Is Anyone Else Sick of Hearing Dems Talk About "AVERAGE" Americans?

[mattclearing]

What does it take to get some people to pull apart the language that our people use?

In talking about the Feingold censure, Schumer said he thought Dems would be best served to think about what "average," Americans want.

Most people don't consider themselves "average."

I'm willing to bet most Americans consider themselves well above average in one way or another.

And yet these people who are supposedly career politicians continue to call us "average," "regular," or "ordinary."

It's infuriating.

How about using words like, "hard-working," or "middle-class," or hell, even just, "voting," or just plain old "Americans?"

Do they have any idea how condescending they sound?

You'd never catch a Republican calling Americans "average," "ordinary," or "regular," because they actually have people who think about language and make sure they don't say things like that.

It's totally infuriating.

If you call people average or ordinary, they won't care if you address their concerns.

They will be too busy feeling insulted and voting Republican.

:banghead:

[sutz12]

1. Since we are rapidly becoming a two-class system...

there ain't many "average" people out there. Just the top and the bottom, not much middle left.

I'd have to agree with you.

[scorpiogirl]

2. Yes!

I'm also sick of hearing them talk about what the American people want when the things they mention couldn't be further from the truth. Where's the f-ing representation?

[MADem]

3. Honestly, I am more pissed off at Scotty McSweaty and the rest of the

administration TELLING us what "THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT." Everything those assholes say that "WE" want isn't what I want, at all.

[mattclearing]

4. Agreed.

But they have done a good job of getting people to vote against their own economic interests, and a big part of it is the way that they talk to rural voters. They don't condescend to them.

[MADem]

9. Fair point. You know who is the best person to approach on this matter?

HOWARD DEAN.

He runs the administrative end of the party, perhaps a few succinct letters or e-mails to the chair might get the word out. In fact, it would probably be a more efficient way of expressing displeasure at the careless use of language, rather than trying to correct each congressperson or other elected official individually.

[mattclearing]

17. Howard Dean understands this better than most.

He is very sharp at recognizing how Republicans effectively use language to their advantage, and has been fantastic at countering.

We could all stand to learn a thing or two from the Chairman.

I will call and see what happens.

[MADem]

21. He also has the ability to transmit the sense of the people to his "crew"

And his crew is our elected reps. If enough people make it clear that language matters, it can only help. Really, we aren't average...we're Democrats, ergo, we are ABOVE average!

We do have to give him props for pushing the corruption angle, as that is starting to take hold at long last...and pointing out that the issue is "competence" which, we see, has morphed into a rating of "incompetent" for King Porgie...

[scorpiogirl]

13. Exactly! n/t

[displacedtexan]

5. Excellent point, tasteblind! Never forget...

... Average is the zenith of the backside of the Bell Curve!

[mattclearing]

8. It's frustrating.

I hate bitching about Dems, because they are ALWAYS better than Republicans for policy, but when I see someone like Schumer re-inforcing the worst stereotypes about our Party, that we are out-of-touch, and can't relate to people, it really pisses me off.

[seg4527]

6. most of these people are so far removed from "average" america

that when they talk about it, they just come off as pathetic. how are career politicians who went to some of the finest schools supposed to know what's good for "average" america, whatever they want to call it?

[K-W]

7. The 'average' american is a myth that allows them to ignore us.

There is no such thing as the average american, just as there is no such thing as a middle idea. It is just the language of the center politicians use to make it seem as they they are representing a constituency.

[noiretextatique]

19. how to lie with statistics

i agree with you. the use of the term 'average' is a cover for doing very little to impact the lives of MOST americans. it's the same old cowardice that allowed these lunatics to run the asylum in the first place.

[marions ghost]

10. words do matter

however when I look around I see myself as an average American (maybe with a bit more education than some, but nothing special). To me, "average" takes in all groups in the lower economic class, middle economic class, and some of the upper class (the ones who aren't thieves). It puts us all together. "Regular" Americans also doesn't sound too bad to me either.

"Ordinary Americans" does sound condescending to me.

But I don't think this a significant problem--what those in power call us. If they came here to DU they should see what we call THEM! LOL

[BeyondGeography]

11. There are lots of average Americans

however, all of their children are above average.

[Minnesota Libra]

12. I'll take Dems "Average people" over neocons "Americans" any day........

....at least the Dems are better than neocons at fighting for the "Average People", "Aveage American", "Working Class", "Middle Class", you get the point. Give me a Democrat any time over a neocon.

By the way, has it occurred to anyone that American LIKE being part of a group, part of something bigger than themselves, something to make the country better than they found it?? Just a thought!!

[K-W]

14. It can be used that way, but its shady language.

What if you dont support what they claim the average American supports? Does that make you marginal?

[Minnesota Libra]

15. In some cases yes, not all cases nt

[mattclearing]

16. I will too.

But damned if I won't demand more tactful speech from them as well.

Stuff like this makes it easier for Republicans to say we don't care about people, and there are people out there who will buy it.

[dogday]

18. Give me a guy who knows what living

from paycheck to paycheck feels like and I will show you a person in touch with the average American....

[mattclearing]

22. Yeah, and I'll give you a guy who deserves to be called something

more than average.

These people need to be a lot more humble when addressing us. We already know they aren't average.

Calling us average just amplifies our disdain.

[Sparkly]

20. I hear it a lot from Scarborough and Tweety

"Average," "ordinary," "regular" as well as "mainstream," "REAL Americans," "middle America," "folks in the HEARTLAND," etc...

And I hate ALL of it. How the heck do they define these terms, let alone decide that whatever their definition is = that of a sensible majority (or dare I say, "sensible center?") which is what they use the terms to imply ("common sense," "down to earth" etc.).

I'm a native New Englander, grew up in a New England college town, went to a New England college, and I'm a Liberal Democrat. I'm a classical musician and we have an espresso/cappucino maker. So that makes me one of the now fashionably-maligned "New England Elitist Latte-Sipping Ivy Out-of-the-Mainstream Radical Blue-State Hot-Tub Chardonnay-sipping Liberal Fringe."

And I'm as average, ordinary and regular as anybody. So I think all those terms are divisive and designed to put DOWN people. I don't like them coming from Republicans, AND I don't like them coming from Democrats.

[mattclearing]

23. Agreed 100%.

I just want them to address us as Americans. If they must, they can address us as hard-working Americans.

The average American is hard-working, after all.