Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear

by Frank Luntz

Americans will often come to diametrically opposite conclusions on policy questions, depending on how the questions are phrased—even if the actual result of the policies is exactly the same. In effect, positioning an idea doesn’t merely “frame” it so that it carries a certain meaning; it actually defines the terms of the debate itself. For example, by almost two-to-one, Americans say we are spending too much on “welfare” (42 percent) rather than too little (23 percent). Yet an overwhelming 68 percent of Americans think we are spending too little on “assistance to the poor,” versus a mere 7 percent who think we’re spending too much.8 Think about it: What is assistance to the poor? Welfare! So while the underlying policy question may be the same, the definition—welfare versus assistance to the poor—and positioning make all the difference in public reaction.

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