Bryan Bennett at Navigator Research tells Democrats they need to reframe their economic messaging:
... There is an opening for progressives for two reasons: one, Republicans burned up their long-established brand as the party that is serious about focusing on the fundamentals of the economy; and two, Democrats have passed an economic policy agenda that is really popular — just deeply unknown — while Republicans continue to shill for corporations and the wealthy at every opportunity.
As a result, progressives should reframe their popular economic agenda in terms of a focus on bringing down costs and improving the economy for everyday people while driving a contrast that forces a choice against unpopular, extremist Republican policy proposals.
And as a baseline – do not jettison advocating for our progressive policy agenda before the American people know it exists.
He goes on to describe four trends that suggest the path the reframing should take:
Data trend 1: Democratic accomplishments in the macroeconomic environment don’t currently matter because they don’t connect to Americans’ top economic concerns...
In other words, what resonates with voters is the price of food, consumer goods, and housing, not GDP growth unemployment rate, etc.
Data trend 2: The progressive policy agenda that does address costs is popular, but widely unknown...
People really like the policy agenda (eg., infrastructure funding, lowering prescription drug costs, boosting the semiconductor industry, etc.), and it's time to re-introduce them to the public.
Data trend 3: Republicans are viewed increasingly as unfocused on the economy...
In other words, they don't care about fixing problems, they only care about their petty grievances.
Data trend 4: Republicans are also increasingly viewed as being the party of extremism.
Their increasing authoritarianism, their proposals to end Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid, implement a national sales tax, and, of course, their wildly unpopular and mobilizing opposition to womens' reproductive rights are just some examples.
Bennett then offers a specific example of how an issue should be framed:
…from how progressives are communicating now: “We passed legislation that is bringing down the cost of insulin by allowing Medicare to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs.”
…to: “While MAGA Republicans are focused on taking away abortion access and cutting Social Security and Medicare, Democrats in Congress are focused on bringing down the cost of your insulin – which is why they passed legislation that allows Medicare to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs.”
Even though we're living in a "bad vibe" world now (as Bennett puts it), we've barely begun to frame the issues and the stakes, though we've seen the potency of the defending democracy, voting rights and personal freedom agenda in elections since 2020. The economic messages growing from the progressive policy agenda, both what's been implemented and what can be, are very popular with the public and can offer some "good vibes" counter- messaging if Democrats can seize the moment, with just under a year to go.
