Frank Luntz: Republican Spin Doctor, Part I

Frank Luntz on Fox News by crooksandliars.com

Frank Luntz is a Republican political consultant and pollster. He has most notably worked with Fox News as a frequent commentator and analyst and a Republican Party consultant. You might have remembered Luntz from his use of focus groups during the previous presidential debates. Luntz specializes in “testing language and finding words that will help his clients sell their product or turn public opinion on an issue or candidate”. In other words, Luntz is a political spin doctor. Think of Luntz when Republicans come up with a piece of legislation called “The Clear Skies Initiative” which allows polluters to self-regulate.

Last week, at the Republican Governors Association’s annual meeting, GOP leaders had a chance to talk and strategize with Luntz about how to deal with the Occupy movement. Luntz said of the movement, “I’m so scared of this anti-Wall Street effort. I’m frightened to death…They’re having an impact on what the American people think of capitalism.”

Luntz went on to list 10 do’s and don’ts for Republicans when fielding questions from their constituents. The following are the first five on the list, as reported by Yahoo News, along with my commentary. Next week, I will comment on the remaining 5 do’s and don’ts on Luntz’s list.

1. Don’t say ‘capitalism.’

F.L.: “I’m trying to get that word removed and we’re replacing it with either ‘economic freedom’ or ‘free market,’ “Luntz said.”The public . . . still prefers capitalism to socialism, but they think capitalism is immoral. And if we’re seen as defenders of quote, Wall Street, end quote, we’ve got a problem.”

D.W.: I love this first statement by Luntz. I find the statement to be extremely revealing.  It’s tempting to write a whole article just on this point. In fact, Rush Limbaugh was so upset at Luntz’s comment on capitalism, Limbaugh went on an unusual screech attacking the Republican spin doctor for even suggesting capitalism is becoming a bad word. But Luntz is right. Unregulated capitalism has been proven, time and time again, to have disastrous consequences on the economy.

The Occupy movement has made it clear, both the Republicans and the Democrats have been far too cozy with the banks and other big corporate interests. Both parites have allowed the corporate industrial complex to run amok. Luntz doesn’t want Republican’s to be overtly seen as championing the capitalist cause over the interested of the general public. However, it’s a little too late for that one.

2. Don’t say that the government ‘taxes the rich.’ Instead, tell them that the government ‘takes from the rich.’

F.L.: “If you talk about raising taxes on the rich,” the public responds favorably, Luntz cautioned. But “if you talk about government taking the money from hardworking Americans, the public says no. Taxing, the public will say yes.”

D.W.: This is where Luntz’s evil genius comes out. Luntz wants Republicans to suggest to Americans that taxes are a bad thing. It is government taking something away from you. Taxes are therefore personally harmful and the government is acting like a bully by stealing away your money. By suggesting this, Republicans want Americans to be resentful of their government, rather than supportive.

Now I know there is a long and healthy history of Americans from both the political left and right distrusting their government. It is that distrust that often keeps the government in check. However, by framing taxes as an abuse of power, Luntz shifts the debate away from the normal and healthy distrust of the government into a position closer to a hatred for our government. This is not a healthy understanding of what taxes do. Without taxes we would not have a police force to protect us, fire department, roads, public schools, or a military. Taxes not only take from us, they also give us the things that make our lives better. Most American believe paying their taxes is duty to “God  and county.”

In addition, I would not call someone like Paris Hilton a “hardworking American.” Nor would I call day traders that spend their morning hours gambling on the stock market “hardworking American”. Many of the ultra rich are neither working hard nor are they really adding jobs to our economy. Yet, thanks to the GOP, they pay a smaller percentage of the income in taxes than many in the middle class. This is just wrong.

3. Republicans should forget about winning the battle over the ‘middle class.’ Call them ‘hardworking taxpayers.’

F.L.: “They cannot win if the fight is on hardworking taxpayers. We can say we defend the ‘middle class’ and the public will say, I’m not sure about that. But defending ‘hardworking taxpayers’ and Republicans have the advantage.”

D.W.: Notice how in rule number two Luntz calls the richest 1 %  “hardworking Americans” and now in rule number three the “middle class”, 50% of Americans, are also “hardworking taxpayers.” Revealingly, Luntz concedes the Republicans cannot honestly claim to defend the middle class. That is a losing battle for the GOP. No one really believes the Republicans are defending the middle class.  (Not that the Democrats have done much better in defending the interests of the middle class either.) However, to deflect that reality, Luntz suggests the middle class are essentially the same as the richest “1%”. The middle class are all just “hardworking taxpayers”. Never mind the fact that Republicans have been actively working to destroy unions and the social safety nets which have been directly responsible for building America’s the middle class.

4. Don’t talk about ‘jobs.’ Talk about ‘careers.’

F.L.: “Everyone in this room talks about ‘jobs,'” Luntz said. “Watch this.”

He then asked everyone to raise their hand if they want a “job.” Few hands went up. Then he asked who wants a “career.” Almost every hand was raised.

“So why are we talking about jobs?”

D.W.: Of course if you are in the top 1% you most likely are not in need of a job. Careers usually come after you have a job. Luntz wants the Republicans to avoid talking about jobs and go onto some lofty ideological message about individuals creating a career for themselves.

I have a friend who is a pediatrician and owned her own home and medical practice. Her son became sick and her health insurance company dumped her. Because of her income and career the state and federal government wouldn’t help her. However, as her son’s medical bills added up she eventually lost her home and medical practice and found herself homeless before she was eligible for any government assistance. It took her more than three years to find another job in her profession. When I met her, she was serving drinks and taking orders at a coffeehouse.

Tens of millions of Americans lost their jobs and careers as a result of the Republican pushed policies to deregulate the banks. Others, like my friend, lost it all as a result of a healthcare system that is overly reliant of capitalism and profits over people. It is not their fault that the economy collapsed, they were laid off, or our healthcare system is so broken that it drives tens of thousands of families into bankruptcy each year. The nation’s high unemployment numbers are a result of the Republicans, and the Democrats alike, making policies that allowed Wall Street to take, or more like steal, hardworking American’s jobs and the retirement funds that went with them.

With advice like this coming from Luntz, it is no surprise the GOP has not done anything to create a jobs bill in congress and has done everything possible to hamper Obama’s successful 1.5 million new jobs Stimulus bill. Republicans don’t want to talk about jobs because they don’t want to actually work to fix the unemployment problem. If they did, that would have made Obama look good, and the GOP is not having any of that. This of course goes to the fact that the Republicans have proven they are willing to put their own partisan interests ahead of everyday hardworking, unemployed or underemployed, Americans that just want to go back to work.

5. Don’t say ‘government spending.’ Call it ‘waste.’

F.L.: “It’s not about ‘government spending.’ It’s about ‘waste.’ That’s what makes people angry.”

D.W. As Republican icon Ronald Reagan famously said, “There he goes again.” Luntz wants Republicans to create an atmosphere in which Americans resent and are angry at their government.  Of course we all dislike wasteful spending. But that is not what Luntz wants the GOP message to say. What Luntz is suggesting is all ‘government spending’ is wasteful. That means spending money to retrofit that bridge that is about to collapse is an example of government waste. That is why the GOP is block the presidents jobs bill that will build and retrofit a small fraction of our nation’s infrastructure

Frank Luntz is known for his gift of framing (falsely, in my opinion) political debates. Often his selective use of words seems designed to deflect and confuse Americans, not bring them to a better understanding. In a PBS interview Luntz gave in 2004, he spoke of how he uses language to appeal to American’s emotions. It is a powerful technique, but not always honest.

The first five do’s and don’t explores how Republicans would like Americans to view the rich, middle class, and poor. The list exposes the Republicans plan to turn Americans against their government. In addition, the list exploits American emotions for political gain. From my point of view, the list exposes the Republicans cynical ideology and brings to light the deep commitment to distort the truth. The second half of the list reveals how Republicans plan on framing the Occupy movement. Essentially, they wish to appear as the political party that understands the Occupy movement and supports their goals, by offering more of the same policies that economically brought the nation to its knees in the first place. Visit this site next week for part two.

Republicans, Ayn Rand, and Satanism?

“Ayn Rand, more than anyone else, did a fantastic job of explaining the morality of capitalism, the morality of individualism. And this to me is what matters most.”  Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Paul Ryan.

 

(Now that Mitt Romney has officially selected Wisconsin U.S. Representative Paul Ryan as his running-mate, I thought I might be a good idea to republish an article I originally wrote for Project Censored in June, 2011.  For Ryan’s friends, family, and staff, Ayn Rand is required  reading).

In the interest of full disclosure, I consider myself spiritually agnostic. That said, can I get a Hallelujah! Some Christians are finally getting hip to the fact that Republicans have been worshiping at the altar of Ayn Rand, and unwittingly the Church of Satan. I kid you not. Well, at least the part about Ayn Rand. As for the Satanism bit, there is only one degree of separation between Rand’s philosophy and Satanism, but more on this later.

Personally, I enjoyed reading Rand’s books. Perhaps twenty years ago, I  read her novels Atlas Shrugged, and The Fountainhead, as well as her non-fiction book Virtue of Selfishness. Rand is most known for her novels. However, Rand’s philosophy of “Objectivism” is what attracted both me and many extreme Right-wingers in America. Coming from a conservative Christian family, I have followed the writings and influences of Right-wing extremism my entire life. In the 1970’s, for summer vacation, our family went to Ocean Grove, New Jersey for a James Dobson, Focus on the Family, “Dare to Discipline” seminar.

Anyway, I rejected Dobson and Rand’s philosophies. Deep down inside, I was convinced altruism was inherently moral, valuable, and virtuous. However, I agree with some of what Rand espoused. For example, like Rand, Aristotle, and our Founding Fathers,  I believe reason and logic should play a determining role in one’s life. I also agree with Rand avoidance of superstitions. However, I strongly disagree with her conclusions on individualism and collectivism. Rand seems to suggest individualism and collectivism is always working against each other and can never work hand in hand. I find Rand’s worldview to be a dark and disturbing portrait in black and white.

For Rand, a child of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, capitalism and socialism were diametrically opposing ideas that could never be balanced. Rand believed Liaise-Faire capitalism represented the highest form of morality. She believed it was only logical that individuals sought after their own selfish needs first and foremost. She claimed those that pursued a morality of selfishness were most able to rise to the top and conquer the world. By the virtue of their selfish ambitions, individuals could acquire great material wealth, power, and individual freedoms. Therefore, Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism is essentially the virtue of selfish individualism.

Since the McCarthy area, Rand’s Objectivism has been a leading philosophy for both Right-wing extremist and radical libertarians. Although, it should be pointed out, many notable mainstream conservatives became early fans of Rand’s. In fact, Alan Greenspan once was a member of Rand’s New York “Collective”. Some biographies have described Rand’s “Collective” as somewhat like a “cult”.

For those that are not interested in reading Rand’s books, check out this three part interview of Ayn Rand, conducted in 1959 by Mike Wallace. Here are the links to Part I, Part II, and Part III. The entire interview is fascinating, but I’ll quote one question and answer from the interview:

Wallace: “How does your philosophy translate into politics? One of the most principle achievements of this country in the past twenty years and practically, I think most people agree, is the gradual growth of social protective legislation based on the principle that we are our bothers keeper. How do you feel about the political trends of the United States, Western world?”

Ayn Rand: “The way everybody feels, except more consciously. I feel that it is terrible. That you see destruction and that you are moving toward disaster, until and unless all those welfare state conceptions have been reversed and rejected. It is precisely these trends that are bringing the world toward disaster. Because, we are now moving toward complete collectivism, or socialism. A system in which everyone is enslaved to everybody and we are moving that way only because of our altruistic morality.”

Rand goes on to state that she is in favor of complete separation of economy and state, like the separation of church and state. Rand further states that she believes the government does not have the right to regulate the affairs of it citizens, nor demand they pay taxes. She suggests taxes  should be voluntary.

I rejected Rand’s Objectivism because I believe people putting themselves first does not always promote economic efficiency, nor does it represent the best of America or the human spirit. I believe, as our Founding Fathers believed, it is the government’s role to make laws and raise taxes to promote and protect the general welfare of the people. In fact, after the American Revolution, the first order of business by the first U.S. Congress was to levy tariffs (import taxes) and to tax wealthy businesses –  via the Whiskey Tax. Benjamin Franklyn famously said, “In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.” Guided by the policies of Alexander Hamilton and the leadership of George Washington, the Founding Fathers took the money raised by the tariffs and taxes and used the funds to help pay off America’s war debt, build bridges, roads and schools. This, of course, is an example of early American collectivism, which Rand and the Right-wing have openly scorned.

As I mentioned before, Christian groups are beginning to get hip on the whole Republican selfish Objectivism ideology. A recent campaign, by the American Values Network (AVN), a coalition of Christian organizations, has blasted Representative Paul Ryan and the Republican Party’s budget plans, which they are calling the “Rand Plan”. At this AVN website, a video ad shows Senator Rand Paul, along with other Republican leaders like Rush Limbaugh and Fox News, praising Ayn Rand’s philosophy. Representative Paul Ryan is seen in the video clip stating, “Ayn Rand, more than anyone else, did a fantastic job of explaining the morality of capitalism, the morality of individualism. And this to me is what matters most.”

According to AVN, Paul Ryan requires all his staff, including interns, to read Atlas Shrugged. Republican’s devotion to Rand’s selfish morality has become the final straw for many Christians. AVN is now speaking out against the Right-wings selfish lead morality. Here are the opening two paragraphs from the AVN webpage:

“GOP leaders and conservative pundits have brought upon themselves a crisis of values. Many who for years have been the loudest voices invoking the language of faith and moral values are now praising the atheist philosopher Ayn Rand whose teachings stand in direct contradiction to the Bible. Rand advocates a law of selfishness over love and commands her followers to think only of themselves, not others. She said her followers had to choose between Jesus and her teachings.

GOP leaders want to argue that they are defending Christian principles. But, at the same time, Rep. Paul Ryan (author of the GOP budget) is posting facebook videos praising Rand’s morality and saying hers is the “kind of thinking that is sorely needed right now.” Simply put, Paul Ryan can’t have it both ways, and neither can Christians. As conservative evangelical icon Chuck Colson recently stated, Christians can not support Rand’s philosophy and Christ’s teachings. The choice is simple: Ayn Rand or Jesus Christ. We must choose one and forsake the other.”

As a religiously agnostic person, I don’t really care about Rand’s atheism. However, as with the Christian groups, I believe Rand’s selfish driven, utopian vision morality of capitalism and individualism to be, in fact, immoral. One of the many Bible texts the Christians are quoting to counter the GOP’s worshiping at the altar of selfishness is Luke 27 – 30:

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.  Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.”

Many Christians are claiming the GOP’s budget plans are inspired by Rand and antithetical to Jesus Christ. In case the Christians missed it, I would like to provide a bit of further proof for the claim Rand’s philosophy is diametrically opposite of Jesus’ message. Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, melded Ayn Rand’s philosophy into the Satanic Bible. Here are direct quotes from the Church of Satan website from the official biography of LaVey and the ideology behind his book the Satanic Bible:

“Unlike the founders of other religions, who claimed exalted “inspiration” delivered through some supernatural entity, LaVey readily acknowledged that he used his own faculties to synthesize Satanism, based on his understanding of the human animal and insights gained from earlier philosophers who advocated materialism and individualism…

By the end of 1969, LaVey had taken monographs he had written to explain the philosophy and ritual practices of the Church of Satan and melded them with all of his philosophical influences from Ayn Rand, Nietzsche, Mencken, and London along with the base wisdom of the carnival folk.”

Rand’s philosophy of materialism and individualism plays a key role in the ideology of Satanism. Not that I really give any credit to Satanism. In fact, I give as much weight to Satanism as I do Objectivism.  The whole Satanism thing is mostly for entertainment sake. After all, LaVey was actually a talented entertainer before developing the modern philosophy of Satanism. Like LaVey,  Rand started out as an entertainer before developing her own philosophy. Perhaps Rand was secretly entertained by the fact that people were following her philosophy? The fact that modern Satanism was influenced by Ayn Rand’s philosophy is a  sideshow, but something I find entertaining and  something my Christians friends might find curious, scary, or just outright disturbing.

You don’t have to be a Christian to believe in much of what Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” and “Love your enemy.” These are hard words to follow, yet deep down many people know the truth in these words. Not only that, recent studies has confirmed altruism has been show to have positive health effects. Therefore it is logical to support the Bible when it declares in Act 25:30, “I have shown you all things, how that so laboring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive”.

While I agree with Ayn Rand that one must be lead by logic and reason, I find people are seldom logical and reasonable. Our Founding Fathers also valued logic and reason.  Yet, as practical men, they knew our budding nation needed  to collectively pull together. We needed to become a network of communities (a republic) bound by a greater purpose and sharing in its common dreams and fortunes.  The collective dreams and purpose of our Founding Fathers were laid out in the Declaration of Independence,  the U.S. Constitution and other early national documents. While on the surface our national documents may seem to some  logical and reasonable, they are actually wide open for interpretation and at times anything but logical and reasonable.

Our Founding Fathers were able to balance the collective interests of our nation with the interests of the individual. They heavily regulated capitalism and laid the pathway to collectivism and  socialism. In spite of what the Right-wing ideologues would like people to believe, (Satanists proudly proclaim to be devout liars) Hamilton and Washington, used the collective wealth of the nation to create schools, pay off debts and provide for the general welfare of our new nation.

The GOP has turned bridge building and other acts of  national collectivism from our Founding Fathers into acts of evil. The Right-wing holds materialism, individualism, capitalism, and selfishness as the highest forms of morality. Seven days a week, Satanists and GOP “Christians” are preaching the “virtues” of materialism, individualism, selfishness,  and Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism.  Paul Ryan’s budget plans are designed to deregulate  industries, systematically strip away the middle-class safety-net, grow the national debt, and further concentrate America’s wealth into the hands of a few, very powerfully, selfish driven people. Just as Ayn Rand envisioned.