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The Hidden Truth Behind Political Buzzwords A good politician knows that his or her success lies in having the ability to manipulate public opinion. One way politicians have been doing this is using buzzwords or political slang. The government will use these words either to make the truth sound more pleasant or to bad mouth an opponent without looking immature themselves. Ever since we have had politics we have also had newspapers and media covering it all and promoting these buzzwords. As mentioned in this article, The newspapers originate and propagate slang, particularly in politics. Most of our political slang-terms since the Civil War, from pork-barrel to steam-roller, have been their inventions (Boylan). Some of these buzzwords are words you use every day and do not even realize it. You hear them on the news or use them in everyday conversation to describe people or parties. Most of the time you do not even know the true origins or meaning of the word or phrase. Its the Maverick in McCain and Palins push for the white house. Or the Change in Obamas battle cries. What does a Maverick do? Or what Change is Obama trying to achieve? These are catchy terms, but they have little substance past face value. This sentence on the website Chimes gives a good example of how buzzwords are used in the media, John McCain has a proven record, more than just rhetoric, of bringing change to America. If change is the direction America seeks, then electing a moderate with a maverick mentality is exactly what America needs and should want (Baren). Notice how they emphasize change and maverick, but make it seem as everyday conversation. They use the words that we are all familiar with but fail to explain exactly what they mean. The use of lingo in politics cloaks the truth about real issues to the American public and the politicians should talk about the issues and what they plan to do in detail if they are elected into office. America should demand the truth and not fall victim to

2 the smoke and mirrors of political buzzwords. The website Political Lingo states that the phrase jump on the wagon traces back to the late 1800s. The definition is one I never expected; but after reading it, it makes perfect sense. The word bandwagon actually originated with American showman P.T. Barman, who trumpeted the arrival of his famous circus in each town with a parade through the streets. Playing from a flash, decorative wagon, a band would draw enthusiastic crowds. Eventually, the phrase was adopted to mean showing support for a popular candidate who seems sure to win an election (Johnson). Nowadays we use the phrase jump on the bandwagon when someone is agreeing with the majority or just going along with the people around them. For example, if a sports team starts winning, you will see more and more people wearing that teams logo, even if they did not support that team in the beginning of the season. We give the term a negative connotation without even knowing that in its origin, there was nothing negative about a bandwagon. Politicians have become very skilled at making the American public sympathizes with them, on a personal level instead of focusing on the issues. A government is made and put into place for two reasons: for foreign and domestic defense and to help the greater good of its citizens. The government is not in place to make money off of us as citizens, but that is exactly what they are doing. President Obama is not running his office right now solely on the purpose of helping America get back on track, he is running it to get re-elected for another four years. This is no secret and every president has done it before him. It is always their second term when they do not care about re-election that presidents actually pass most of their law and fight for the policies they believe in. Because of this re-election push they must win the hearts and minds of

3 the people that voted for him in the first time. They do that the same way companies convince you to buy their products. In the article Political Buzz words they emphasize this by saying, Pundits, politicians, and even grassroots activists are in many respects as skilled as Coke, Pepsi, Wal-Mart, and Apple at selling their products to their consumers (Nordstrom). They figure if it works for these top selling companies, then why not for political parties? And they are right. It is amazing that a few well received words, said in the right order and right context can hold such an emotion with a select group of voters. Political Buzz Words said it best in this article, And like commercials, buzz words themselves are usually catchy, but trite; they are the skydivers in soft drinks commercial, or the random sight-gag in the car commercial: none of them have anything whatsoever to do with the product they are selling. But they work (Nordstrom). As well in the article, they talk about in the 1980s and 90s the Republican Party went after the Democratic Party during elections saying the Democrats are going to just tax and spend. This term caught on and made the Democrats look like the enemy. In all reality this term is true for every government in the world. Every government always tax and they will always spend that tax money. This is how all governments work. All that matters is how much they tax and how much they spend. But the buzzword worked to frame the debate in the context of these guys will take your money, and these guys wont, and it worked well. Buzzwords are not used by one side or another. Both parties use them for their own political gain. Even famous and well respected presidents from our past have used buzzwords to relate to the American public. When nuclear war was a very real threat with the former USSR, President Johnson struck fear into American hearts by telling the public that the Russian has their finger on the button (Pro-Lingo). This meant that tensions are so high that at any moment Russia can push that button to release its nuclear bombs. Another president to use

4 buzzwords excessively was President George W. Bush. He used buzzwords to put nationalism back into American public by using terms that put us against all enemies of America. He used Axis of evil and terrorist as if it was his best friends name. He put up banners on warships that read Mission Accomplished to try and bring the whole nation to believe the government was doing its job in Iraq. Even the term 9/11 was abused to gain sympathy and acceptance for the war in Iraq. The name of the war, Mission: Iraqi Freedom, makes you feel warm and cozy about attacking a whole country. Sounds better then, Mission: Take over another Country. Bush Sr. used read my lips when he was talking to the American public about no more tax increases. Him saying such a common phrase, as a mother says it to her child, brought him down to the publics level and made him seem as though he understands what the public is going through. He also coined another term voodoo economics (Pro-Lingo). This was a reference to President Ronald Reagan's "Reaganomics". He was trying to make President Reagans plan seem goofy and only exist in a magical world. And finally we come to President Nixon whose infamous pundits will live forever in American history. Not only was he the king of buzzwords, such as nattering nabobs of negativism, but his two peace signs while entering Helicopter 1 will be a signature of his that will be mimicked for all time. The fact that Nixon ran on a stop the Vietnam War ticket to win the election in 1969 and he never accomplished it, is just an epic fail for his peace signs when exciting his presidency. No one will ever forget I am not a crook!! Usually these terms fit or are targeted at a specific group of people or beliefs. When using buzzwords, you want the recipient to get what you are saying, and how you saying it. This means you have to direct it at like minded people. Generally, all of those terms only fit within narrow set of beliefs- usually having to do opposing the death penalty and the war in Iraq, hating

5 Wal-Mart, or blaming the United States for AIDS (Nordstrom). The word bad can mean one thing to one group of people and mean something totally different to another group. So if you want the word bad to mean something is good, then you have to say it to people that agree with your statement. The up and coming far right powerhouse, the Tea Party, does this perfectly. Their target audience is scared, white, Republican mid-class Americans who are upset that America is being driven by the Democratic Party. They are so confident that they use The Tea Party Express as their web domain. The express meaning they are going to roll over the elections in which they run. They reach out to their target demographic by using fear and threaten that you are not a true American if you do not support their side. This quote is from the TeaPartyExpress.org website on the very first paragraph, At each stop the tour will highlight some of the worst offenders in Congress who have voted for higher spending, higher taxes, and government intervention in the lives of American families and businesses. These Members of Congress have infringed upon the freedom of the individual in this great nation, and its time for us to say: Enough is Enough! (TeaPartyExpress.org). The use of phrases like worst offender and government intervention bring anger and the feeling of someone are taking something from you. Mentioning higher spending and higher taxes with the lives of American families and businesses in the same sentence makes the reader connect these terms and pushed to believe that the Tea Party would never do that to you. This is directed to a small group of far right radicals that do not agree with American government or its policies. Even the name of the movement, Tea Party, is a play on the name of the famous rebellion in 1776 of The Boston Tea Party. This group of Tea Partiers see themselves as the same rebels that help spark the American Revolution. Their buzzwords are mostly play on words that ignites patriotism in the American public. Such as constitutionalist and their constant use of liberty, freedom, and

6 forefathers makes one feel they are going back to the roots of American history to bring back Americas original plan. Again, it is amazing that a few well received words, said in the right order and right context can hold such an emotion with a select group of voters. Political lingo and buzzwords are often used to humiliate an opposing politician and bring that opponent down to a person level for the voters. If the voters look up to a politician they are more likely going to agree with that person. Just the opposite for if they look down on them. It is easier to disagree with someone if they are your peer. Such as these recent buzzwords associated with President Obama Some of the top ten buzzwords of the Midterm Election Obama as a Muslim, Obama as aloof, detached, or professorial, recession (linked to Obama) (Payack). All of these are personal attacks on President Obama. Not about his party or his policies, but him as a person. Why should anyone care about president Obama being a Muslim? The opposing side will mention that because they know that some Americans do not agree with the Islamic religion and therefore not like President Obama. This also forces Obama to address the fact that his family is Islamic and try to explain why he is now a Christian. The opposing party just successfully made the Islamic community question why their president does not want to be part of their religion and inflamed the radical Americans that do not like Muslims. The Republican Party has been very successful painting president Obama in a negative shadow. With the help of Fox News, the Republicans have made a comeback with this years midterm election and the use of buzzwords is why. Global Language Monitor (GLM) found that the buzzwords portrayed a strongly negative narrative that has increasingly entangled the president and his party. And so it is none too surprising that many of the buzzwords surrounding the midterms are about Obama as a man, a person, a personality (Payack).

7 When Americans choose to watch one news source and believe everything the commentators say, then they are easily brain washed to one side or the other. It is the voters job to look at the politicians as professionals and look at what they have done and not on who they are. If politics is going to be a marketing game then we as Americans better just jump on the bandwagon and get what we can. The sad part is most Americans have already done this. Wearing a Yes We Can shirt is not enough. Buzzwords will not be going away as long as they keep working. America needs to read between the lines and self educate so they know the real issues of our society. Demand from the politicians that they give us detailed plans on how they plan to fix our issues. When you hear a term that you do not recognize, find out where it came from and who said it. If youre having a hard time pin pointing that information then it is probably a buzzword trying to make you feel a certain way for that party. Feel the way you want to feel with issues that concern you. Want what you want and stand up for it with everything you got, but we cannot be convinced by just simple terms, words, or smartly worded phrases. Educate yourself with how government works and you will find you have been manipulated at one point or another. The ones that say they do not care about politics are the ones getting tricked every day. As long as our politicians hide behind buzzwords and play games with one another, then it is the Americans that are truly the ones that lose