frank luntz is distressed

republican politicians have been speaking from their hearts again. this will never do

the gop spinmeister extraordinaire gives us a preview of how shit will be shined in the current election cycle:

Just saying “no” to the president has its limits…the first sentence out of their mouths should express respect for the American people, not disdain for the president they just reelected… The next step is to be more empathetic…

reframe the questions being asked… Obama has been asking America, “Should the rich pay more?” Thanks to public disdain for lobbyists and tax loopholes available only to the wealthy, election exit polls put support for this notion at 60 percent. But change the question to “Should Washington take more?,” and the answer is a resounding no.

That’s the question Republicans need to ask, along with: Is Washington spending your hard-earned money efficiently and effectively? Are we in this mess because Washington takes too little of your money or because it wastes too much?… A more powerful metaphor would be “piling debt on our children” or “mortgaging the American dream.”…

Instead of being the party of small businesses and job creators, House Republicans should become the party of hardworking taxpayers. After all, a small percentage of Americans think of themselves as job creators, but every American considers him or herself a hardworking taxpayer. It’s an even more powerful identity than the “middle class” the Democrats speak of so often. If the choice is between the party that fights for hardworking taxpayers and the party that fights for the middle class, Republicans win.

Conservatism thrives only when it’s infused with optimism — when it’s about what people can do when they’re in control. That was the secret of Ronald Reagan’s success. Republicans need to be more than just the party of people “who built it” — they should be the party of people who want to build it even better. Speak to voters’ aspirations, not just their pocketbooks, and emphasize how GOP solutions help the want-to-haves, not just the already-haves. That’s personal responsibility in action.

For example, when Republicans speak disdainfully about becoming a “food stamp nation,” it reinforces voters’ suspicions that they are callous. Instead, they should offer a positive message about how hard work, personal responsibility and earned success are better than government dependency. And instead of talking about “upward mobility,” Republicans should summarize the American dream concisely: “If you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to get ahead.” Obama stole that line from them. It’s time to steal it back.

Instead of smaller government, they should talk about more efficient and effective government

Instead of tax reform, talk about making the IRS code simpler, flatter and fairer

In addition to cutting spending, they must talk about controlling — not capping — it

Instead of entitlement reform or controlling the growth of Medicare and Social Security, talk about how to save and strengthen these programs

Better than discussing economic opportunity and growth, Republicans should talk about creating a healthier and more secure economy