President Bush sent me an internet

Posted by Evan Derkacz at 7:34 AM on July 24, 2006.

Democrat v. Democratic and the Iraq War

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In Bush's email plea to my Republican alter ego, I found this passage especially interesting -- though it took me a minute to figure out why:

nothing threatens our hard-won reforms and economic prosperity more than a Democrat victory this November.

Today, many Democrats want the tax relief we passed to expire in a few years. Some even want to repeal it now.

The Democrat Party has a clear record when it comes to taxes.

Give up? No, it's not the proper grammar exerted by the president but it is the language.

Back in 2003, for example (when the Iraq War was about WMD, remember that?), the White House still opted for "Democratic" as the preferred adjective to modify "party" or "victory" or what have you.

Now that the Iraq War (and much of the administration's botched foreign policy) is about installing democracy or "democratic reforms" -- and my fondest wish is that this comes true -- the administration has chosen to quietly separate their opposition party from their policy by opting for the clunky: "Democrat Party" and "democrat victory."

That way, you know, nobody will confuse the Democrats with people who advocate Democracy.

Plus, it has the added benefit of sounding ever-so-slightly ominous.

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Evan Derkacz is a New York-based writer and contributor to AlterNet.

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sickofsleaze [Report this comment] Posted by: ladybug1@carrollsweb.com on Jul 24, 2006 8:31 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] to me, anything Bush says OR does is ominous [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] on distinction of "Democrat" and "Democratic" [Report this comment] Posted by: jcutler9 on Jul 24, 2006 9:28 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] I am so glad to read this explication of the distinction between Democrat and Democratic. In 2004 when our local Democratic Club had a new banner made which gave the county name followed by "Democrat Club" and I told them that it was wrong, both grammatically (I'm a retired teacher), and philosophically, and explained why the Republicans chose to use the noun form of the word, rather that admit that we were the party that was democratic. More recently I brought up the subject at a meeting of our local Democratic Club, where I had heard two different people use the noun instead of the adjective, someone accused me of having too much time on my hands, and, again, of quibbling. Then they checked some correspondence and saw that we were always referred to as "Democratic Club," conceded that I must be right. Then someone stood up and cheered and said, "Yes, we are the Democratic party. Let's shout it out and rub their faces in it and never let them forget it. We are Democratic Democrats" Thank you, now, for confirming my argument. Windy in WV [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Words Do,Too,Matter [Report this comment] Posted by: JackieGiles on Jul 24, 2006 10:37 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] I, too have been accused of being "too picky", but insisting on the Democratic Party being called by our correct name is not merely whining over a "pet peeve"--it is claiming our IDENTITY! Unfortunately, Democrats have cooperated by using the truncated title ourselves--we see buttons and bumperstickers that say "Had Enough? Vote Democrat", etc. all the time. I will not buy nor display anything that calls us the Democrat Party and I believe that any Democrat who appears on a TV show whose moderator calls us The Democrat Party should immediately correct that Talking Head and insist on our right to say who we are! [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Words Do,Too,Matter Posted by: splendid . [Report this comment] Posted by: sui_generis on Jul 24, 2006 11:22 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] They've been doing this for a while now, it's a linguistics game, like when they got the MSM to call the Estate Tax the "death tax" for a while. It's definitely to their advantage to get people to drop the "-ic" off the end, so they will spread this meme whenever possible. Anyone who doesn't see the difference and helps them do so is a dolt. I would correct anyone who misspeaks on this topic at every opprotunity. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] pejorative [Report this comment] Posted by: rubymydear on Jul 24, 2006 11:38 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] All previous posts make valid points regarding the lack of grammar, control of the frame, etc., but another aspect of it is that when describing people, changing the noun to an adjective is always pejorative. Think "Jew", or "Illegal". [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] That's My Bush [Report this comment] Posted by: drsivana99 on Jul 24, 2006 12:04 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] I got one of those too, Evan. I think he just got drunk and sent them to everyone. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Let's Stick to Discussing Lebanon [Report this comment] Posted by: Vani on Jul 26, 2006 3:14 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Alternet should continue to focus on Israel's genocidal attack on Lebanon. What's going on here? Taliking about whether we should be called Demcorat or Democratic while people are dying? Are you nuts? My first blog entry http://inava.free.fr/ [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] sdryjs [Report this comment] Posted by: tukurion on Mar 4, 2007 5:58 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] VERRY SORRY Linda King Helen Turner Karen Roberts Kevin Jones Robert Gonzalez Helen Robinson David Carter Steven Wilson Ronald White Ruth Davis Donald Collins Sarah Hall Sarah Carter Carol Moore Betty Lopez Edward Garcia Jennifer Lee Jason Allen Steven Miller Edward Williams Sandra Martinez Linda Nelson Dorothy Hill Anthony Robinson Michelle Jackson Lisa Miller Kenneth Thomas Karen Phillips Jeff Wright Patricia Hernandez Charles Taylor Jason Edwards Ruth King Karen Davis Helen Turner John Green Jennifer Rodriguez Kevin Nelson Donna Smith Carol Harris Michael Thompson Donald Smith Maria Thompson Paul Lopez Ronald Thomas Paul Walker Ronald Miller John Brown VERRY SORRY [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

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» RE: Words Do,Too,Matter Posted by: splendid