Guardian UK: How to speak Republican

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How to speak Republican
As the GOP convention gets under way, here's a guide to deciphering

Muhammad Cohen
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday September 03 2008 14:00 BST



The Republican party hasn't just been winning presidential elections for most the past four decades, it's been winning the political conversation. From lavishly funded thinktanks like the Heritage Foundation to rightwing yakkers filling the airwaves, the Republicans have dominated the political conversation. The Republican convention this week will feature many of the key phrases that highlight the shift in America's politics.

Here's a sampling to help you keep score:

Choice
Although it's still part of the abortion debate (see pro-life), choice is also a Republican code word for privatisation, a term that got a bad name with President Bush's botched attempt to privatise social security. It's also used for promoting private sector involvement in traditional government functions. Now Republicans talk about "retirement choice", "Medicare choice" or longstanding favourite "school choice".

Class warfare
Progressive taxation was integral to America's income tax system from its origins, in line with a basic tenet of the American way of life, fairness to the little guy. When liberals controlled the conversation, they used the term economic justice. But then came Ronald Reagan. Reaganomics contended that lower taxes were more fair - government shouldn't penalise success, Reagan argued. Rather than squabbling over how to divide the pie, Republicans promised a bigger pie for all, without mentioning that haves would get an even larger share of the pie than have-nots.

Reaganomics also promised that lower taxes would produce more revenue by spurring greater growth. Reagan's 1980 Republican primary rival, George Bush Sr, called it voodoo economics before he became Reagan's running mate. Reaganomics proved to be a dismal failure in fiscal terms, but its message that cutting taxes for the rich, like greed, is good stuck. Lower taxes on the rich are now presumed to spur economic growth.

Contrary experience - recession under Reagan and his successor Bush Sr, America's growing income gap, the jobless growth of the Bush years that preceded the current stagflation - has not shaken this article of rightwing economic faith. Moreover, increasing the tax burden on the poor further excites Republicans because it supposedly dampens enthusiasm for government spending among the main beneficiaries, since they're footing the biggest portion of the bill.

If you advocate progressive taxes - rather than accepting the emperor's new clothes view that Reaganomics works - you are engaging in class warfare. If you favour regressive taxes, you are promoting economic growth and helping the poor. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/sep/03/uselections2008.republicans2008