Democrats Message of Shame
Democrats currently possess massive wins in their messaging toolbox, capable of winning the next two to six major election cycles. Congress, with a razor-thin majority, accomplished infrastructure wins that benefit most every American, which has eluded American presidents for decades. Child poverty in America slashed in half surely means American lives are better. Why do 62% of Americans feel Democrats are out of touch then?
The answer is a simple one: Shaming.
American social consciousness in the social media age allows emotions to prevail over ideas on policy. Companies like Meta and Twitter amplify emotional response, rarely real policy success. “Twitter is not real life,” can be heard echoing through Twitter downplaying what social media is, a garden. Seeds are planted on social media to grow cultural movements, aka messaging.
Democrats have been calling for listening to bullies to be ignored for decades. Unfortunately, Democrats have become the bullies. At this point in time, Democrats tell the country, “If you don’t appear or act the way we want, you are a bad person.” Wasn’t this the type of messaging that won Obama two terms in the White House?
Democrats need to stop taking messaging advice from “The Squad.” AOC enjoys calling out older Americans, alienating potential allies. What she and progressives miss frequently comes down to a fundamental point. People mostly care about what affects them emotionally in their reality. While it hurts liberal sensibilities, not everyone shares their ideologies, they need to recognize that American citizens simply don’t share them.
Republicans are masters at reaching people emotionally with a touch of kitchen table issues in their messaging. Republicans message to a broader emotional message that reaches many, then once elected, quietly, build on ending abortion and LGBT rights. Republicans are elected because they emotionally reach out to voters with, “I understand you,” language. Shame does not win elections.
AOC and progressives want to message through “education” and shame. If Democrats want to win, they must connect emotionally to the electorate with general emotional connections that affect most Americans, and then, like Republicans, work on their more liberal agenda regionally. Telling the electorate, they’re too dumb to understand the issues won’t win the majority, ensuring the safety of democracy.
