Beware the Frame: GOP Wastes No Time in Embracing Frank Luntz’s Vapid ‘Patient-Doctor’ Health Care Rhetoric

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Earlier this week, a memo written by right-wing message guru Frank Luntz was leaked instructing the Republican Party on how to frame the health care debate in order to defeat progressive reform. Since his pivotal role in helping craft Newt Gingrich's Contract with America, Luntz has had an impressive record of cloaking regressive and conservative policies with carefully poll-tested language. For instance, Luntz is credited with persuading Republicans to use the intentionally misleading term "death tax" to describe the estate tax.

According to CQ, Republicans are enthusiastically embracing Luntz and his health care memo. At a private workshop organized by the House leadership, Luntz was welcomed with applause and cries of "Welcome home!" Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) gushed, "We look to him for how do we express the things that we believe in ways that are effective."

Luntz's health care memo urges Republicans to denounce progressive reforms as ideas based upon a "committee of Washington bureaucrats." The memo then calls for Republicans to strongly emphasize the "protection of the personalized doctor-patient relationship" because this approach allows Americans to believe that the GOP is doing something to "protect and improve something good":

ThinkProgress compiled a video featuring Rep. Phil Gingrich (R-GA), Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL) all embracing the vapid "patient-doctor" talking point in the past 48 hours.As the Wonk Room's Igor Volsky details, Luntz's strategy is to "obstruct health reform by ignoring what Obama is actually offering." In all fairness, Luntz is very candid about his strategy of misdirection. Since Republicans currently have absolutely no plan for reforming health care, Luntz says to avoid projecting a policy plan and instead focus on language that "captures not just what Americans want to see but exactly what they want to hear."

Indeed, Luntz also provides his polling and language advice to a plethora of health insurance companies.

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/healthwellness/#139918

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Good morning, Steve!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Good morning, Steve!

Top of the morning to you, Bill. How are you?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Good morning, Steve!

Top of the morning to you, Bill. How are you?

And the rest of the day to yerself! I am finishing my coffee, and getting ready to head out to a job. Not doing bad. How about yerself?

Edited May 9, 2009 by Mister_Bill

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Good morning, Steve!

Top of the morning to you, Bill. How are you?

And the rest of the day to yerself! I am finishing my coffee, and getting ready to head out to a job. Not doing bad. How about yerself?

I'm as content as an ant in a sugar jar.

[JimandChristy 1,689]

"Doctor-Patient Relationship" is the new catchphrase for the Republican Party. They are trying to paint a picture that they have people's interests at heart when it comes to Health Care but in fact they have no substance at all by formulating no plan themselves.

They are very much becoming a "reactive" party rather than a "proactive" party.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

"Doctor-Patient Relationship" is the new catchphrase for the Republican Party. They are trying to paint a picture that they have people's interests at heart when it comes to Health Care but in fact they have no substance at all by formulating no plan themselves.

They are very much becoming a "reactive" party rather than a "proactive" party.

Part of the GOP's success back in the 90's and up until about 2006, was their effective use of buzz words...words that sound like they are something of substance, but really they evoke an emotional response. But times have changed....now the propaganda can easily be exposed on the internet like in this YouTube video. Also, I think the news media is finally catching on to the schtick.