[WAsummit] Luntz – The Language of Healthcare 2009

[Lucy Oppenheim]

A Republican strategy document for how to talk about health care is 
here: http://progressivepush.org/Page_2.html
Dr. Frank I. Luntz – The Language of Healthcare 2009
THE 10 RULES FOR STOPPING THE “WASHINGTON TAKEOVER” OF HEALTHCARE

Here it exhorts people to turn away from the structural and focus on the 
personal:
"We need to stop looking at it from a global perspective and restore the
humanity to healthcare. We need to focus more on people and less on
the system.
This is the single best approach to the crisis language because it 
individualizes and personalizes healthcare – and shows empathy for 
anyone and everyone struggling right now. This plays into more favorable 
Republican territory by protecting individual care while downplays the 
need for a comprehensive national healthcare plan."

There are, of course, no financial special interests:
"Be sensitive to the anti-Washington bias ingrained in both parties. 
President Obama has already begun to employ an “us vs. them” context to 
the debate – hinting that those who oppose his reforms support the 
“special interests.” You need to be very careful to be seen as 
challenging the “Washington special interests” rather than defending them."

Less central but more mockable is this earlier passage:
"The best approach is to empathize with the fear, anxiety and financial 
pain people are clearly feeling right now. So instead of dismissing 
their concerns, acknowledge them – up front – and then pivot to your 
solution. Some conservatives will undoubtedly find this distasteful. But 
failure to connect on a personal level at the beginning will lead to 
communication failure at the end."

There's more. I think knowing what Luntz is telling his side to do is 
very useful in countering the movement he consults for. (I couldn't read 
this in a single sitting and don't want to wait to pass it on until I 
get back to it.)

Wishing you the best,
Silver