"Watch What They Say" ... or Notable Media Catchphrases
We all use catchphrases. Sometimes we use them when we want to be diplomatic. Sometimes we use them when we want to hint at something without coming straight out and saying what we mean. We all use language to persuade. The media is no different, and there's nothing wrong with that. But if we don't have a thorough understanding of the dictionary they're working from it's impossible to know what they're really trying to say. Below is list of some notable catchphrases used by pundits, journalists, marketers and opinion makers to "sway" opinion in the direction of the argument they're trying to make or the product they're trying to sell -- whether that product is a car, candidate or cultural position. We hope these terms will be helpful to you the next time you're watching the news, surfing the web or listening to talk radio.
Activist Judges
An activist judge is a catchphrase that both conservative and liberals (but mainly conservatives) use to describe judges who they believe allow their personal views to guide judicial decisions. The Roe v. Wade decision (legalizing abortion), Brown v. Board of Education (challenging racial segregation), and the decision that gave George W. Bush the White House in 2001 are decisions that some say are the work of activist judges.
Chattering Class
The chattering class is a catchphrase that refers to the educated, elitist and supposedly most liberal members of society. It's a favorite of people across the political spectrum, and is sometimes used to refer to the journalists and political types who think they're the arbiters of "true" wisdom.
Backdoor Draft
The "Backdoor Draft" is a pejorative term for the US military's Stop-Loss Program. Every military service member's enlistment agreement contains a Stop-Loss provision. The provision essentially grants the military the right to extend the duration of that service member's active duty status beyond the original terms of the agreement. Opponents of Stop-Loss contend that it's just another name for a backdoor draft since it asserts that military volunteers don't really have control over how long they serve.
Climate Change
"Climate change" is a less scary sounding way to say GLOBAL WARMING!
How it became a part of the popular vernacular is an interesting story in itself. According to an article on the web site Media Transparency, Republican strategist Frank Luntz came up with the term in 2003 to deal with the Republican Party's biggest perceived weakness -- the environment. In a memo to George W. Bush, Luntz suggested using the term "Climate Change" instead of "Global Warming" because, "while global warming has catastrophic communications attached to it, climate change sounds like a more controllable and less emotional challenge."
Death Tax
The Death Tax is a really ominous, really scary way to describe the estate tax, which is a levee imposed on the transfer of the taxable estate of a deceased person. The death tax is only used by opponents of the estate tax who seek to have it repealed.
Guest Worker (or Guest Worker Program)
The guest worker program has been proposed many times in the past and (by both Republicans and Democrats) and most recently by George W. Bush. Under the program a US company would be able to sponsor a non-citizens laborer for up to three years. If the laborer is unable to secure a green card during this period they would be deported back to their home country. Opponents of the guest worker program (on both the left and the right) have argued that a guest worker program is just another name to describe a program that accords amnesty for illegal aliens.
Junk Science
Junk science is a term often used by advocates of the far right to debunk scientific views that they don't agree (global warming is often labeled as junk science by its opponents). Junk science is not true scientific term at all and is mainly used for the purposes of political debate.
Limousine Liberal
Limousine liberal is a derogatory term used to describe upper class people who considers themselves champion of the poor even though they themselves live lives of great comfort. The catchphrase is credited to New York mayoral hopeful Mario Procaccino who used the term in 1969 to attack then Mayor John Lindsay and his upper class supporters. It's of interest to note that John Lindsay was a Republican.
Mainstreaming is a term often used by pundits and educators to describe the practice of integrating special needs students into classes with regular students. Opponents of mainstreaming claim it's just a pleasant sounding way to describe a practice that results in teachers' time being dominated by the special needs students at the expense of the regular students.
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the practice of recognizing and celebrating the all the diversity of cultures, ethnicities and lifestyles that make up the totality of society. Multiculturalism advocates a society that extends equal status to all cultures, with no one culture predominating. Some would argue that multiculturalism is a catchphrase for an ideology that turns it's back on traditional American values in favor of other (and some may say less important) traditions.
Redistribution of Wealth
Redistribution of wealth is a term that's been around for a while, but had a popular resurgence during the recent presidential election. The term basically refers to the process of transferring wealth from some individuals to others. Opponents would say that "redistribution of wealth" is just a more elegant way to describe taxing the wealthy. Further still, some might argue that redistribution of wealth suggests Marxist or socialist agenda.
Right-sizing
Right sizing is an innocuous euphemism for downsizing a company's workforce to the point where the number of employees is considered to be "right" for the company's current condition.
"Some People Say ..."
"Some people say..." is a classic example of a weasel word (or weasel phrase). Weasel words are not supported by facts, and are usually expressed with the deliberate intention of misleading the listener, viewer or reader into believing a statement that can't be proven. Examples of its use include, "Some people say Barack Obama is Muslim" or "Some people say Sarah Palin belongs to an Alaska secessionist party."
