{"id":607,"date":"2017-12-27T14:59:13","date_gmt":"2017-12-27T14:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dahlman.online\/?p=607"},"modified":"2017-12-27T14:59:13","modified_gmt":"2017-12-27T14:59:13","slug":"branded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2017\/12\/27\/branded\/","title":{"rendered":"Branded"},"content":{"rendered":"

Branded<\/p>\n

In the twisted conversation that is our American political discourse, one critical factor is how issues are labeled, or \u201cbranded.\u201d As difficult as it has been to have any kind of common discussion, with alternative facts (branding of a lie) abounding; how we consider an issue depends on how we phrase it.<\/p>\n

The upcoming elections of 2018 will be a test of competitive versions of branding. Will the \u201cTax Cuts and Job Acts of 2017\u201d (the formal title) be labeled as tax reform, tax breaks for the rich, or an economic stimulant? This will, in part, determine the success of one political party or the other. \u201cBillions for the rich, nickels for you\u201d or \u201ca middle class tax cut\u201d: which \u201cbrand\u201d will catch on?<\/p>\n

Who wins the branding issue often controls discussion of the topic. One of the most inflammatory issues of our time is about the use and availability of abortions. This controversy has been branded as \u201cpro life\u201d versus \u201cpro choice\u201d. The \u201cpro life\u201d side has won the branding contest: can there really be a choice about protecting life? If the labeling was \u201cpro birth\u201d versus \u201cwomen\u2019s freedom\u201d would the conversation be the same?<\/p>\n

One of the goals of Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is the \u201creform\u201d of entitlement programs. He wants to cut the amount of money spent on programs like Medicare and social security. It\u2019s easy to talk about cutting \u201centitlements,\u201d it\u2019s like cutting the amount spent on a recurring gift, like a birthday or Christmas. However, if the programs are branded as \u201cearned benefits,\u201d benefits paid for through a lifetime of work, it\u2019s much more difficult to talk about cutting them. They become something earned, not given.<\/p>\n

Former Trump aide Steve Bannon has worked to rebrand parts of the American government. Civil servants working in the bureaucracies of intelligence and law enforcement, have become \u201cembedded liberals\u201d in the \u201cdeep-state,\u201d something much more nefarious. What is particularly surprising about this re-labeling is that Republicans were \u00a0the most supportive of agencies like the FBI, and Democrats were the ones poised to attack. Now Democrats are rising to the FBI\u2019s defense, quite a switch from October of 2016 when the \u201cComey Letter\u201d re-opened the Clinton email controversy.<\/p>\n

Many colleges have established \u201csafe zones\u201d where students can be free from controversial speech which might challenge or upset them. If those same zones have been branded as \u201crestricted speech\u201d instead of \u201csafe,\u201d would they have been accepted by students?<\/p>\n

As we move from the relative \u201cquiet\u201d of 2017 (that\u2019s mis-branded) into the rancor of the 2018 election year, how issues are labeled will determine political success. It is important to recognize the \u201cbranding\u201d for what it is: an effort to control the discussion to \u201cwin\u201d the issue.<\/p>\n

And because I can\u2019t help it \u2013 <\/em><\/p>\n

If you were of age to watch television in 1965, this article might have brought a show to mind: \u201cBranded!!!\u201d starring Chuck Connors \u2013 remember???<\/em><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=uV-7D4io1Rs<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Branded In the twisted conversation that is our American political discourse, one critical factor is how issues are labeled, or \u201cbranded.\u201d As difficult as it has been to have any kind of common discussion, with alternative facts (branding of a lie) abounding; how we consider an issue depends on how we phrase it. The upcoming … Continue reading “Branded”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nBranded : Our America - Essays on Politics and American Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2017\/12\/27\/branded\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Branded : Our America - Essays on Politics and American Life\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Branded In the twisted conversation that is our American political discourse, one critical factor is how issues are labeled, or \u201cbranded.\u201d As difficult as it has been to have any kind of common discussion, with alternative facts (branding of a lie) abounding; how we consider an issue depends on how we phrase it. 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