"The environment is probably the single issue on which Republicans in general -- and President OK, now, this is a definitely potent buzzword, which people have deep emotional reactions to: winners and losers.
Bush in particular -- are most vulnerable," says a recent issue of Straight Talk, published by Luntz Research.
Instead, Luntz talks about massaging the message. Certain words, for instance, must be stricken from the vocabulary of America's political debate.
"It's time for us to start talking about 'climate change' instead of global warming and 'conservation' instead of preservation," Luntz advises.
Why?
"Climate change is less frightening than 'global warming,' " Straight Talk explains. "As one focus group participant noted, climate change 'sounds like you're going from Pittsburgh to Fort Lauderdale.' While global warming has catastrophic connotations attached to it, climate change suggests a more controllable and less emotional challenge."
Then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich used to greet Earth Day each April by giving his troops a list of public acts to show their concern for the environment. Visiting zoos was a favorite Gingrich gambit.
Luntz emphasizes the dos and don'ts of which words to use.
"When we talk about 'rolling back regulations' involving the environment, we are sending a signal Americans don't support," Straight Talk warns.
"If we suggest that the choice is between environmental protection and deregulation, the environment will win constantly."
Instead, Republicans are told to put the costs of regulation "in human terms." A sample labeled "Language that works" urges GOP politicos to deliver the following spiel:
"Unnecessary environmental regulations hurt moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas. They hurt senior citizens on fixed incomes. . . . They mean less income for families struggling to survive and educate their children."
As well, Straight Talk identifies issues and phrases as "winners" and "losers."
When talking about the Bush administration's withdrawal from the Kyoto global warming accord, Republicans are urged to sound nationalistic -- arguing that "voluntary innovation" is preferable to "international intervention and regulation."
"The 'international fairness' issue is the emotional home run," Luntz advises. The economic argument "should be secondary."
In a section titled "Getting back to nature," Republicans are advised to give personal testaments as to their love of the outdoors.
"Preserving parks and open spaces is a winner 
because it doesn't need to be explained to everyday Americans," Straight Talk says. "We need more issues like this."
Yup, holding two thumbs up is also a winner signal.
The Bush administration has proposed to "update" the Superfund program that cleans up toxic waste, an effort that critics say is designed to force the public rather than polluters to bear the costs. GOP congressional leaders have also tried to "modernize" the Clean Water Act.
Straight Talk indicates this is dangerous territory that must be finessed.
"Avoid terms and concepts like 'providing stewardship' (passive and unclear) in favor of 'preserving and protecting' (active and clear)," Luntz advises. "And the number one hot button to most voters is water quality" -- including both infrastructure and pollution protection.
"People don't understand the technicalities of environmental law -- but they do understand the benefits of conservation of water, land and open spaces. Republicans need to focus more on the benefits the public expects and spend less time debating process, which the public really doesn't care to follow."
"Process" seems to mean what you're doing behind the scenes . . . where, as a matter of fact, the Bush administration and some GOP lawmakers are using process to make policy.
A case in point is the effort to sneak through oil drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge as part of Congress' budget resolution. Another example: revised regulations that let utilities expand power plants without being required to install state-of-the-art pollution-control equipment.
In Arizona this week, your columnist came upon another example.
Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., has proposed a 1,200-foot shaft and $125 million pumping station and pipeline to allow the Peabody Coal Co. to get water out of the Colorado River for its mining operations.
In his legislation, Kyl has specified the project would be put between Lake Mead and Lees Ferry on the lower Colorado River.
Unmentioned: the fact that this stretch of river is in Grand Canyon National Park.
It was a Republican president, Theodore Roosevelt, who first protected the Grand Canyon. Another Republican president, Richard Nixon, signed into law the National Environmental Policy Act. A GOP governor in this state, Dan Evans, helped preserve millions of acres of wild lands.
Instead of manipulating the language, how 'bout emulating their actions?
Nickname-c always like bringing Newt because he was the father of mind control through verbal manipulation and still is. Its amazing the amount time spent judging people's reactions to words!!
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