUS intends to wreck state and local gun laws
Posted on May 5, 2021
The Supreme Court just announced that it will take a case designed to dangerously expand Second Amendment “rights.” The case is called New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Corlett and it would...
Don’t say “cancel culture” or “culture wars”
Posted on April 21, 2021
American conservatism has become little more than a communications engine, using bigotry as its hottest fuel. One common tactic for conservatives is to manipulate language to reframe bigotry as something else. That’s the case...
A proactive strategy shifts the debate
Posted on April 7, 2021
Whether your jurisdiction is red, blue or purple, progressives need to go on the offensive. We must make the development of proactive policy a central component of our work. We must drive bold, proactive...
Progressive Values that Persuade
Posted on March 24, 2021
Progressives have a fairly consistent agenda; we know what we stand for. But we don’t always do the best job persuading typical Americans that we’re on their side. That’s because we tend to speak...
The coming battle of extreme versus mainstream
Posted on March 10, 2021
The 2022 Republican primary elections will be a bloodbath. The MAGA crowd is going to massacre not just moderates, but anyone who is unwilling to support Trump’s shameless lies. The resulting Marjorie Taylor Greene...
$15 minimum wage is great politics
Posted on February 24, 2021
Some “moderate” political leaders are shying away from a $15 per hour minimum wage because they have the impression that, politically, it’s a bridge too far. They’re wrong! A $15 minimum wage is popular...