Progressive Majority: Don’t Say…Gun control, Say…Preventing gun violence (Liberal Play Book)

Progressive Majority: Don’t Say…Gun control, Say…Preventing gun violence

http://www.progressivemajorityaction.org/gun_messaging

Gun Messaging

Voicing Our Values—To Curtail Gun Violence

This is an addendum to our book, Voicing Our Values: A Message Guide for Candidates. Our purpose is to help lawmakers, candidates and activists understand how to argue in favor of current proposals to curtail gun violence. As we explain here, we have tried to make this resource as easy-to-use as possible by placing model language in boxes throughout. We encourage you to adapt the language to your own voice and personalize it with your own knowledge and experience. Much more comprehensive, detailed or technical talking points are available from advocacy groups listed at the end of this paper.

QUICK LINKS:

• How to introduce your argument
• About Background Checks
• About Military-Style Assault Weapons
• About High-Capacity Ammunition Magazines
• How to rebut common pro-gun arguments
• Sources for more detailed talking points
• A PDF copy of Voicing Our Values—To Curtail Gun Violence

Our most important advice: (1) Lay out the problem in very simple terms—most Americans have no idea how easy our laws make it for dangerous people to buy handguns and assault weapons; (2) Don’t let pro-gun advocates sidetrack the debate into “straw man” arguments, obscure “facts,” or a focus on the technical properties of guns—about 90 percent of their arguments are actually designed to change the subject so you need to insist on a debate that is relevant to the legislation at hand; and (3) Generally:

Don’t say . . .	Say . . .
Gun control Stricter gun laws You oppose the 2nd Amendment	Preventing gun violence Stronger gun laws Support for the 2nd Amendment goes hand-in-hand with keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people

Why . . .

People have negative reactions to “gun control” and “stricter” laws, and they feel positive about the 2^nd Amendment. Also, average voters have a favorable view of the National Rifle Association (NRA). You are welcome to criticize the NRA when speaking to the progressive base, but it won’t help you persuade swing voters. That’s why these talking points don’t include anti-NRA language. If the situation requires you to attack the NRA, then condemn “NRA lobbyists” or the “NRA’s out-of-touch leaders.” Do not attack average NRA members or local NRA leaders; that language doesn’t work.

NEXT:  How to introduce your argument

Progressive Majority

http://www.progressivemajorityaction.org

How to Persuade, Say . . .

How to talk about Climate Change, Say . . .

How to talk about Government, Regulation and Social Services, Don’t say . . .

How to talk about LGBT Rights, Say . . .

How to talk About Economic Fairness, Say . . .

How to talk about Immigrant’s Rights, Say . . .

How to talk about Education, Say . . .

How to talk about Health Care for All, Say . . .

How to talk about Reproductive Health, Say . . .

How to talk about Torts and Civil Justice, Don’t say . . .

How to talk about Budgets and Taxes, Don’t say . . .

How to talk about Our Progressive Values, Say . . .

How to talk about the Minimum Wage, Say . . .

How to Answer Twenty Tough Questions, Say . . .

How to talk about the Environment, Say . . .

How to talk about Criminal Justice, Don’t say . . .

How to Communicate Effectively, Don’t . . .

How to talk about Voting Rights, Say . . .

How to talk about Medicaid Expansion, Say . . .

Progressive Majority

Progressive Majority is a national partner with America Votes.

Note: Cecile Richards was the founder & president of America Votes, is married to Kirk Adams, and the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the Economic Policy Institute.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a contributor for the American Bridge 21st Century, a member of the Democracy Alliance, and a contributor for MoveOn.org.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for Media Matters, the International Rescue Committee, the Roosevelt Institute, and the Economic Policy Institute.

Kirk Adams is married to Cecile Richards, the international EVP for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and was the organizing director for the AFL-CIO.

American Bridge 21st Century was a contributor for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the AFL-CIO.

Francene S. Rodgers was a contributor for the American Bridge 21st Century, is a director at the Progressive Majority, and married to Charles S. Rodgers.

Charles S. Rodgers is married to Francene S. Rodgers, and was a director at the Democracy Alliance.

Steve Phillips was a director at the Democracy Alliance, and is a director at the Progressive Majority.

Tom Matzzie is a director at the Progressive Majority, was the Washington director for MoveOn.org, and the online mobilization director for the AFL-CIO.

Ilyse Hogue was a director of political advocacy for MoveOn.org, a senior adviser for Media Matters, and the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America.

Gloria A. Totten was a political director for NARAL Pro-Choice America, and is the president of the Progressive Majority.

AFL-CIO is a national partner with America Votes.

Karen Ackerman is a director at the Progressive Majority, and was a political director for the AFL-CIO.

Barbara Shailor was the international director for the AFL-CIO, an overseer for the International Rescue Committee, a governor for the Roosevelt Institute, and is married to Robert L. Borosage.

Robert L. Borosage is married to Barbara Shailor, the chairman for the Progressive Majority, the chairman for the Progressive Majority, and a director at the Blue-Green Alliance.

Larry Cohen is a director at the Blue-Green Alliance, the president of the Communications Workers of America, and a director at the Economic Policy Institute.

Leo W. Gerard is a co-chair for the Blue-Green Alliance, the president of the United Steelworkers of America, and a director at the Economic Policy Institute.

Bob King is a director at the Blue-Green Alliance, the president of the United Auto Workers, and a director at the Economic Policy Institute.

Joseph T. Hansen is a director at the Blue-Green Alliance, the president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, and is a director at the Economic Policy Institute.

Richard L. Trumka is a director at the Economic Policy Institute, and the president of the AFL-CIO.

AFL-CIO is a national partner with America Votes.

Progressive Majority is a national partner with America Votes.

Cecile Richards was the founder & president of America Votes, is married to Kirk Adams, and the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.