Messaging the Senate

Tags: Politics, Communication

We normally don't talk politics in this blog, but there is a communication story in the latest news cycle. Now that there has been a compromise in the Senate battle over filibusters, I think it is worth noting that this is one of the case where the Republicans flat out-messaged the Democrats, despite their messaging war room. Republicans were united in their use of the phrase "Up or down vote" as a rallying cry for their position. Can you remember any sound bite for the Democrats? I can't.

Politics is just like business. People can't decide about whether to buy your position or your product unless they know what it stands for. And sixty-four dollar phrases like "protecting the right of the filibuster" just don't help people understand. What would Blackfriars suggest instead? How about talking about the end goal, not the procedure itself? Something like "Justices for all, not just for the majority" would at least provide a position that everyone could understand.