"RWers remark 'rattles' Democrats" - just noticed something.

[baby_mouse]

This is one of their tactics - where possible placed the Democrats as the passive noun in a sentence.

Example:

"Democrat Criticises Bush Policy"

Is replaced with:

"Bush Policy Unnerves Democrats"

Shifting the ACTION TAKEN from the ACTIVE participant to the PASSIVE participant.

When Bush is criticised, the Democrats are the active participant, but they are always reported in passive grammatical terms.

(This had been annoying me for some time and I've only just put my finger oint. Slow on the uptake much...)

Easy fixed! Copy the tactic. :-)

[Lerkfish]

1. good observation.

k & r!

[Bark Bark Bark]

2. Headlines

Yes, I've noticed things like this, too. In a similar vein, my local crapwipe (SFChronicle) features these sort of headlines (paraphrased below) regularly:

"Democrats Fail To Pin Down Alito"

versus

"Republicans Frustrated By Slow Progress"

It's a Liberal Press, all right.
And I'm a Jedi Knight.

[zbdent]

6. Much to learn, this one has

So sayeth zbdent, in his best Yoda/Grover voice . . .

[Viva_La_Revolution]

13. ...

[librechik]

3. Great comment--thx for the advice on how to unDU the damage

[rodeodance]

4. so, how to get the 'liberrrrrl' press to go along!!

[baby_mouse]

10. Reverse and reverse AGAIN.

"Democrats Bemused by Bush Apoplexy"

"Democrats Unsurprised by Fundamentalist Demands"

If we lead, they'll follow.

In the end, they'll have to. They're aware of the alternative.

[Cocoa]

5. they also have a novel approach to tenses

traditional news is about the present or very recent past.

Regarding Alito, they're mostly concerned with predicting the future.

From the top of Yahoo news: "Alito Likely to Win Committee Approval"

[baby_mouse]

14. It's also time we started attacking the news agencies themselves.

"Yahoo Claims Signs Point to Alito's Good Fortune"

It's time to abandon a neutral position. If Yahoo are going to behave like some silly astrologer they can be treated as such.

But we must tread softly. Too much sarcasm and the dimwits will catch on...

Hm... I think I'm chanelling a sort of Rove in Reverse...

[lpbk2713]

7. The intent of the syntax is to put Dems/Libs on the defensive.

Hopefully to make us argue from a position of weakness. It's all well calculated. If we're more focused on defending our positions then we disregard the real issues. I've heard Limbo talk "strategy" before and this is one of his pointers.

[izzybeans]

8. I have no doubt that this reflects the hyper-paternalistic mindset

of a highly committed republican. I don't think its done intentionally. I think its done unthinkingly because they assume one must bow before and thus be passive before their leader. I think when they speak of themselves and their relationship to dear leader they place themselves in a passive relationship with him as well. It is a symptom of their utter submission to power. They are subjects not citizens and they unconsciously expect everyone to act that way. Subjects are passive recipients of the offerings of power. Citizens are active participants in that offering. That gets reflected in word choice and syntax IMHO. "Bush has me all in nots" vs. "I'm fucking pissed and can't take it anymore."

You'd be giving them too much credit for planning their words so carefully.

[EFerrari]

9. It's a denial of agency. n/t

[baby_mouse]

12. I don't understand.

What do you mean by "agency" in this context?

[EFerrari]

15. Power to act.

I am the subject and have a bunch of agency.

You make me the object, you have it all. :)

[baby_mouse]

18. Ah, RIGHTY. Hmmm.... nt.

[bleever]

11. Great observation. Rec'd. nt

[mtnsnake]

16. This is the area where republicans have had our number for decades

Their think tanks are light years ahead of us, as George Lakoff will attest to.

[baby_mouse]

17. It will take no time at all to catch up.

None.

Their tanks have a small number of very simple strategies, which they repeat. That's all.

[mtnsnake]

19. True, but it's a shame that it took us 30 years to figure it out

We not only have to catch up in a hurry, but we have to figure out how to stay 3 steps ahead of them, too, from now on.

[baby_mouse]

21. It is a bit of a dropped ball...

But who could have supposed they would turn so rabid and disgusting? I think we were all resting on our laurels somewhat...

Not that I was in any way a serious contributor to the Left as a movement... armchair activist, I'm ashamed to say. First protest less then 3 years ago...

[Surya Gayatri]

20. Yes, this is part & parcel of their

subterfuge--a not-so-subtle linguistic reframing. TAKE BACK THE TERMS --

RECLAIM THE RHETORIC!! Be vigilant--avoid using their language. :think:

[stickdog]

22. Democrats are tired of the media treating us as objects! (nt)