[oblomov]

This is an organization founded by Berkeley linguistic professor George Lakoff, and funded heavily by George Soros and other leftist benefactors. They create talking points for the left that crop up everywhere, including the MSM.

This is utter cr**, of course, but worth keeping an eye on because of this group's influence.

[marty60]

What influence. Soros spent a small fortune and it didn't do S***. the lefties always have an inflated view of their influence.

[NavVet]

Help help, I'm being oppressed!

[kcvl]

The Rockridge Institute is a group of distinguished scholars and researchers working to help achieve a just, democratic, environmentally sustainable, and humane society. We are a non-partisan 501(c)(3) research and educational institution, and do not endorse or oppose any particular candidate or party.

Rockridge works to:

* Reframe the terms of political debate to make a progressive moral vision more persuasive and influential.
* Develop public policies that will bring us closer to a society that embodies this vision.



* Unify progressives around a shared political program and a common moral language.
* Build links with activists, policymakers, the media, academics, and other key groups to influence the public agenda.

Over the last three decades, a well-organized and well-funded conservative movement has appropriated fundamental American values and language, from freedom to compassion to patriotism, and redefined them from a conservative perspective. By defining the language of public discourse, they have set the parameters of the political debate, even though a majority of Americans continue to reject much of the conservative worldview and its policy implications. The right has used the support of a dense network of think tanks, intellectuals, and policy analysts, to articulate its moral vision, disseminate it to the public, and translate it into public policies. More on the Rockridge mission.

We are grateful to the Open Society Institute, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the Marguerite Casey Foundation, the Women Donors Network and MoveOn.org for providing us with funding that enables us to begin our work. Several individual donors have also made important contributions. We are seeking additional funding to advance the Rockridge mission.

[glennherman]

The Right’s approach to such cases is deception, often through the use of Orwellian language — language that means the opposite of what it says.

These people strike me as intellectually vapid. The right rarely uses orwellian phrases, while the libs live off them. First off, WE are not communists parading their crapola through "patriotism", WE are not the ones referring to aborted babies as "products of conception". I could go on but I am getting sick just thinking about these godless animals.

[Arkinsaw]

# Do not call it the “Clear Skies initiative.” Call it the “Dirty Skies initiative.” # Do not call it “Healthy Forests.” Call it “No Tree Left Behind.” # Do not call it “Compassionate Conservatism.” Call it “Callous Conservatism".

They have been trying this for years. Mean-spirited, draconian, etc. Hasn't worked yet.

[Fenris6]

"leaders on the Right have traditionally been considered mean and lacking in empathy toward people who are needy, poor or oppressed."

er no - should read: "leaders on the Right have traditionally been labelled as mean and lacking in empathy by sophists and demogogues on the Left"

Once more, another "intellectual elite" who is neither.

[freekitty]

Radical right this, Radical right that.

They still don't get it.

[MizSterious]

Yeah, the right is so darned weak they won the presidency, more seats in the House and Senate, with a hefty 3.5 million votes over what the 'rats could dig up. That's a weakness I can live with!

[Halgr]

I'm gonna find some email addresses and flame these people in an intelligent way....LOL

[Billthedrill]

Change the terminology and you change the language. Change the language and you change the thought. Change the thought and you change the result.

Theoretically flawless, even if it isn't really as up-to-date as most postmodern scholars pretend. Problem is, words do have meanings, and in the real world all you get from renaming a garbageman a "sanitary engineer" is laughed at.

[wgeorge2001]

I truly believe the left has lost it's collective mind and is in need of ritalin or should move to Canada for a lovely life long vacation. The article makes no sense whatsoever.

[SuziQ]

The left doesn't employ any deception in their language? How about "a woman's right to choose"?

[Cultural Jihad]

. . . deception, often through the use of Orwellian language — language that means the opposite of what it says.

Such as 'gay' to signify miserable people.

[mabelkitty]

Yeah, the "social security scheme" really worked for Al Gore. Nazi, Liar, Hitler, unpopular, hated, etc., really worked for the rest of the herd/

[2ndreconmarine]

This is utter cr**, of course, but worth keeping an eye on because of this group's influence

Thank you for this post. I think it is important. In the words of Zsun Tu, "The Art of War"

Know neither yourself nor your enemy, lose all your battles.

Know yourself but not your enemy, win only half of your battles.

Know yourself and your enemy, win all of your battles.

As unpleasant as this is, we need to know our enemy.

[blue-duncan]

Rock Ridge? Isn't that a place in "Blazing Saddles"?

[melbell]

"Orwellian language" - English Slang — language that means the opposite of what it says.
Synonyms: Oxymoron
Example: 'Intelligent Liberal'