The Republicans always use classless slogans. Trump’s “Make America Great” slogan relates to an abstract nationalist concept. I say abstract because a nation is many different people from different economic classes, roots, incomes, backgrounds, and speak many different languages. It is clear to most of us that he was speaking about a white America with European pasts. And no one else.
Biden’s slogan was “Build Back Better.” When I think of all the possible better and more emotive slogans he could have chosen, this one does not hit the top ten list for me. It made such little impression on me that in an unofficial poll I took asking folks that voted for him what his slogan was, only one knew what it was, out of ten. Hardly scientific, but I then asked the same folks what was Trump’s slogan, and everyone knew it without hesitation.
Slogans can be Explosive
Slogans like this usually provide an interesting insight in a campaign. Likewise so do other political movement slogans, and if effective or very bad, will usually be recalled by both friends or foes. President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, and his campaign against Barry Goldwater, had two of the best, if classless, slogans: "In Your Heart, You Know He's Right" for Barry and "In Your Guts, You Know He's Nuts"for LBJ, who also ran a very controversial T.V. add about Goldwater that ended with a H Bomb explosion. To watch, click here. While not a slogan, it represent effective propaganda, especially in the wake of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
The reason why I would have suggested a slogan as well as propaganda (truthful of course) that sets a different tone than Trump’s is simple. His was incredibly well known, and one that responds an opposing view but sounds similar would also be remembered. I can think of several that might work in this regard, maybe you can think of better ones, but here goes:
- Make America Affordable
- A Living Minimum Wage for All Americans
- Rebuild America
- Make an America for Everyone
- America is for all of us
- Love, Work, and Knowledge will Make America Great ( Reichian, I know)
I like “A Living Minimum Wage for all Americans” most but unfortunately it sounds too socialistic — not that this is bad, but I don’t expect that to be made a campaign theme in a country with a market dominated form of capitalism, at least not now.
Just a few words on MSNBC, effectively a source of news emphasizing various Democratic Party views on politics. There is very little programming that would be of interest to those outside of voting Democrats. I listen less and less to it because I don’t need to be convinced of most of the issues it covers. Someone in charge needs to figure out and present more programing that speaks to less informed people that might be won over to more progressive politics. In a non-traditional, more popular format. We don’t want talking heads like Tucker Carlson, but some one should realize the importance of knowing how to catch someone’s attention.
You can vote for which slogan you like, or reject them all. Or leave a comment with your own.