EDUCATE EMPOWER ENGAGE

    What is a winning economic narrative for 2024? What surveys and focus groups reveal about messaging on economics to win voter confidence in Democrats. The presentation is here

A narrative architecture that progressive advocates and leaders can use to frame a broad range of issues:

1. Center and lead with working people — the heroes

— so they hear that they are a priority. Centering working people means naming them expressly and making them the subject and focus of messaging that acknowledges their contributions and prioritizes their concerns and aspirations.

2. Value and support work to connect around deeply held shared values.

Acknowledge and appreciate hard work and hardworking people—and focus on what working people should be able to expect in return: acknowledgement, appreciation, liveable wages, good benefits, support, opportunity, and respect; frame policies as being about supporting and empowering work and contribution.

3. Situate working people as the engines of our economy — the logic model for our policies. Elevate middle-out economics (and inoculate against conservative “trickle-down” claims) via simple, factual statements that working people are the engines of the economy and messaging that illustrates how working people drive our economy.

4. Position government in a supporting (not starring) role, so that we respect and center personal agency. Progressive policies empower people and remove barriers that hold them back. Messaging that keeps government in a supporting role, rather than a leading one, affirms and centers the agency of working people.

5. Relate policy to the broader economy and broad benefits — to remind people that we’re focused on the economy and shared prosperity. State that a policy makes good economic sense and benefits everyone.

The presentation is here