Posted on 01/18/2012 12:43:46 AM PST by neverdem
One of the simplest rhetorical truths is that the side that defines the vocabulary of a debate wins the debate. Yet, amazingly, we still see experienced conservative politicians with access to advanced polling operations and an array of advisors use the Lexicon of the Left. And this election cycle is no exception.
I could almost cringe when I hear -- as I did repeatedly during Monday's South Carolina GOP debate -- Republicans talk about "capitalism." "I believe in capitalism..." "Barack Obama doesn't believe in capitalism..." Capitalism this and capitalism that -- look at me with my plump wallet, walking stick, and tony top hat. Oh, it's not that I don't believe in free enterprise; it's that we shouldn't use words that conjure up sentiments akin to the preceding rhyme.
And polls inform that this is precisely what "capitalism" does. For example, Pew Research Center reports, "[s]lightly more than half (52%) react positively to the word 'capitalism,' compared with 37% who say they have a negative reaction." According with this is a 2009 Rasmussen poll showing that, shockingly, "only 53% of American adults believe capitalism is better..."
--snip--
Some may now lament how we have allowed the left to demonize our terminology. But "capitalism" in the modern sense was never ours -- and the left didn't demonize it.
They spawned it.
In point of fact, it was originated by communism's founding fathers.
The two culprits were French socialists Louis Blanc and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. True believers both, Blanc claimed that man's evils were the result of pressures born of competition and gave us the principle "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs" (Karl Marx stole it from Blanc), while the equally radical Proudhon believed that "property is theft." Of course, Marx the great imitator then popularized "capitalism."...
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
nobody cares about this issue anymore.. at least until the general election if Romney wins... it’s so last week
“Of course, the solution is simple, and we all have a part to play. The left has sought to turn economic freedom into a dirty concept; we must turn “capitalism” into a dirty word.
Don’t say it.
Don’t write it.
Don’t use it.
If we want economic freedom to live, “capitalism” must die.”
*face palm*
Lately, I’ve been concerned about the AT’s “thinkers.”
One can illuminate what capitalism is without treating it as a foul word. If I had to give an illuminated meaning it would be something like: it’s the freedom to invest one’s own wealth into any lawful thing in order to earn more wealth, and it is a freedom that has doors for entry of not just the Monopoly-game tycoons, but the lowliest enterprising soul.
Capitalism and balanced budgets are not relevant when you know you can print money. That is straight from the mouth of the reverend al sharpton. And he speaks for many.
The economy is not the issue to hammer home, the big issue is the sell out by everyone to the foreign money that has bought out congress, state governments and most of the inside the beltway crowd.
Sharia should be outlawed and should be the hot topic. Unfortunately, the republicans have been boxed into a corner and allowed discussion of real issues to be outlawed as hate speech.
I disagree. The article makes an airtight point. Why are we married to a word that was originated by communists?
I should also mention that pollster Frank Luntz has made the same point as this author. He has stated that using the word capitalism is a losing proposition for Republicans. The polls are very clear. And some are presented in this article.
And so what. Who remembers that history, and why is capital a bad word? Almost anybody can have capital in something, if only their own skills and time. For the few unfortunates truly limited by circumstance there is charity — for everybody else, capitalism.
Again, the polls say that the word (not so much the SYSTEM) turns people off. Why are Republicans so numb to the truths of marketing? And it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the word does turn people off. Communists invented it for that very reason.
By the way, a pile of excrement will smell up your place even if no one remembers when it was deposited.
the word should be free market, free to choice where to spend/invest your money without controls like tax/regulations aka red tapes. Its a civil right issue. You’re not really free if someone else could force you to give up your property rights
Me too. They act as though capitalism is a dirty word. It isn’t.
The problem is that you can have a crony capitalism which enables people to make a lot of money by propping up failure.
*Stop attacking each other - The enemy is 0bama, attack him, his policies and tell us what YOU WILL DO to fix America.
*Fire all the marketing people. Who's idea was it for a “You're fired” ringtone? Stupid and petty - well beneath an honorable candidate.
*Stop playing to the Liberals by avoiding words that the Liberals have made ‘offensive’ like Capitalism, Work, Profit and Personal Responsibility.
*Stop chasing polls. This is the world of instant news. You can't say one thing in IA, another in NH and a third in SC just because some hired ‘professional’ says that should be your position. State your policies and convictions and stick with them. I'm no supporter of Ron Paul but I do admire the man's ability to say what he believes and to stick with it.
*If a candidate is attacked they should hold a press conference, address the accusation, present their evidence to the contrary and move along. This attacking one another and hiding behind so called super PACs is Super BS. It shows how little character a candidate has.
Just whaadya think the Dhimmocrats will be screaming at us for the next 10 1/2 months???
Maybe, just MAYBE, we can explain to our govt-educated population what the word actuallly MEANS.
But you don’t have to leave unaddressed the communist lie that only the filthy rich can have “capital.” It used to be understood that the lemonade stand kid had “capital” too.
It’s like Methodists rebuffed their critics by keeping the name which was supposed by their lukewarm foes to mock their pious habits.
This is where the fine points come in of what is a lawful thing to invest in. Free enterprise’s decent bounds surely stop short of buying your Congressman, President, or Court. How to stop the mass trough-feed is another question. The first to propose it will be hooted down as a hypocrite.
Exactly!! And, responsibility for yourself and for your family is also becoming an objectionable concept.
Check this out, from by brother:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSYy3ZYOfgQ&lr=1
We stopped defending capitalism when we allowed the word “rich” to become a pejorative.
This.
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