Progressive Messaging Resources

Here are a variety of framing and messaging resources. Cognitive Politics: a Communications Workbook for Progressives gathers bits and pieces from many of these techniques; much of the political eco-system linked here is more attack-oriented then Cognitive Politics.

Broad Introductions to Framing

The Winning Words Project reviews framing options on many issues, intending to help you have real conversations. Framelab is George Lakoff's current blog. Their Responding to the Wingnuttery is similar to some of the efforts here to prepare us to have quick online comments.

Open Minds, Counter Cults

Creating conversations where people are open to changing their minds is difficult — but it is well studied, if you want to learn how. Often this is harder to learn than framing advice: techniques can be similar to what therapists study. Workshops with practice can be more powerful than skimming a blog.

Smart Politics — From time to time, different trainers announce webinars in the facebook group. Take workshops or study with Powerful Non-Defensive Communication and Nonviolent Communication.

 

Hard-Hitting Framing

Messaging Matters helps liberals attack conservative messages. It doesn't pull punches, for example, one blog proclaims: The one-word definition of conservatism is “selfishness.”

It looks a lot like aggressive conservative messaging, feeding your own side your own message -- these are ways to circle the wagons, not invite broad participation.

If you've read Cognitive Politics, you can guess I think this is a very limited perspective and counter-productive. Messaging Matters nonetheless has a great blog-roll worth checking out. The Daily Signal is an example from the conservatives. Most of these hard-hitting sites on either side just attack paper tigers and absent opponents. If noise helps your side -- if constant infantile arguments help obstruct cooperation -- then hard-hitting makes sense. I strongly discourage it for people who want compassionate politics (not merely Democrats) to succeed.

Data Resources

These tools don't necessarily go as deep into changing frames, but show what works today in our current frames:

Data for Progress.

Tools for Organizers with Specific Campaigns

Say This, Not That Workbook.