Politico has reported that Democratic think tank Third Way is warning party leaders to avoid 45 words and phrases that make them sound more like campus activists than neighbors. The blacklist includes words like “cisgender,” “radical transparency,” “stakeholders,” “the unhoused,” “systems of oppression,” and “birthing person.” These words often sound contrived and foreign, making it difficult for voters to understand the real meaning behind them.
Third Way divided its banned terms into categories like “Therapy-Speak” and “Organizer Jargon.” The problem shows up most vividly in abortion debates, where Democrats’ talk of “birthing persons,” “pregnant people,” and “reproductive justice” may please activists but to most voters it sounds contrived. Even the word abortion itself often gets avoided, replaced by softer euphemisms like “choice” or “reproductive health care.” If you’re going to advocate for abortion, at least have the courage to say the word.
Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. Third Way’s memo may be awkward, but it’s also a healthy sign. At least some Democrats understand that words matter — and that the ones they’ve been using are a liability. Republicans could use a similar reminder, as they have their own dictionary of the weird, including “woke,” “cancel culture,” “deep state,” “fake news,” “illegal aliens,” “RINOs,” “groomer,” “War on Christmas,” “globalists,” and “family values.” Both parties cling to words that rally the faithful but repel everyone else, making it rhetorical junk food.
Politicians don’t need the jargon of therapists or culture warriors; they need the voice of a neighbor. Imagine if more took the Plain English pledge: no “equity frameworks,” no “deep state.” Voters don’t need a glossary, they just need politicians to speak human. In politics, the shortest words are usually the truest.
