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...Language of Health Care 2009 Frank Luntz; 28 pages Download...
Politicians in Washington often speak with their own vocabulary. If they're Republicans, Frank Luntz helped write their dictionary. The influential GOP pollster and language guru has had a hand in framing the party's message since 1994's Contract with America, persuading Republicans to drop terms like "estate tax" and "oil drilling" in favor of the far more message-friendly "death tax" and "energy exploration" among other rebrandings. His latest project: the health-care debate. Relying on polling and "instant response dial sessions," Luntz penned a 28-page memo, leaked to Politico, giving Republicans the soundbites designed to spin...
...Luntz Tip No. 1: Scare people. Especially about their children. Luntz's memo includes a road map to how to most effectively scare the bejeezus out of the American public when it comes to health care. Results show the phrase health care rationing frightened the most people, so Republicans are urged to sprinkle it around describing Democratic reform plans. It's also better to warn that Democrats want to put politicians in charge of health care, rather than bureaucrats: "Bureaucrats are scary - but at least they are professionals...
...anti-corporate populists. Americans don't like the insurance industry, Luntz writes to Republicans, and neither should they: "We suggest ratcheting up the rhetoric against insurance companies to almost the same degree as you do against Washington bureaucracy." In fact, the whole discussion of health care as an economic issue should be scuttled - it should be framed as a personal, human issue at every opportunity. So less talk of consumers and free markets, more talk of patients and wellness. Besides, he points out, "in case you missed it, capitalism isn't exactly in vogue these days...
...Choose the right words, and keep using them. As the Focus Group Shakespeare, Luntz's memo is packed with poll-driven, soundbite-friendly phrases to choose from. Expect to hear Republicans soon speaking earnestly of preserving "the sacred doctor-patient relationship" by never "putting politicians in charge of your health care." And not just any old politicians, but "federal bureaucrats, Washington lobbyists and out-of-touch politicians." Luntz even strings his creations together into mini-speeches on the topic, including phrases such as this soon-to-be C-SPAN classic: "We need targeted reform with measurable results that improves patient...