Progressive Propaganda, Please

By FRANK LINGO

Sure, I say a lot of terrible things about Trump and the extreme Republicans, but give them credit for at least this: They are excellent at propaganda.

Of course, so was Joseph Goebbels. Like our current crop of conservatives, Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda was expedient in his views and blindly devoted to the leader of his cult. But according to Britannica.com, the teachers that most inspired Goebbels in high school were Jews and he was once engaged to a half-Jewish girl. Later, he was largely responsible for fomenting the extreme hatred of Jews that fueled the Holocaust.

Just sayin’, propaganda works, whether for good or evil.

America’s Democrats could really use some good propaganda. Granted, we did better in 2018 when there was a blue wave in many Congressional districts, including some that had gone for Trump. But pardon me if I lack confidence that Democratic messaging will be effective in 2020.

There is reason for skepticism. In 2008, after Obama’s victory and Democrats won both houses of Congress, their reign was short-lived. The next four straight election cycles — 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016 — Republicans won majorities in both houses, despite the fact that Democratic voters outnumber them.

Gerrymandering and voter suppression were part of it. But so was bad messaging like the way Democrats handled Obamacare. It took several years to overcome the early onslaught of disinformation that Republicans presented to the public about the Affordable Care Act, which allowed the conservatives some easy wins.

Now we have a master manipulator in the White House. It ain’t a fluke that he won. Banish that thought from your mind. If we are to beat him, we have to be better at the game than he is.

The most effective propaganda has a strong emotional element, whether hopeful or fearful. We have seen a lot of wonky Democrats go down in defeat because they didn’t evoke an emotional response from voters. Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, Al Gore, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton all failed to connect with enough of the fence-sitters to win.

Let’s learn from our mistakes — on the presidential level and all the way down the ballot. Bring some human warmth to the stump. Show the voters that you worry about the same things they do, and tell them how you will make their life better.

A majority of voters want politicians to do these things: Raise the minimum wage, provide help with day care, give people affordable choices for health care, enact sensible gun control, and work to protect our environment.

Along with presenting these positives, Democrats must expose the abhorrent behavior that Republicans have engaged in. Many people do not pay close attention to the news so they need reminding.

It’s important to show that Trump’s immigration policy of hate and fear has caused thousands of children to be kidnapped by the government and shipped far away, with little concern for identifying them to place them back with their families. Thousands of people remain in cages for the “crime” of seeking a better life in America.

Let’s also tell voters about the “Dreamers” who grew up in our country and are almost all productive and law-abiding, but who Trump and his Republican enablers are trying to deport for no reason except racial prejudice.

Another issue that has caused widespread heartache is the epidemic of horrific gun violence. Let’s inform voters how Republicans are so stuck in the NRA’s pocket they’ve even blocked universal background checks.

The list is long so there is plenty of ammo for the Democrats’ arsenal.

I have one last recommendation to my party. When Republicans and conservative PACs smear our candidates, counterpunch hard.

We need to defend ourselves, address their falsehoods and tell the truth.

Frank Lingo is a writer based in Lawrence, Kansas, and former columnist for the Kansas City Star. For a free excerpt of Lingo’s novel, “Earth Vote”, visit EarthVote.world. Email: lingofrank@gmail.com.

From The Progressive Populist, December 15, 2019

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