Craft what you want to say to take charge of the frame.

You may work with either

format, but I think I would start with the DFA 9 second work up…

“I believe in …” followed by two strong progressive value words for a

total of 27 words to be delivered in 9 seconds

DFA
Format *

“I believe in …” followed by two strong progressive value words

followed by about 200 words to be delivered in about 1 minute.

1-Minute
Statement:

• Either of these can be your “elevator speech”

• * NOTE: An alternative formulation form Democracy for America is the 27-
3-9 formula. It calls for 27 words on the topic containing 3 ideas/values to be
delivered in 9 seconds.
• For example, maybe this : “Social security is a fair, comprehensive program
which provides a safety net for our retired workers. No American should be
destitute just because he or she is retired..”

Each One-Minute Statement will begin with, “I believe in …” followed by two strong
progressive value words . Lakoffs “Ten-Word Philosophy for Progressives” contained in
Don’t Think of An Elephant are a good list. There are others.
 Some helpful values to incorporate:

A Ten-Word Philosophy for Progressives

Stronger America Stronger on defense, the economy,
education ; more effective in the world
Broad prosperity Markets that provide every American a fair
opportunity to prosper
Better future Investing in improvement of the economy,
education and the environment
Effective government Clean , honest, efficient, and effective
government working for a better future
Mutual responsibility Values of families and communities: caring
and responsibility

Another Useful List

Fairness Fairness is unbiased distribution
Responsibility Progressive responsibility is connected
with the surface frame [concept ] of
fulfilling a need through empathy and using
the common wealth for the common good.
An illustrative example of this is Hurricane
Katrina.
Freedom Uncontested freedom is (very roughly)
defined as being able to do what you want
to do, providing you don’t interfere with
the freedom of others. This includes
physical freedom , freedom to pursue
goals, freedom of the will, and political
freedom, where citizens freely choose who
runs the state and where the state, by law,
cannot interfere with the basic freedoms of
its citizens
Equality Equality of outcome is therefore not
identical outcomes but the same
range of outcomes regardless of race.
So we would expect that given equality
of opportunity (as there should be in a
democracy, and in a fair capitalist system),
there would be equality of distribution
of outcome.
Integrity The basic logic of integrity is twofold.
First, it means saying what you believe and
then acting on it consistently. Second, it
means the consistent application of a
principle:
 Progressive integrity is the consistent
application of nurturance.
Security The uncontested core of security is
providing protection through strength.
[Progressive version is security through
protection, not the knee jerk use of force.]
Some relevant biblical/religious/ethical concepts to incorporate
(Thanks to Marguerite Reed for these , taken form Wallis’ God’s Politics.)

Measure candidates’ policies against the full range of religious and moral values
Poverty Matthew 25:35-40
Environment Genesis 2:15
War Matthew 5:9
Truth-telling John 8:32
Response to Terror Proverbs 8:12-13
A Consistent Ethic of Life Deuteronomy 30:19
Honoring our obligation to social justice Isiah 58:2-1, Mic 6:8,
[ my add on ]

The last part of your framing work is to anticipate their talking points and have
properly framed responses. That is a separate worksheet. A properly framed
response uses the values and key words you developed above, but applies them in
responding to their talking point. Remember, if you don’t get the frame right, they won’t
hear your facts, no matter how good they are.