How progressive people should talk about the economy
Progressives should use messages about the economy that help us win rather than messages conservatives have given us that help them win.
Sounds easy, right? It’s not. The language we use often feels natural and is difficult to change. Take this for example (a message I’ve used frequently):
Wealth doesn’t trickle down as promised, yet we are told the lie that we must do whatever big business wants or we’ll hurt the economy. Politicians need to stop acting only for the wealthy elite instead of caring about everyday people.
The above sounds like a progressive argument but uses conservative frames. It tells their story. Changing how we talk is difficult, especially when we don’t have an alternative language. And when it comes to the economy, the language is often deliberately alienating.
Language is powerful in shaping how we understand issues and ideas. That’s why conservatives have, over the past 40+ years, created a powerful ideas and messaging infrastructure. They use it to test and refine messages. And also, they’ve created a media infrastructure to go with it.
Ever heard an Australian Liberal Party or NZ National Party message and thought, “that’s stupid”? Instead, assume it isn’t. If conservatives are repeating a word, phrase, or meme, they know it works because they’ve tested it.
Some recent conservative message examples in Australia include:
The Bill Australia can’t afford
The premature, but very effective “Back in black and back on track”
Or this recent one from Peta Credlin:
Any time is a good time to spend because “someone else’s money is music to a socialist’s ears.”
In New Zealand there was an imaginary “$11.7 billion fiscal hole.”
This phrase dominated the latter part of the 2017 election campaign. In rebutting the specific figure the left spread the false message. It knocked at least a few per cent off Labour’s 2017 election result.
Progressives often use messages that have either been given to us by conservatives, don’t resonate with persuadable voters, or are bland and devoid of moral values. Because we use conservative frames, every time we put forward our argument we’re helping conservatives win.
Let’s stop doing that.
While progressives don’t have a messaging infrastructure comparable to the right there are messaging experts such as America’s George Lakoff (Don’t Think of An Elephant), Drew Weston (The Political Brain), and Anat Shenker-Osario (Don’t Buy It: The Trouble with Talking Nonsense About the Economy).
The latter helped author this important guide for progressives about how to talk about the economics. The authors analysed the language people in Australia use to talk about economics. They also conducted focus groups, quantitative surveys and dial tests with a representative sample of over 1500 voters and 60 advocates. The result is an evidence-based guide and six page cheat sheet for how to talk about the economy using progressive language and frames.
To go back to my example from earlier, the guide suggests replacing our opponents (or conservative) frame:
Wealth doesn’t trickle down as promised, yet we are told the lie that we must do whatever big business wants or we’ll hurt the economy. Politicians need to stop acting only for the wealthy elite instead of caring about everyday people.
Instead, replace it with our own story:
We all deserve a fair share of the wealth our work creates. The government should protect penalty rates. They should not give a tax cut to big business. It’s time to change the rules to make Australia fair for everyone.
On climate it suggests replacing their frame:
‘The cost of not acting on climate change actually outweighs the cost of taking action.’ Or ‘Polluters should pay.’
And instead talking about people and planet, not dollars and cents:
We can continue to enjoy our lives in harmony with our planet and with plenty of energy if we get our energy from clean sources like the sun and wind.
It’s so easy to revert to the messages we hear often. But remember this – every time we make what sounds like a progressive argument but use a conservative frame – they’re winning. The status quo is winning. Conservative economics and lack of action on climate damage is winning.
