A buzzword is a polarizing statement or word that is meant to radicalize or motivate a political base. During the Bush Administration, many on the left compared Bush to Hitler, which made their arguments both polarizing and illegitimate. During the current administration, talking heads like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck compared Obama to Hitler, Rev Jeremiah Wright and radical William Ayers.
The problem with buzzwords is ingrained in their simplicity. The average person listening to talking heads absorbs buzzwords more readily than nuanced details. When Sean Hannity criticizes the Obama Administration by using the graphic of the "apples" of security, industry and commerce "falling" into the "basket of Socialism," viewers will make their own conclusions based on vague and often simplified concepts. Hannity's viewers will, more often than not, have a completely misguided understanding of both the Administration's policies and the tenets of modern Socialism. But, the words evoke an ideal of a bygone era where Socialism and Communism were the antithesis of American.
Prospective Republican presidential nominees Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney have stepped up their buzzword attacks on the Administration. I am going to break down some of the buzzword attacks of recent:
"Bureaucratic socialist" (Gingrich)
These two words slyly evokes the characteristics of someone who supports an inefficient government and is anti-American. Those who rail against the government use "bureaucratic red tape" as a reason to cut funding from programs that range from Nuclear Energy to regulations covering farm dust. Socialism is something that is considered, Prima Facie, anti-American.
"Kenyan, anti-colonial behavior" (Gingrich)
This statement covertly revives the "birther" issue without explicitly supporting it. Gingrich would lose the race immediately if he overtly supported the deranged conspiracies of the Birthers. But, by adding in "Kenyan" anti-colonial, he is bringing up the idea that Obama was born in Kenya. The anti-colonial part of the statement has many implications, none of which are elaborated on by the former Speaker. It could refer to Kenyan nationalism in the colonial and post-colonial era, it could refer to the Mau-Mau Movement or it could be veiled racism.
"...takes political inspiration from Europe" (Romney), "...must choose between a European-style welfare state and a free land" (Romney), "I am for the Constitution, he is for European socialism" (Gingrich)
Calling Obama a "European" seems to be all the rage among the potential nominees. By evoking Europe, Romney and Gingrich instill fear into voters that the U.S. will end up like the faltering economies of Ireland, Portugal and Greece. What voters see in the media is that these governments have failed because of their bloated public sector. So, they make the assumption that if we cut from our public sector and elect a president who will work to shrink the government, we will not end up like Greece, Portugal or Ireland. Even mentioning the word Europe implies high government wages, high debt, socialism, anti-Americanism and economic failure.
"I am for the Declaration of Independence, he is for the writing of Saul Alinsky." (Gringrich)
Gringrich seems to be giving the average American more credit. I know many educated people who have no idea who Saul Alinsky is. This one, while not apparent to most, brings up the same effects as comparing Obama to Rev Jeremiah Wright or William Ayers. Alinsky was a community organizer who taught minority communities how to gain political power through organizing. While he was not a socialist or a communist, mentioning him brings up the Palin-made criticism of community organizing and its connection to socialism. Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" was very confrontational. According to psychologist Drew Westen , the combination of a "Jewish-sounding" last name the idea of radicalism could appeal to the antisemitic voters.
What I despise most about buzzwords is that it polarizes voters instead of informing them. Those who support the existence of the Electoral College often point to a popular vote that assumes, to a certain extent, an informed voter. By listening to the nominees and the talking heads, an average voter would come up with the assumption that socialism will and always has been Anti-American, the government is inefficient and the European governments of Ireland, Portugal and Greece failed because they had a bloated public sector. They will also think that Obama is a Kenyan socialist who values European-style democracy over the basic tenets of the Constitution.
This kind of conspiratorial hogwash should have no place in electoral politics. And, mudslinging is ineffectual once elected. If you don't believe me, just look at the effectiveness of the Freshman TEA Party class in the House.
