Romney will notice the polar ice caps have melted,
when his Cayman Islands bank gets flooded.
Polls show that Americans know that climate change is happening and most know that greenhouse gas emissions are a major factor driving climate change. Most are concerned about global warming. The Democratic Party has shied away the issue because most voters don’t view climate change as an immediate threat like the economy. And Republicans have had success framing measures that would address climate change as “job killers”.
We believe with the right use of language, we can help people realize that they have a stake in preventing global warming. Climate change is relevant to their lives, and addressing climate change is consistent with their values. And we think we can get their attention if we season the message with some originality and humor.
Follow us past the fold...(we hope we can amuse you too)
Frameshop is built around using you as a focus group, to evaluate ways of framing an issue, in this case climate change. (More information can be found in the original post here: Frameshop: An Experiment in Crowd-Sourcing a Progressive Message.) We need you to vote in the poll at the end of this diary for the theme that you think would have the most impact on voters. Then please comment on the slogans (as many as you like) that you think would be the most effective in reaching people. We would love to hear your comments on the slogans we’ve included, why you like them, or not, or how to improve them. And we want you to share your own. Your slogans may be better than any we list. But along with providing your comments, please take the poll!
Here are some ways of framing global warming that should wake up the minds and stir the emotions of voters:
THEME #1: Without action we are injuring the planet that our kids and grand-kids will inherit.
Target audience: Parents and grandparents, and those who care about future generations.
Values: Love of family, responsibility, environmental stewardship.
(1-A) Your grandkids can experience a hotter planet,
if you buy them a spaceflight to Venus,
or vote Republican.
(1-B) Love your kids, grandkids?
Warm their hearts, not their planet.
For their future, unplug the GOP.
(1-C) Do our grandkids deserve a future with skiing? polar bears? snow-capped mountains?
If the GOP has its way, we’ll be telling our grandkids they were born too late.
(1-D) Support the GOP and let the earth heat up?
If you do and you’re lucky, the grandkids will never find out how you voted.
THEME #2: Without action, the ocean will rise above whole communities that are part of the fabric of America.
Target audience: Coastal voters, and people who value coastal America.
Values: Self interest, love of community, avoiding the difficulties of mass dislocation, preserving heritage
(2-A) Romney can joke about sea levels rising.
He doesn’t live in Florida. *
*(for use in Florida)
(2-B) If global warming melts the polar ice caps,
there will be a slow-motion Tsunami,
with every coastal city in its path.
THEME #3: Without action, lethal storms, wildfires and droughts will get worse and worse.
Target audience: Gulf coast and southeast (hurricanes), Midwest and plains (tornadoes), western states (wildfires), most everywhere (droughts).
Values: Self preservation, empathy
(3-A) Antoinette, Bartholomew, Charlemagne …………
If we ignore climate change
We'll be needing lots of names for hurricanes.
(3-B) Some folks say, just let climate change happen.
More droughts, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires?
Those folks have lots of faith in FEMA!
(3-C) Is irrigation practical for your farm?
GOP politicians can afford to ignore climate change.
Can you? *
*(for agricultural areas that don’t irrigate and depend on summer rainfall; as in much of the midwest)
THEME #4: Republican failure to address climate change reflects fundamental irresponsibility and dishonesty.
Target audience: Republicans and independents who believe in critical thinking and science.
Values: Critical thinking, open-mindedness, allegiance to the truth
(4-A) Funny how GOP politicians don’t believe in climate change,
But they do believe in cell phones.
It’s all just science.
(4-B) Mitt's energy plan doesn't address climate change.
It's like a household budget that leaves out food and rent.
(4-C) There’s a name for refusing to deal with the facts.
It’s called denial.
The GOP and global warming for instance.
(Our kids will pay the price for it.)
(4-D) Romney will notice that the polar ice caps have melted,
When his Cayman Islands bank gets flooded.
(4-E) Some old tobacco PR people work for Big Oil now;
They were hired to cast doubt on the climate science concensus.
Today they’re denying the proven link between fossil fuels and global warming.
Back then, thousands died when they hid the link between smoking and cancer.
THEME #5: If the United States doesn’t address climate change, it will increase US isolation, and anti-Americanism worldwide.
Target audience: Parents, people who view the US as one nation sharing the planet with others.
Values: Self preservation (reducing dangerous foreign animosity), empathy.
(5-A) Want to make an enemy, tell a parent you will hurt their child.
Romney’s energy plan that speeds up global warming,
Tells every parent on the planet, America will hurt your children.
(5-B) Work to end global warming.
Civilization; it’s a terrible thing to waste.
So again, please use the poll below to tell us which of the 5 themes you think would best influence voters, helping them realize they care about global warming, and nudging them toward voting Democratic. And then please comment on the slogans above to tell us which would be the most effective. Telling us ways to improve them, why they are good, or bad, and contributing your own slogans would be great additions. Thanks!