Framing the Issue, Part 2: How Common Values Create Public Support for Immigration Policy Framing the Issue, Part 2: How Common Values Create Public Support for Immigration Policy

Immigration Frames 2 Conservative Values 1.Law and Order 2.Nativists 3.Profits from Cheap Labor 4.Protecting American Resources 5.National Security Framing the Issue: How Common Values Create Public Support Progressive Values 1.Progressivism Begins at Home 2.Path to Citizenship 3.Foreign Policy Reform 4.Wage Supports 5.Illegal Employers

Finding “Common Values” 3 According to George Lakoff, most of us share values across the political spectrum. Conservatives and independents have some progressive, nurturing tendencies and progressives and liberals share conservative, strict father, discipline tendencies. Shared frames of reference include: 1.Love and Protection of the Land 2.Progressive View of God 3.Commitment to Community 4.The Honest Businessman 5.Civil Libertarian 6.Protection of the Family Framing the Issue: How Common Values Create Public Support

Obama’s Immigration Message 4 Obama on immigration reform, addressing a question in Boone, Iowa, Obama’s 30-second political message, “Blueprint for Immigration”: Framing the Issue: How Common Values Create Public Support

Pew Red & Blue Typology 5 Framing the Issue: How Common Values Create Public Support

Pew Foundation: Immigration 6 Enterprisers strongly favor allowing immigrants to enter and work in the United States legally for limited periods of time (by 71% to 26%). This issue produces an unusual alliance between Enterprisers and Liberals, who, reflecting their generally pro-immigrant stance, register high levels of support for such temporary visas (58%- 36%), as do the pro-business Upbeats (57%-38%). On this question, opposition falls along economic rather than party lines. While Disadvantaged Democrats are the group most reluctant to ease entry for immigrant workers, with 63% opposed and only 30% in favor, they are joined by majorities among Disaffecteds (51%), Social Conservatives and Conservative Democrats (50% in each group). Framing the Issue: How Common Values Create Public Support

7 Framing Your Own Message What are your values? What is the problem? Why does it matter to you? Why should it matter to other groups? What should be done about it? What are the phrases, images, or concepts that express common values? Who is your target audience? Does your message leave anyone out? If it does, is that a strategic choice? Revise your message, create your central frame. Framing the Issue: How Common Values Create Public Support

8 Final Thoughts A Few Framing Rules:  Values resonate.  Keep it emotional, not cerebral.  Translate for your target audience.  Images matter.  Keep it simple. Target Audiences When Developing Message Frames:  Know your audience.  Before developing your frame, think carefully about your intended audience; write out a list of their likely values.  Are you trying to convince people who already think like you or is your target audience in opposition on some key aspect?  What are your shared values? Framing the Issue: How Common Values Create Public Support