Slogan Alert: It's Unpatriotic to Outsource Jobs in a Time of War

[Samantha]

Before you attack the logic of this statement, put logic aside and break the phrase down into separate components. First, look at the patriotism component. Second, look at the attack on the outsourcing of jobs. Combine these two and ask yourself is there a combination of elements our Democratic candidate can use as a campaign theme?

I spend some of my time trying to think of slogans that would have an effective impact on our race to win back the White House in 2004. Up until a certain point in my political life, I used logic and knowledge of facts to suggest approaches that I thought might sway voters. Over the last couple of years, I have come to the realization pure logic and knowledge do not triumph over passion in political races.

I do not personally think the United States is in a condition of war. One of my favorite all-time posts on the Democratic Underground buttressed the thought it's okay to declare war on a noun since the Republicans declared war on a verb (that verb being "is"). Consequently, I steadfastly object to the loss of liberty and civil rights the American people are now experiencing as a result of our being "in a state of war." That logic, however, is not going to appeal to the masses. Let's fire up the war on words and bomb the Republicans with their own ammunition.

They say Religion, we call them Hypocrites. They say Gay Marrige, we quote Dick Cheney saying politicians should stay out of Americans' bedrooms. You get the idea.

On the subject of outsourcing of jobs, I have always suspected the United States Government might be giving some sort of tax incentive to corporations willing to export jobs overseas. Tonight I had that suspicion confirmed listening to Edwards discuss that very subject. He advocates giving tax credits to corporations that leave American jobs within our domestic borders. Awarding tax credits to corporations that export our jobs on the one hand while speaking to the American voting public asserting that the economy is recovering and unemployment always lags in any sort of recovery is the simple hypocrisy on display by Bush.* Bush* pays to export jobs away .

Let's quit playing this political game like nice guys and use their own strategies against them. Let's coin slogans that attack their patriotism while simultaneously exposing their economic treason towards the American worker. In other political words, let's play hardball by hitting them with their own type of illogical but effective slogans geared towards the voter who does not do a lot of political reading and towards the person who places a higher premium on creating jobs domestically as opposed to creating lower consumption prices.

Let me know if you think there is any political value to this type of slogan; and once you start thinking along these lines, try to suggest something of your own we can discuss that might be a political verbal bat our candidate can use in election 2004 to hit a homerun in our quest to take back the White House.

Comments?

[meti57b]

1. I think it's a great slogan!! ::kick::

[lovedems]

2. I like it! It should be considered unpatriotic to outsource jobs, period

Especially in a slow, greedy recovery.

BTW, I think it is a great idea to attack the republicans patriotism in anyway possible. It will get them where it hurts since they have draped themselves in the american flag.

[Samantha]

5. I try to think of positive ways we can each make a contribution

to a Democratic Presidential election success in 2004. I personally think my greatest potential lies in helping combat the Republicans' rhetorical lies and finding the right words to refute them. In that connection, do you think we can start discussing possible themes here at DU that can be used by our candidate to win the word on words and grease the road to taking back the White House?

[lovedems]

18. An idea I had

was to take a month that * had an extensive vacation and compare that to the number of americans who lost their job that month. It would be a real kicker to how hard this idiot has really worked. With all of the websites the candidates have, we should start emailing our ideas to them. Anything to refute the repuke.

[Samantha]

21. This is a great idea -- I mean it

If you follow up on this and create a comparison of how many American jobs are lost while Bush* vacations, I think you would be working with a very effective theme.

I also think you could incorporate something about the elimination of overtime -- for instance, when Bush* returns to work from vacation he does so to work on eliminating overtime for those of us who are still employed. This overtime issue is seriously underplayed by the Democratic candidates. Harkin mentioned it today, but overall, this is an issue that could politically devastate Bush* on both sides of the worker aisles. Why we don't use the issue more in the campaign is beyond me.

Can you think of a way to incoporate this into your idea?

[lovedems]

20. I put some thought into it

it is only an example, research would have to be done.

August- 18 days of vacation
August- 1,800 jobs lost (or filed for unemployment or something along those lines)

Of course the numbers wouldn't fit so nicely together.

I think JOBS will be a big campaign issue.

[Samantha]

22. In other words,

Every day Bush* plays, one thousand jobs evaporate.

How many more Bush* vacations can America afford? Fire Bush* and Hire a Democrat! The Democratic Party works overtime for you.

[lovedems]

23. I like this! I will have to do some number searching

and of course, find the big vacation months with big job loss months to make the biggest impact. I will have to look into it. It would also be interesting (for a television ad) to show * playing in Crawford and then show a huge unemployment line.

Example,

This is * was doing May 21, 2003 (playing with his dogs, hunting, having a good time and smiling)
Here is what 3,000 other people were doing May 21,2003 (long, unmoving unemployment line while people have looks of desperation on their face)

[Samantha]

25. I think this could be very effective

If you do work on this idea, I hope you share your final results with us. And you could use a line something like, "Your Democratic Vote -- Use it or Lose It (along with your job).

[lovedems]

26. Finally, (before I go to bed)

"While bush is playing, Americans are paying" Now you are going to have me brain storming all night! It is fun though!

[Samantha]

27. Try turning it around

Americans are paying while Bush* is playing. Do you think that might flow a little better?

Thank you for participating in this thread. I did go to bed when the site when down. I think our efforts to coin slogans might be eclipsed by the start of the literal primaries, but I hope we can see this effort through as the campaign proceeds. Some of us DU'er interested in the war on words as a campaign tool to arm our candidate, whichever one emerges, can continue to work on refining our themes in an effort to arm our guy (or gal) to successfully verbally bash the Republicans.

I look forward to reading your future threads on this subject, and I hope other DU'ers will actively participate.

[John_H]

3. I like it. We should hit THEM on the patriotism issue.

Sending jobs overseas. Telling Americans to spy on Americans. Poretcting the Saudis at the expense of 9-11 victims. etc.

[david_vincent]

4. I like the idea

but I have a couple of somewhat cynical things to add. While I think that you're on the right track and that we should pursue this with imagination and wit, the particular slogan that you've come up with, IMHO, doesn't hit the bull's eye. Two reasons: first, there are two long words in it, and one of them even has five syllables! Now that I'm working in a blue collar job, I have lost confidence in the willingness of the average American to think at a level above, say, the seventh grade. Slogans will need to use only short words of no more than two syllables. Second, this particular slogan attacks the patriotism of corporations that are tacitly agreed to be multinational (since they're outsourcing). Even if people realize that outsourcing is unpatriotic, they will not buy into the suggestion that multinationals ought to be patriotic because the corporations themselves will not deign to show an iota of concern about being called unpatriotic. Calling a company like Microsoft unpatriotic means nothing whatsoever to them, because their only allegiance is to money; the same goes for pretty much any multinational you can name. So unless you can convince people that multinationals ought to be patriotic in some sense to America and Americans, people will only shrug because they know better than to expect any loyalty from craven mercenaries who sold out their patriotism long ago.
Please don't take this criticism of this particular slogan as criticism of your larger idea! I think it's promising and sound.

[Samantha]

7. Now wait a minute -- you are being too logical!

I asked you to set logic aside and assess whether this is the type of slogan that would sway a Bush* voter against him....

I am not going to refute the logic in your post, I am simply asking you to think like a Republican voter and let me know if you find this attack effective, not esoterically sound!

So take off your hat of reason, and focus on the syllable snafu. How would you edit the slogan?

And while you are on the hook, can you suggest something of your own?

[jonoboy]

6. great; push patriotism at all times..play them at their own game

[lcordero]

8. try this one:

"It's a threat to National Security to Outsource Jobs in a Time of War."

[meti57b]

9. That's good too.

[Samantha]

10. Great! We have a player!

I like it quite a bit. Let's see what others say ... and keep thinking. Thanks for playing.

You can use this slogan in your signature line ... after all you created it and many, many posters will continually see it. Best of all, others "visiting" here will see it as well. Someone might like it and decide to use it.

[Samantha]

12. Shorter version: Selling American Jobs Shortsells National Security

... just trying to shorten your slogan, perhaps you can think of a better word than "shortsells."

This is a fun, positive thing to work on for election 2004.

[caledesi]

11. I love it! Outsourcing American jobs is UNPATRIOTIC! nt

[Samantha]

13. George W. Bush* -- Diamond in the Rough or Crass Cut Glass?

Polishing American jobs for shipment overseas...

[Samantha]

14. George W. Bush* -- Mining American jobs for Refining Overseas

Selling YOUR livelihood to the lowest bidder.

[edzontar]

15. Good Slogan--and TRUE, IMHO...

Indeed, I would say it is unpatriotic to outsource jobs in times of PEACE too.

These corporate creeps are killing this country--they are traitors, in fact, in the true sense of the word.

[Samantha]

16. They are economic traitors in a sense

and they are killing this country. You are right about that.

Were you aware of the U.S. Government tax incentive to corporations to ship jobs overseas? Do you think this is an effective campaign theme for 2004, the criticism of Bush* for allowing this to happen?

[Samantha]

17. Eliminate Waste - Export Bush*

I know we have some thinking DU'ers out there who can cough up some potential election 2004 slogans.

Where are you?

[lovedems]

19. That's my favorite!!!! n/t

[Samantha]

24. Select George Bush* President of Iraq

Vote Democratic and take your Country back.

[Eric J in MN]

28. Good slogan. We shouldn't be destroying our tax base when we're at war.

Good slogan. We shouldn't be destroying our tax base when we're at war.

Of course, we shouldn't be destroying our tax base and ruining people's lives when we're at peace, either, but still.