Beating Harper
Susan Riley
The Ottawa Citizen
Friday, May 16, 2008
It will take more than a fistful of new policies -- a carbon tax, ananti-poverty strategy, or a boost in foreign aid -- to defeat Stephen Harper's Conservatives in the next election. And it will definitely take more than defensive expressions of outrage and hurt.If Liberals (or the liberal-left generally) want to disable the Torymachine, they will have to reframe the national debate -- starting,perhaps, by substituting optimism, scrupulous fairness and tolerance of other views for the strident, fear-based, divisive dialogue Harper has used so effectively. This means, in part, not reacting to unrelenting, often unfair, attacks from Harper's caucus picadors. Instead, "progressives" need to dismiss the yapping dogs and vigorously promote a green, prosperous, generous vision of our collective future.
But this transformation involves more than a change in strategy on the part of New Democrats (who have recently shelved their green agenda in favour of lower gas prices), or a fresh batch of talking points for Stéphane Dion, or a place at the next leaders' debate for Elizabeth May. It means non-Conservatives have to reclaim the language of political discourse. California academic George Lakoff, in his pithy primer for demoralized progressives, don't think of an elephant!, writes: "Do not use their language. Their language picks out a frame -- and it won't be the frame you want."
Lakoff uses "tax relief," which emerged early in the Bush years, as an example. It suggests ordinary people are oppressed by a greedy state, hostile to their interests. (Harper himself has said "there are no good taxes," although where else will he find the $50-odd billion he wants for the military in coming years?) While no one likes taxes, they also pay for vital public services. They support innovation that strengthen exports, help the disadvantaged, and, in the case of a "carbon tax," reward sustainable behavior.
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