Speaking Politics phrase of the week: families first
Democrats adopted 'families first' as a counter to the more-Republican 'family values' slogan. In this campaign, it's getting a lot of use.
Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Ohio, is putting Ohio families first. No word yet on what he's putting second.
Jay LaPrete/AP
鈥淔amilies first鈥�:聽A messaging slogan that politicians 鈥� often but not exclusively Democrats 鈥� use to appeal to couples with children, who are more likely to vote than unmarried people.
鈥淟et鈥檚 put families first, and make sure our policies match how you actually work and live in the 21st century,鈥� Hillary Clinton in propounding one of her campaign鈥檚 main themes. 鈥淔amilies look a lot different today than they did 30 years ago, and so do our jobs.鈥�
Her remarks came as former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D), who is running for the Senate, an 鈥淥hio Families First鈥� plan emphasizing access to paid sick days and affordable child care.
Beyond identifying with the concerns of people with kids, 鈥渇amilies first鈥� is enduringly popular because it lets voters fill in the blanks for themselves on what should come second 鈥� corporations, the wealthy, or some other less-deserving demographic.
It鈥檚 a co-option of 鈥渇amily values,鈥� which conservatives started using in the 1980s to defend the interests of traditional families. 鈥淔amilies First鈥� also was the title of a 1992 report from a that GOP President George H.W. Bush鈥檚 administration appointed to study urban households.
That year, Bill Clinton won the presidency on a theme of 鈥減utting people first.鈥� But the party 鈥渟harpened it鈥� to its current form when Mr. Clinton sought reelection, Virginia Tech communications professor Robert E. Denton Jr. in his book 鈥淭he 1996 Presidential Campaign: A Communication Perspective.鈥� (Mrs. Clinton鈥檚 use of it thus helps tie her 鈥� subtly 鈥� to her husband.)聽
Almost exactly 20 years ago, the Democratic leaders in the House and Senate at the time, Missouri鈥檚 Richard Gephardt and South Dakota鈥檚 Tom Daschle, the 鈥淔amilies First鈥� platform 鈥� more tax deductions for educational expenses; expanded child-care tax credits; a law to help job-changers to transfer their pensions; cutting inheritance taxes for family-owned businesses and a loss of tax benefits for companies shifting jobs overseas. House Republicans dismissed it as 鈥渢iny ideas from tiny minds.鈥�
It has ever since, becoming more prevalent lately. In the current session of Congress, it has surfaced 39 times in bills or House and Senate floor debates, the Congressional Record. If that trend continues, it would represent the most frequent usage since the 2007-08 session.
Despite its association with Democrats, Republicans sometimes invoke it. In Minnesota, GOP lawmakers two years ago a 鈥淔amilies First鈥� plan that included reducing sales taxes and repealing business-to-business taxes. More recently, House and Senate lawmakers a bipartisan bill 鈥� which the House passed this month 鈥� to enable states to redirect child foster-care money to services such as parent training. Its title: 鈥淭he Family First Prevention Services Act.鈥�
The bill 鈥渄oes exactly what the title suggests 鈥� it puts families first,鈥� House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R) of Texas. The bill focuses on addressing problems in the home by delivering parents much-needed support, rather than sending a child straight into foster care.鈥�
Chuck McCutcheon writes his 鈥淪peaking Politics鈥� blog exclusively for Politics Voices.
Interested in decoding what candidates are saying? Chuck McCutcheon and David Mark鈥檚 latest book, 鈥淒oubletalk: The Language, Code, and Jargon of a Presidential Election,鈥� is