Rahm Emanuel, Chicago’s former Democrat mayor who is widely reported to be considering a 2028 presidential run, acknowledged his party’s problem with messaging in June.
“Why do Democrats have a problem?” he asked The Bulwark podcast host, Tim Miller. “Because we’re punks, and we not only talk like punks, we talk down to people. We get caught up in a set of issues that aren’t relevant.”
The memo concluded: “When we use words people don’t understand, studies show that the part of their brain that signals distrust becomes more active, undermining our ability to reach them.”
“We will never abandon our values or stop doing things to protect those who need help, encouragement, trust, a second chance, acceptance, a fair shake, and the opportunity to pursue life, liberty and happiness.
...
Therapy speak
Seminar room language
Organiser jargon
Gender and orientation correctness
Racial constructs
Explaining away crime
Therapy speak
According to the memo: “These words say: ‘I’m more empathetic than you, and you are callous to hurting others’ feelings’.”
Privilege: Advantages experienced based on race, gender, or social identity
Violence (environmental): Harm caused by pollution and climate change, often marginalised communities
Dialoguing: Reaching mutual understanding through open conversation
Othering: Treating people with different characteristics unkindly or pushing them out of the group
Triggering: Causing emotional distress by recalling past trauma or harm
Microaggression/assault/invalidation: Small, sometimes unintentional, acts that undermine or offend marginalised groups
Progressive stack: Projecting the voices of those who face the most adversity above others
Centring: Making a viewpoint or group the focus of discussion
Safe space: An environment free of judgment and discrimination
Holding space: Offering silent support without judgment or interruption
Body shaming: Shaming someone for how their body looks
Seminar room language
Using this language suggests “I’m smarter and more concerned about important issues than you. Your kitchen table concerns are small,” according to the memo.
Subverting norms: Promoting equality by challenging tradition
Systems of oppression: Societal and institutional structures that further discriminate of marginalised groups Critical theory: The analysis of the intersection of power, inequality, and social justice
Cultural appropriation: Adopting or using aspects of another culture without respect or understanding Postmodernism: Questioning the status quo and amplifying perspectives of those not usually heard
Overton Window: Range of political ideas considered acceptable to discuss
Heuristic: Assumptions made by voters
Existential threat: Immediate danger to humanity
Organiser jargon
According to the memo, using language such as this says: “We are beholden to groups, not individuals. People have no agency.”
Radical transparency: Unbounded openness with the public
Small ‘d’ democracy: Democratic principles that are not a result of party politics
Barriers to participation: Obstacles stopping people from taking part in all aspects of civic life
Stakeholders: The core group of people affected by policy decisions
The unhoused: Homeless people
Food insecurity: Unreliable access to food
Housing insecurity: Unreliable access to shelter and safe living conditions
Person who immigrated: Immigrant, migrant
Gender and orientation correctness
Using ultra-politically correct terms like these project an air of “your views on traditional genders and gender roles are at best quaint,” the memo says.
Birthing person/inseminated person: “Gender neutral” term for a woman who is in, or will be in, labour
Pregnant people: “Gender neutral” term for a pregnant woman
Chest feeding: Breastfeeding
Cisgender: A person who identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth
Deadnaming: Using a transgender person’s given name
Heteronormative: The assumption that everyone is straight
Patriarchy: A system built to benefit men
LGBTQIA+: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and any other sexuality
The shifting language of racial constructs
Using this language gives the people the impression they will “be called out as racist if [they] do not use the latest and correct terminology,” the memo states.
Latinx: A term used for someone with Latin American heritage that negates the need for the gendered “a” or “o” at the end of the word, indicating a male or female
BIPOC: An acronym for Black, Indigenous, and people of colour
Allyship: Supporting a marginalised group without being a part of that group
Intersectionality: Overlapping characteristics that can intensify discrimination
Minoritised communities: Groups on the fringe of society owing to discrimination
Explaining away crime
Using this language implies “the criminal is the victim,” according to the memo.
Justice-involved: Those who have interacted with the justice system
Carceration: Detaining people
Incarcerated people: People in prison
Involuntary confinement: Being detained without consent
The memo is from a center-left think tank called The Third Way. The original article is here.
MEMO Published August 22, 2025 6 minute read Was It Something I Said?
For a party that spends billions of dollars trying to find the perfect language to connect to voters, Democrats and their allies use an awful lot of words and phrases no ordinary person would ever dream of saying. The intent of this language is to include, broaden, empathize, accept, and embrace. The effect of this language is to sound like the extreme, divisive, elitist, and obfuscatory, enforcers of wokeness. To please the few, we have alienated the many—especially on culture issues, where our language sounds superior, haughty and arrogant.
In reality, most Democrats do not run or govern on wildly out-of-touch social positions. But voters would be excused to believe we do because of the words that come out of our mouths—words which sound like we are hiding behind unfamiliar phrases to mask extreme intent.
Why the tortured language? After all, many Democrats are aware that the words and phrases we use can be profoundly alienating. But they use it because plain, authentic language that voters understand often rebounds badly among many activists and advocacy organizations. These activists and advocates may take on noble causes, but in doing so they often demand compliance with their preferred messages; that is how “birthing person” became a stand-in for mother or mom. And if we don’t think more carefully about our language, many in America will be banking on help from Donald Trump and Republicans, because Democratic levers of power will be few and far between.
Speaking for myself below: Ignore if you feel that your getting personally attacked.
It boggles my mind that Democrats still think that they lost 2024 due to language and language only. What is at issue for Democrats is that they have structural problems within the party.
I usually vote for centrists from either party in both national and local elections. But their frothing at the mouth eliteness is geeting to me.
Democrats will take away the right to "bear arms". Then Mamdani will take away the right to "bare arms".
Wow, it's uttered with so much confidence, I almost forgot it made zero sense.
Alright. I will make it "Democrats might take away the right to bear arms but Mamdani will surely bring in Sharia to NYC".
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 26 Aug 2025 03:22
by Vayutuvan
Rudradev wrote: ↑26 Aug 2025 03:08
I wonder what the conservative Heritage Foundation thinks of that. Has their vaunted Project 2025 gone off the rails and veered towards... socialism?
RD, you are misreading. Intel is too important to fail. It is not party specific.
Rachel Pritzker is an American heiress of the Pritzker family fortune, a center-left Democratic activist and funder, and a proponent of ecomodernism. She is the chair of Third Way, the Breakthrough Institute, and the Pritzker Innovation Fund. She was a founding board member of Media Matters of America and the Democracy Alliance. Her mother is Linda Pritzker.[1]
In 2004, MMfA began with the help of $2 million in donations.[4][5] That year MMfA received the endorsement of the Democracy Alliance, a partnership of wealthy and politically active progressive donors. The Alliance itself does not fund endorsees, but many wealthy Alliance members acted on the endorsement and donated directly to MMfA.[12][13][14] In 2010, George Soros donated $1 million to MMfA citing concerns that the "incendiary rhetoric of Fox News hosts may incite violence."[15][16] In a 2014 CNN interview, David Brock said that Soros's contributions were "less than 10 percent" of Media Matters' budget.[17][18]
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 26 Aug 2025 04:08
by Jay
Vayutuvan wrote: ↑26 Aug 2025 03:20
Alright. I will make it "Democrats might take away the right to bear arms but Mamdani will surely bring in Sharia to NYC".
As if mamdani's "sharia" is any different to current republican sharia being implemented by the pedo trump! On second thought, mamdani's platform seem to be way more neutral than the current trump's turbocharged cruelty agenda.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 26 Aug 2025 04:34
by Vayutuvan
Jay wrote: ↑26 Aug 2025 04:08
... mamdani's platform seem to be way more neutral than the current trump's turbocharged cruelty agenda.
Good joke that. Probably NYC folks are hoping that all those left NYC for Florida would come back to Mamdani's hellhole only to find themselves in an NYC as in "Escape from NY" and then try to get out. You have to have Kurt Russell like stature to be able to do that.
Vayutuvan wrote: ↑26 Aug 2025 03:20
Alright. I will make it "Democrats might take away the right to bear arms but Mamdani will surely bring in Sharia to NYC".
As if mamdani's "sharia" is any different to current republican sharia being implemented by the pedo trump! On second thought, mamdani's platform seem to be way more neutral than the current trump's turbocharged cruelty agenda.
Exactly . Could contrary to expectation trump is one of the most pro-islamist POTUS so far . He wined and dined with failed marshal , isis alumni , al Shara and accepted bribe from al thani the epicenter of Moslem brotherhood. The only thing saving Israel is Jared kushner is married to ivanka and his dad was close to Bibi . Else he would have sold them out as well and you can see people like mtg and rapidly rising antisemitism on the right that goes hand in hand with all the Hindu phobia .
Djt is a con artist and many including me and other rw desis got conned. I've never regretted doing anything in life as I have regretted voting for this dude.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 26 Aug 2025 07:03
by Ambar
Many people in the center voted for Trump because the other side had swung too far to the left, not even the traditional left but the post-2010 fringe progressives, and next elections people will vote for democrats because GOP swung too far to the right and fell off the cliff and into the maga abyss! US will continue to swing from one extreme to another until some equilibrium is found, probably it will take another great depression or a great war for sanity to be restored.
As for Israel, i hope they have a plan B because they are within 3-4 yrs of losing US support. The below 40 population in the US is vehemently against Israel and its very existence, it is only a matter of time before US goes Europe's way and starts holding back arms and begins sanctions. Part of the blame is definitely on Bibi, Smotrich, Benny Gantz and other lunatics who have ensured that not only the younger Israelis but jews everywhere will live in fear for many years to come. The current war is meaningless, and with ever incident like the one at Nasser Hospital today, Israel will lose more and more support in the west.
In other news, Trump just fired one of Federal Reserve Governors..oh well..
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 26 Aug 2025 07:55
by A_Gupta
Ah, Biden gave $39 billion to chip companies as grants as incentives; and Trump is converting grants into equity.
As Reuters reports:
The awards were part of the 2022 Chips and Science Act, which sought to lure chip production away from Asia and boost American domestic semiconductor output with $39 billion in subsidies.
But Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is now looking into the government taking equity stakes in embattled Intel and other chipmakers in exchange for the grants, sources told Reuters on Tuesday, as the Trump administration seeks "equity" in return for "investments."
The unusual alignment between Sanders and President Trump on government ownership stakes in private companies highlights a marked shift by Trump toward policies of state intervention in the economy that are typically associated with the left.
Perhaps for a different thread - should the Government of India get equity in exchange for PLI? Doesn't sound right to me.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 26 Aug 2025 08:29
by m_saini
Ambar wrote: ↑26 Aug 2025 07:03
As for Israel, i hope they have a plan B because they are within 3-4 yrs of losing US support. The below 40 population in the US is vehemently against Israel and its very existence, it is only a matter of time before US goes Europe's way and starts holding back arms and begins sanctions. Part of the blame is definitely on Bibi, Smotrich, Benny Gantz and other lunatics who have ensured that not only the younger Israelis but jews everywhere will live in fear for many years to come. The current war is meaningless, and with ever incident like the one at Nasser Hospital today, Israel will lose more and more support in the west.
You give way too much credit to the under 40 pop in west. they'll believe what the likes of BBC/Guardian/Reuters want them to believe. We already see this with the 'India funds Russia through oil" stories. Just like Ukrainians with their Nazi 'problem' was a big focus in western media but it all went away very conveniently once the "SMO" started.
If Israelis lose support in the west, it won't be because they bombed a hospital or 100. People forget what west did in Iraq etc, west is completely fine with killing journalists or kids or whoever. if things get really bad, maybe the 'west' will say sorry after 50 years and make Oct 7 a "truth and reconciliation" holiday
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 26 Aug 2025 13:25
by uddu
Defense Tech CEO Promises Faster Ship Production
Autonomous shipbuilder Saronic has laid the keel for its new 150-foot surface vessel, Marauder, intended for both defense and commercial use. CEO Dino Mavrookas says it will be the “fastest ship built in the US since World War II.” He speaks with Bloomberg’s Caroline Hyde from the company’s Louisiana shipyard.
Jay wrote: ↑26 Aug 2025 04:08
... mamdani's platform seem to be way more neutral than the current trump's turbocharged cruelty agenda.
Good joke that. Probably NYC folks are hoping that all those left NYC for Florida would come back to Mamdani's hellhole only to find themselves in an NYC as in "Escape from NY" and then try to get out. You have to have Kurt Russell like stature to be able to do that.
It's a great joke because you will be more likely to get shot or ripped off in any of the major florida cities than in NYC. Miami's murder rate is 3 times that of NYC, so may be all the people who wanted some dishoom-dishoom already left NYC for florida
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 27 Aug 2025 00:48
by Vayutuvan
Jay wrote: ↑26 Aug 2025 20:09
It's a great joke because you will be more likely to get shot or ripped off in any of the major florida cities than in NYC. Miami's murder rate is 3 times that of NYC, so may be all the people who wanted some dishoom-dishoom already left NYC for florida
I would like to know if you have evidence of NYC folks who are leaving are settling in drug mafia gangsta neighborhoods of Miami or Austin, TX. If they are super rich, they can always live in apartments high up in the air in grand resort like walled in compounds. Lower taxes you know.
Also are you saying that there is no net outflow from large cities in blue states and no net inflow into the red states, especially FL and TX?
You can have the last
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 27 Aug 2025 04:11
by Jay
From woke language to soros, soros to second amendment, 2A to mamdani in NY, and to movement patterns between states....may be I need that ....we all do.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 27 Aug 2025 06:08
by Vayutuvan
Multiple threads running in parallel. But some think that all posts are in response to what they are saying. Looks like some here are not old enough to have taken part in usenet. One can still use GNUS client on Emacs and a free news server eternal september to experience how that is far superior to linear non-threaded phpBB like BB. One can even have that experience with a simple web browser interface to simple mailing servers. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of them.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 27 Aug 2025 06:10
by Vayutuvan
That said, there is one thing common across all my posts. The blunders of the Democratic over the last couple of decades.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 02:48
by A_Gupta
“Denmark summons US envoy over report on covert American ‘influence operations’ in Greenland”
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 03:29
by Jay
There’s something remarkable about witnessing everything happening as a result of Trump and Republican policies—ignoring pedophilia, embracing radical Christianity, unprecedented levels of corruption, implementing fascist measures, and fueling violence—yet still say, but I’m triggered by "wokeness"(god only knows what that means) hence I support trump/republicans. The fox news/talk radio/conservative meme brain rot is everywhere and will be the eventual downfall of this republic.
One of Trump’s latest fundraising email leans heavily on faith and his brush with death, framing his political survival as a divine mission. With the subject line “I want to try and get to Heaven,” Trump implies eternal life is based on his efforts.
...
But the spiritual framing quickly pivots to a financial appeal. Trump declares he will “never surrender” but insists the MAGA movement depends on grassroots donations, launching a “24 HOUR TRUMP FUNDRAISING BLITZ.”
This person threw a sandwich at a federal agent, and the Trump prosecutors are trying to get a grand jury to indict him on felony assault charges. Hey the beauty of the grand jury shines, it is comprised of regular citizens. Remember that only the prosecutor presents their case to the grand jury, the defendant's side is absent from the proceedings. There is a saying in the US legal system that a good prosecutor can convince a grand jury to “indict a ham sandwich”, so the failure here is telling.
One can point to cases where the grand jury indicted or failed to indict based on racial prejudice. But at least some of American justice is based on community standards for the better or the worse.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 04:38
by Vayutuvan
Jay wrote: ↑28 Aug 2025 03:29
...but I’m triggered by "wokeness"(god only knows what that means) hence I support trump/republicans.
1. Ghislain Maxwell said that neither Trump nor Clinton did anything inappropriate. So both are exonerated. Either you believe her or you don't. tertium non datur, i.e. you cannot cherry pick.
2. The guidelines of were published by The Third Way stink tunky. It was started by one Pritzker. Another Pritzker is gov of Illinois and in the running for 2028 dem nomination. "Woke wording" does trigger not just GROpers but most folks, including Democrats themselves.
3. In recent news, UK government banned Union Jack display by private citizens as it could offend certain sections of the UK citizenry (and asylum seekers?!)
Yes, Democrats can and should be called Dumbocrats. They are the ones who got the US into this situation first by electing Biden, and second by nominating KD through fiat.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 04:41
by Vayutuvan
A_Gupta wrote: ↑28 Aug 2025 04:06
But the spiritual framing quickly pivots to a financial appeal. Trump declares he will “never surrender” but insists the MAGA movement depends on grassroots donations, launching a “24 HOUR TRUMP FUNDRAISING BLITZ.”
GOPricks are doing much better in fundraising than the Dumbocrats. Silly-con folks have given up on the California Dumbs - Noisome, Plastic, and KD.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 08:59
by A_Gupta
Peter Navarro called the Ukraine-Russia war "Modi's war".
> "yet still say, but I’m triggered by "wokeness"(god only knows what that means) hence I support trump/republicans. ".
Does Peter Navarro trigger anyone?
Anyone with more than two working neurons could have known well before Trump was elected that this utter idiocy was coming to power with Trump.
https://x.com/FinestYew/status/1960800602927022187
This was on the shotgun of the Catholic school shooter in the US.
India hate has been mainstreamed by both the left & the right. It's only a matter of time before we become the very real target of a deranged killers or worse, perfectly sane ones who just hate us.
NY Post only talks about threat to Trump and Anti Semitic messages while completely avoiding mention of N***** Word or Nuke India written on the gun
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 12:45
by Tanaji
Vayutuvan wrote: ↑28 Aug 2025 04:38
3. In recent news, UK government banned Union Jack display by private citizens as it could offend certain sections of the UK citizenry (and asylum seekers?!)
A small correction: there is no ban. The issue kicked off when a council (UK equivalent of county) took down flags that were attached to street furniture like lampposts citing safety reasons and that council was responsible if something should happen. There was no ban on flying them otherwise. Coincidentally this was the Tower Hamlets council which is full of peacefuls and notorious in for other peaceful accommodations. Predictably it blew up with the likes of Trump wannabe Farage’s party and like starting a movement called Hoist the Colours.. which has resulted in a profusion of England flags all over the country none of which have been removed…..
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 16:00
by drnayar
A_Gupta wrote: ↑28 Aug 2025 08:59
Peter Navarro called the Ukraine-Russia war "Modi's war".
> "yet still say, but I’m triggered by "wokeness"(god only knows what that means) hence I support trump/republicans. ".
Does Peter Navarro trigger anyone?
Anyone with more than two working neurons could have known well before Trump was elected that this utter idiocy was coming to power with Trump.
Navarro a.k.a dumbarro is as intelligent as a sack of stones ., Musk had enough of the stupidity this "senior white house advisor"
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 18:21
by gakakkad
Japan cancels trade delegation to unkil .
Maga copium is that trump is playing 8d chess
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 18:45
by KL Dubey
gakakkad wrote: ↑28 Aug 2025 18:21
Japan cancels trade delegation to unkil .
Maga copium is that trump is playing 8d chess
It looks like Modi's leadership and dexterity in avoiding this scam may be rubbing off on other countries that have actually been scammed.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 18:48
by KL Dubey
A_Gupta wrote: ↑28 Aug 2025 08:59
Anyone with more than two working neurons....
Of course, but the propaganda machine is still working to either portray him as a genius playing a complex strategic game, or saying "he has unexpectedly gone bonkers and we didn't know that in advance".
gakakkad wrote: ↑28 Aug 2025 18:21
Japan cancels trade delegation to unkil .
Maga copium is that trump is playing 8d chess
It looks like Modi's leadership and dexterity in avoiding this scam may be rubbing off on other countries that have actually been scammed.
Which is why I think they started a multipronged bullying campaign against India that involved massive amount of online hate against Indians . They were hoping India would blink . But no one effs with the priest king . No one .
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 19:17
by KL Dubey
Just FYI, PM Modi is on his way to Japan today and will sign some actual agreements.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 19:36
by sanjaykumar
Just learned that the iconic priest king relic was gifted to Pakistan in 1971.
I am exasperated by Indians. They are their own worst enemy.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 20:06
by gakakkad
The priest king is keeping a watch . Why do you think they have a constant state of civil war there ,hain ji ?
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 20:24
by mappunni
CNBC caught with pants down --- India In the Crosshairs: Rethinking global oil flows
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 20:50
by Jay
Vayutuvan wrote: ↑28 Aug 2025 04:38
1. Ghislain Maxwell said that neither Trump nor Clinton did anything inappropriate. So both are exonerated. Either you believe her or you don't. tertium non datur, i.e. you cannot cherry pick.
I do not know what's the big gotcha point. Yes, I do not believe maxwell and no one does. If clinton is guilty, get him into prison. See how simple it is when you do not support pedophilia and pedophiles? You(republicans) should try it sometime.
Yes, Democrats can and should be called Dumbocrats.
lol...you gotta update your meme game sirji.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 21:50
by gakakkad
clinton family also has a "kill list" ie mysterious deaths associated with them . ghislaine is in no position to spill beans on anyone. both sides she cut deal with them . I think clinton family and trump are not that far apart and the enmity is just for public consumption . nut-lick sahib was a major clinton donor in 2016 if u guys recall.
i would not get too attached to partisan politics. an israeli-american friend of mine told me what they think. they have very clear concepts. neither side likes them but wants their votes and money. they dangle their money as carrots. this time they tried trump. they'll go to the other side if needed and that may happen . we should be like that. saam ,daam , dand bhed onlee.
don't get attached . world is our playground. our time is here again.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 23:30
by Vayutuvan
Jay wrote: ↑28 Aug 2025 20:50
I do not know what's the big gotcha point. Yes, I do not believe maxwell and no one does. If clinton is guilty, get him into prison. See how simple it is when you do not support pedophilia and pedophiles? You(republicans) should try it sometime.
Yes, Democrats can and should be called Dumbocrats.
lol...you gotta update your meme game sirji.
Neither Dimwitocrats nor GOpricks want the list to be made public. Riddle me this.
Did Epstein commit suicide? If so, who was in charge of NY at that time and who was the president?
I am not condoning. I am simply pointing out what is. But most Dumbocrats are not like you in this respect. But given your elitist attitude, you would be with the Dimwitocrats on almost all issues.
Re: Understanding the US - Again
Posted: 28 Aug 2025 23:32
by Vayutuvan
sanjaykumar wrote: ↑28 Aug 2025 19:36
Just learned that the iconic priest king relic was gifted to Pakistan in 1971.
I am exasperated by Indians. They are their own worst enemy.
That too after we released 90K of their PsoW and did not settle Kashmir question for good. We are too Gandhian. Onlee.
