Repost: The Art of War

Owning the public debate is about getting the other guy to engage on your terms.

Feb 13, 2025

In November of 2023, I published the following set of detailed instructions for how to take back control of the public debate. Instead of fighting the actions of the opposition, you fight the underlying premises that they use to justify those actions. You set the agenda, you change the questions being debated, you change the criteria by which voters judge whose actions are wrong or right. Read it. Study it. Learn it.

The Art of War

In any debate, there is a question being debated and there are the terms of the debate: certain assumptions about values (what’s important) and beliefs (the way things work) that are inherent in that question. But those are not actually assumptions, they are assertions.

They are actually a proffer of terms that we can choose to accept or reject.

Republicans pick fights. We engage in those fights and in doing so, accept their terms and leave their assumptions uncontested. We allow their values and beliefs to remain the de facto values and beliefs of our culture. That’s why, despite winning many battles, we are often losing the war.

So, how do we reject Republican terms and compel them to do battle on our terms? We frame the debate: we ask questions that evoke our values and beliefs, our assumptions about what’s important and how things work.

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Our Strategy

This is how you play offense.

We can’t control what they do. But we can control what we do.

We set the agenda by asking the questions:
“What do the American people need from the federal government?”
“Are the programs we currently have meeting people’s needs?”
“What programs might we need to create or expand?”
We stake out the position that all our programs are essential.
We insist that these questions be addressed before we debate:
“What is the fair way to pay for it?”
We refuse to even consider cuts in programs.
We only talk about “Which revenues we need to raise?”
We instigate a debate about who pays their fair share.
And we never, ever engage in any argument about whether people “deserve” something.

These terms assert a very different set of values and beliefs: ours.

Their Strategy

“One thing that all Republicans agree on is that we’ve got to reduce spending. The debate occurs on how much and how fast,” ~ Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho)

One advantage we have is that Republicans are (usually) predictable. We can prepare ourselves to recognize and reject their terms.

They set the agenda by asking: “Which spending should we cut?”
They stake out the position that what government does is bad for society.
They refuse to even consider raising taxes.
They insist that all discussion be exclusively about cutting spending.
They instigate debates about reducing government “interference” in the free market.
They always bait us into engaging in arguments about whether people “deserve” something.

Their Terms

Republicans want the agenda of the debate to be “Which spending should we cut?” This question is consistent with their narrative about the federal budget:

Spending needs to be cut. Debt is spiraling dangerously out of control because Democrats always spend too much.
Budgets need to be balanced (like a household budget) so somebody has to make tough decisions about cuts. Fiscally responsible people make tough decisions when tough decisions need to be made, even if they sometimes try to make unpopular choices.
Government is bad. It is an “object”, an “other” that oppresses us and takes our money. Government spending is bad (wasteful) because everything government does is bad.
Regulations are bad for the economy, because the economy works best when free of interference.

Programs are bad. Public aid programs are bad. Since the market is a perfect indicator of who is good and bad, all programs (attempts to help people) encourage immorality by giving money to people who don’t deserve it. Learn more about the “Undeserving Poor” frame.
Taxes are bad. Taxes take away your hard earned money, and you get nothing in return. Cutting taxes is good, because it’s your money and because giving money to those who know best how to use it is how we create jobs and grow the economy.

What happens if we accept their terms?

If we respond with “Which programs are you going to cut?” we are agreeing to engage in the debate on their terms.

We believe those cuts (such as Social Security) will be unpopular with the American people, and they will be. However, showing the American people that Republicans want to cut popular programs doesn’t refute their assertion that cuts still need to be made.

Republicans will likely claim that they have to shut down the government in a desperate attempt to save us from a debt crisis that will spiral into a total economic meltdown.

How do voters judge?

If the question voters ask themselves is, “Who is better at cutting spending?” and the answer is “Republicans.”

Even though Republicans cuts may be unpopular, they still get rewarded for trying to be “fiscally responsible.” We look irresponsible for being unwilling or unable to make tough cuts, even if people like the things we want to spend money on. We may even appear unaware or unconcerned about the future impact of our spending.

If the question voters ask themselves is, “Who will reduce regulations?” then the answer is “Republicans.”

If the question voters ask themselves is, “Who will cut taxes?” then the answer is, “Republicans.”

If the question voters ask themselves is, “Who will give our money to people who don’t deserve it?” then the answer is, “Democrats.”

Do not engage.

Don’t Say This:

There is no debt crisis.
The federal budget doesn’t work like a household budget.
We can print money to meet our debt obligations.

Don’t say “debt crisis,” “bankrupt,” “spiral,” “default” or anything that evokes the “household budget” metaphor. Don’t try to explain why debt levels are okay. Don’t try to explain debt service or debt as a percentage of GDP or what it means to be the issuer of currency.

Don’t Say This:

People shouldn’t have to prove they deserve _________.

We should refuse to engage in any debate over means testing, reporting requirements, or anything else intended to evoke the concept of the “undeserving poor.”

When we argue on their terms, we inevitably find ourselves on defense, trying to explain our position, and if you are trying to educate people, you aren’t connecting with people.

Instead, we need to instigate a completely different discussion, one that makes cutting programs, reducing regulations and even cutting taxes sound like a bad idea.

Our Terms

Government is Good. Say it Loud. Say it Proud.

For fifty years, Republicans have been telling people that government is bad. We can’t just defend individual programs. We have to make the case for government itself. We have to explicitly say that government is supposed to be a force for good and it can be if you put it in Democratic hands.

The idea that “government is bad” is an assertion made by Republicans – one we can reject, because it’s not what most people actually think!

People in both parties actually want the federal government to play a major role in solving most of the nation’s problems. Perhaps the low approval ratings of government stem not from the belief that government is doing too much, but that government is failing to do the job people need it to do.

Our Agenda

We want the agenda of the debate to be ““What do the American people need from the federal government?” This question is consistent with our narrative about the government and the federal budget:

The federal government exists to serve the needs of the American people.

Government is good. It is us. Government is how we, the American people, make decisions and act on our values: work together to solve problems, take care of each other and improve our quality of life. The work of government, writing and enforcing laws and carrying out programs, is how we do that.
Once we have determined what the American people need from their government, we can talk about how to pay for it. The best way to pay for what we need is to have everyone pay their fair share.
We use our government to:
protect everybody’s rights and ensure our freedom,
provide public benefits, services and resources,
make responsible investments in our people and in our future,
provide public insurance,
protect each other from physical and economic harm (including environmental disaster),
hold people accountable for their actions,
shape and maintain a thriving, stable and competitive economic system,
promote economic fairness, and
raise the revenue to pay for it by having everyone pay their fair share.
We created our economic system to meet the needs of our society. It is completely dependent on the resources provided and rules enforced by government.
Our economic system should work for everyone. Markets are inherently unstable and unfair. Sometimes our economic system fails to meet people’s needs. When that happens, we can use government to either change it so that it does or to meet those needs directly.
Those who do the best in our economy are the biggest users of public resources and beneficiaries of public benefits. They need to pay their fair share.

What happens if they try to reject our terms?

Republicans will undoubtedly try to dismiss this discussion and move back to spending cuts in order to steer the debate back onto their turf. When they do, we have to double down on our position that we have to determine what the American people need the federal government to do before we can even begin to discuss how we’re going to pay for it.

If we can get Republicans to engage in debates on our terms, even if they think they will win those debates, they will expose the voting public to our narrative. We should welcome the opportunity to make, repeat, and elaborate on our case for the important work done by the federal government.

What to Say

Language:

Don’t say: “The government does…”
Say: “We use government to…”
Don’t say: “balance the budget”
Say: “Raise the resources to pay for what we need”
Don’t say: “spending”
Say: “programs, benefits, resources etc.” and “wise/critical investments”
Don’t say: “cut spending”
Say: “fail to invest” or “chronically underinvest”
Don’t say: “regulations”
Say: “public protections” or “public safety rules”
Don’t say: “people who need help” or “people our economy left behind”
Say: “people our economic system has failed” or “whose needs our economy failed to meet”
Don’t say: “entitlement programs”
Say: “public insurance programs”
Don’t say: “raising taxes”
Say: “collecting/increasing revenues”

Say This:

If you want your government to work, you have to elect Democrats at every level.
We are working to make room for everybody in the middle class by promoting competition, fighting monopoly power and giving working people a seat at the table where they can negotiate as equals.
We should be mobilizing our government to do everything possible to preserve the delicate conditions necessary for human survival on earth, but Republicans, the fossil fuel industry and their Supreme Court are fighting us every step of the way.
We protect each other from all different kinds of harm, everything from national security to gun violence to bank fraud to airplane crashes and collapsing buildings.
“Republicans chronically underinvest in critical programs that keep the American people safe and keep our economy growing.”
We are happy to pay our dues for the benefits we get and the resources we use, to help others when they need it and get help when we need it, to pay back our predecessors for the investments they made, and to build for our children’s future.
If we don’t have enough resources to pay for what we need, it is because Republicans are fighting to let those who should be paying the most (the biggest users and beneficiaries) break the law and get out of paying their fair share.

How do voters judge?

If the question voters ask is, “Who is better at using government to serve the needs of the American people?” then the answer is, “Democrats.”

If voters ask, “Who is working to make the middle class big enough for everybody?” or “Who will enforce the rules that make our economic system more fair?” or “Who will give us a seat at the table?” or “Who will meet our needs when the market fails us?” then the answer is, “Democrats.”

If voters ask, “Who will find the fair way to raise the revenue to pay for what we need?” and “Who will make the biggest users of government pay their fair share?” then the answer is “Democrats.”