"Dictionary of Republicanisms" at The Nation

The Nation magazine is one of our country's last voices of independent journalistic thought. If you are not a subscriber, please consider signing-up for home delivery. Subscribe to The Nation.

Katrina vanden Heuvel writes:

Over the past few decades, the radical right has engaged in a well-funded, self-conscious program of Orwellian doublespeak, transforming the American political discourse to suit its ends. Think tanks like the Cato Institute routinely market phrases for their political resonance, like "personal" vs. "private" accounts. Frank Luntz, the Republican pollster, lexicographer and MSNBC pundit who combines Madison Avenue techniques with K Street connections, sends out regular missives informing Republican operatives and politicians on how to spin conservative policy proposals. (He was on The Daily Show demonstrating his talents, defining "manipulation" as "explanation and education.") Paul Wolfowitz admitted to Vanity Fair that "weapons of mass destruction" was agreed upon as the reason to go to war with Iraq because it was the most salable rationale. And we all know how that turned out. . . .

The Nation is building a new dictionary, and this is currently my favorite entry:

democracy n. A product so extensively exported that the domestic supply is depleted.

Read more at The Nation.
Dick Mac Recommends:

Subscribe to The Nation