Democrats' Word Problem: Third Way Memo on Avoiding Jargon

Third Way's Memo on Democratic Language

• 💡 A memo from the left-center think tank Third Way suggests Democrats should avoid specific jargon to improve their connection with voters.
• 🎯 The list, titled "Was it something I said?", aims to prevent Democrats from sounding divisive, elitist, and obfiscatory.
• 🔑 The memo argues that by trying to please a few, Democrats have alienated the many, particularly on cultural issues.

Blacklisted Terms and Their Impact

• 🗣️ The memo identifies terms spanning six categories, including therapy speak, explaining away crime, and identity politics.
• 🚫 Examples of blacklisted terms include: privilege, violence (environmental), dialoguing, triggering, microaggression, othering, holding space, subverting norms, systems of oppression, cultural appropriation, Overton window, existential threat, radical transparency, stakeholders, the unhoused, food insecurity, housing insecurity, person who immigrated, birthing person, cisgender, dead naming, heteronormative, patriarchy, LGBTQIA+, bipo, allyship, incarcerated people, and involuntary confinement.
• ⚠️ Third Way emphasizes this is not censorship but a strategy to avoid alienating potential listeners with jargon and overly scripted language.

Critiques and Alternative Perspectives

• 🧠 While acknowledging some wisdom in the memo, critics argue that candidates and policy matter more than language.
• 🤔 The term "unhoused" is debated, with some finding it patronizing and less effective than "homeless" without accompanying action.
• 🗣️ The discussion highlights the difficulty of language evolution, especially when terms feel forced rather than organic.
• 🚀 Some argue that changing terms like "homeless" to "unhoused" lacks the progress seen in historical language shifts (e.g., "negro" to "Black").

Specific Word Debates

• 💬 The term "birthing person" is a point of contention, with arguments that it shifts focus away from core issues like abortion rights.
• 🏳️‍🌈 The expansion of LGBTQIA+ acronyms is seen by some as cumbersome and potentially alienating to allies trying to be supportive.
• 🧐 Terms like "stakeholder" are considered acceptable in business contexts, while "allyship" is debated for its usage in online discourse.

Candidate Recommendations and Overall Strategy

• 🌟 Third Way suggests former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Senator Ruben Gallego, and Governor Andy Beshear as examples of politicians who communicate effectively.
• 🎤 However, some hosts express disagreement, noting that figures like Buttigieg are also known for using complex language.
• ✅ The consensus among the hosts is that while language matters, strong candidates and tangible actions are ultimately more crucial for Democratic electoral success.