Talking about Government & Taxesg
Advocates CollegegPortland, Oregon – April 28, 2011
Patrick Bresette – [email protected]
Public Works: the Dēmos Center for the Public Sectorwww.publicworkspartners.net
Dēmos: A Network for Ideas & Action www.demos.org
Where we are Where we are t d today . . .
The Task Before Us
We must help pAmericans reconnect the dots between the e do s be ee eshared goals and desires they have fordesires they have for their communities and the public tools andthe public tools and resources necessary to achieve themachieve them.
But when we try to talk But when we try to talk about government . . .g
Mission & VALUESMission & Purpose
VALUES• Common Good
• Quality of LifeQuality of Life
• Community Wellbeing
• Public Purpose• Public Purpose
ROLE• Protector
• Manager & Planner
• StewardSteward
• Consensus-Builder
Systems &Systems & Structures • Concrete and vivid
images images
• The public systems The public systems we have created
• How they work
• Why they are • Why they are important
Citizen • InterdependenceCitizen Thinking
• Interdependence
• Working together g g
• Problem‐solving
• Everyone has a role to playto play
• “Our” GovernmentOur Government
• The Common Interest
Dominant Stories
Just Politics Bureaucracy Vending Machineg
. . .can’t solve anything . . . not my responsibility
New Stories
Mission & Purpose Systems & Structures Citizen‐Thinking
. . . our tool for solutions & the common good . . .
Dominant Narrative Challenges
1. “our problems have been pcaused by overspending . . .”
2. “it’s time to live within our means ”means . . .
3 “we need to focus on creating3. we need to focus on creating jobs and getting government
f h ”out of the way . . .”
Spending is the Problem
• If overspending is the problem, than all spending – no matter h hwhat the purpose –
should be questioned
• If “government spending” is contributing to our economic woes, then reducing spending
l lis a logical response
“Spending is the Problem”Pivot and reframePivot and reframe
Rhetoric: Washington is through bailing out irresponsible states, so now
it’s up to us to rein in the overspending that we could never affordit s up to us to rein in the overspending that we could never afford
anyway.
Response: Our state is at a crossroads The deepest recession inResponse: Our state is at a crossroads. The deepest recession in decades is lingering, impacting families AND state tax revenues. The
choices we make today must be designed to spur our economic
recovery and build the best possible future for the people and
businesses of our state. Our schools, courts, social supports and
healthy environment have always been essential elements of thehealthy environment have always been essential elements of the
quality of life that has attracted businesses and workers alike. These
are the things we must protect. Building upon our past investments
and paving the way forward will require wise and balanced decisions;
new revenues need to be part of the discussion.
Living Within Our MeansLiving Within Our Means is shared common sense; a shared common sense; a powerful folk model just as familiar to Democrats as Republicans. Overcoming this main obstacle – so that
l d fl l dpeople don’t reflexively judge situations and proposals against this misguided against this misguided yardstick – is one of communicators’ chief challenges.
‐Topos Partnership
Consequences of“Living within our Means”Living within our Means
• Triggers “household budget” frame• Triggers household budget frame
• Government spending must be controlled
• Cuts are the only logical response to the shortfallshortfall
• So taxpayers can keep more of their money
• Taxes would only make things worse
“Living within our means”Do Not Accept this FrameDo Not Accept this Frame
• Refocus on what is at stake not just• Refocus on what is at stake – not just now, but for the future
• Assert the essential role of our public structures in meeting our shared goalsstructures in meeting our shared goals and objectives
• Reset the terms of the budget and tax conversation against this perspectiveconversation against this perspective
“Living within our means”Pivot and reframePivot and reframe
Rhetoric: Families across the state are being forced to do withRhetoric: Families across the state are being forced to do with less; now it’s time for government to do the same and start living within its means.
Response: Times like these call for government play an active role, in meeting emergency needs and in supporting a strong recovery. The central question that should drive our budget decisions is “how do we make sure that we are k i th f d ti f d d ikeeping the foundations of our economy sound and paving the way to future prosperity.” Making sure we have the means to achieve this shared goal is the real challenge.means to achieve this shared goal is the real challenge.
“Living within our means”Pivot and reframePivot and reframe
Question: Our state simply doesn’t have any more money toQuestion: Our state simply doesn t have any more money to spend on public services. Since tax increases are politically out of the question, where should they look for cuts?
Response: At many pivotal moments in our state’s history we have chosen to build a brighter future for ourselves and our children. Our state has tremendous resources at its disposal – hard working people, ingenuity and financial resources that can all be brought to bear to build a more prosperousthat can all be brought to bear to build a more prosperous future for our state. The state budget decisions we make reflect our commitment to making that future a reality.
Creating Jobs =Getting Government Out of the WayGetting Government Out of the Way
Our state is “Open for Business”*
We will:We will: a. lower costs for businesses by lowering taxes and cutting red tape
b. put money back in the hands of taxpayers who will spend it andp y p
c. make the policy environment more “predictable”.
Th th d b i l fThen the good businesspeople of our state will expand and hire more workers ; and more businesses will want to relocate here. *a phrase used in the election night speeches of at least 3 new Govs ‐WI, OK, PA)
“Its all about Jobs” Triggers Dominant ThinkingTriggers Dominant Thinking
Government :
• smothers business f lresourcefulness
• gets in the way ofgets in the way of job creation
• is always a burden
• public jobs are not• public jobs are not real jobs
Combating the “all about Jobs” Frame
• Assert the connection between jobs and healthy public structures
• Don’t get bogged down in factual• Don t get bogged down in factual arguments
• Be cautious about comparing the loss of public sector jobs to private sectorof public sector jobs to private sector job worries
“It’s All about Jobs”Pivot and ReframePivot and Reframe
Rhetoric:We need a laser focus on creating jobs to getRhetoric: We need a laser focus on creating jobs to get Oregon’s economy moving again. We need to cut government red tape, provide tax incentives to businesses and get our spending under control.
Response: A strong state economy rests on the health and stability of our public systems. Whether it is education, infrastructure or the many services that keep our communities strong these are the things that fuel a goodcommunities strong, these are the things that fuel a good business climate. Deep budget cuts, like the ones being considered not only put more people out of work, they undermine the foundation of economic opportunity in our state. Smart business leaders understand this.
“Our economy isn't metaphorically like an ecosystem, it is a literally an ecosystem. And to argue that we would be better off by limiting government, because if we do it will promote business is precisely like arguing that we willpromote business, is precisely like arguing that we will have more animals if we limit plants. It is exactly like it. In every ecosystem that you will find on Earth, you will find that the more plants there are the more animals there are, and vice versa. They are inextricably intertwined. And in
E th h fi d b tevery economy on Earth where you find a robust, prosperous, growing economy, you will find an equally robust, growing public economy because these things are , g g p y gin symbiosis, and you can't have one without the other."
Nick Hanauer (http //www techflash com/seattle/2010/11/nick hanauer html‐ Nick Hanauer (http://www.techflash.com/seattle/2010/11/nick‐hanauer.html
Lessons to Take Away
• Be aware of the dominant narratives that will undermine the story we want to tell; pivot awayundermine the story we want to tell; pivot away.
• Always connect the role of public services and government to quality of life and a strong economy.
• Connect revenue discussions to shared priorities andConnect revenue discussions to shared priorities and the public services we all benefit from now and down the road.
• Keep the focus on building for the future – debates that are entirely about how to find $x billion fromthat are entirely about how to find $x billion from the current budget will not end well.
Talking gabout the Need for Revenue
Tax Debates are Government Debates
• Tax debates and their overheated • Tax debates and their overheated rhetoric transform government from
h l h h“we the people” into “them,” the “other” – the taker of our money.
• Getting back to Government as “us” ‐fas our tool for getting things done ‐ is
essential to winning on taxes.g
Dominant i f images of Government Government have a direct i flinfluence on attitudes attitudes about Taxes
Consumerist thinking d i t dominates and is easily and is easily triggered
Taxes have becomedi d f h i disconnected from their purposes.
Reclaiming the “T” Word
Reconnect Taxes to Purposes
The public structures that underpin our communities – such as schools, roads, clinics, police and fire protection, and health inspections – all depend on a system of budgets and taxes that supports them adequately now and into the future. Taxes are an essential part of the equation; how they are raised and the level of resources they provide will affect our quality of life now and for years to come.
Tap into Shared Values
Highlight the Common GoodCommon Good Values and Objectives that areObjectives that are made possible by the
lltaxes we all pay.
Tap into Shared Values
We all benefit from the improved
p
We all benefit from the improved community well‐being and economic opportunity made possible by a goodopportunity made possible by a good education system, public safety, and clean air and water – all of which areclean air and water – all of which are supported by our tax dollars. Taxes represent our collective investment inrepresent our collective investment in the common good.
An Eye to the Future
People tend to “see” taxes only as something being taken from them gright now.
Reset the context byReset the context by focusing on the role
l h ltaxes play in helping us meet future goals and objectives.
An Eye to the Future
On Tax Day, millions of Americans will do what generations before have done –invest in our country's future. Just as our parents and grandparents paid taxes to build the schools, transportation systems, , p y ,health clinics and parks we benefit from today, our tax payments this year willtoday, our tax payments this year will help to create the quality of life we pass along to future generationsalong to future generations.
Targeting those not “Paying their Fair Share”
Eff t t fEfforts to focus on those who should pay more – theWealthy and Corporations – still need to make the case for “why.”
Why the Wealthy and Corporations should Pay More
The public systems that our taxes support are the f d f ’ d d lfoundation of our nation’s economy. Everyone – individuals and businesses alike – needs to shoulder an appropriate share of these costs. Our nation was built on the notion that those who have benefitted the most from our country’s public investments should also pay the most for th i k F ti thi b i i i l htheir upkeep. For some time now this basic principle has been eroding away. Over recent decades the share of taxes paid by high income earners and large corporations has been reduced while middle class families have paid more and our public systems have declined. This great American tax shift is undermining the foundations our economy andtax shift is undermining the foundations our economy and our society.
Don’t Reinforce Bad Frames
Avoid these:Avoid these:
• Tax Burden
• Tax Relief
• Hard‐earned tax dollars
T• Taxpayer
Systems & Structures
• Connect the dots between the public psystems and structures that underpin our quality of life and the revenuesour quality of life, and the revenuesfrom taxes that keep those systems functioning now and into the futurefunctioning now and into the future.
• Take a pragmatic manager stance –• Take a pragmatic manager stance –taxes as tools
Civic Thinkingg
• From taxpaying consumers to “civic‐From taxpaying consumers to civicminded” stewards of communities
• Taxes as our shared exchange with the future
• We all benefit when we support the public goods that create communitypublic goods that create community wellbeing and a healthy economy
The quality of life we all want in our q ycommunities is directly connected to the public structures we build and maintain. public structures we build and maintain. Our parks, schools, social services and infrastructure are what make our state a infrastructure are what make our state a good place to live and work. Continuing cuts to public programs and services will cuts to public programs and services will undermine the public systems we rely on every day It is time to focus on finding new every day. It is time to focus on finding new revenue to keep our communities functioning well now and into the futurefunctioning well, now and into the future.
Don’t Reinforce Bad Frames
Avoid these:Avoid these:
• Tax Burden
• Tax Relief
• Hard‐earned tax dollars
T• Taxpayer
Fi ld E iField Experiences:Lessons from other statesLessons from other states
North Carolina
North Carolina sees itself as a “good government” state. There is a certain pride in the progress the state hasthe progress the state has made over the years in transforming itself from a rural agricultural economy and society into a modern forward‐looking state. Thisforward looking state. This is a powerful state narrative that advocates have tapped i t i i t tinto in important ways.
North Carolina
Resulted in successful passage of a tax package $in 2009 that generated $1.3 billion in new
annual revenues.
Colorado
The COLORADO CIVICThe COLORADO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ROUNDTABLE is an integrated network of 51 non‐partisan, 501(c)(3) organizations dedicated to achieving an inclusive, engaged, just, and equitable state for all Coloradans.
Coloradans for Responsible Reform —Business–based Coalition that opposed the “Bad Three” and worked for Referendum C
Massachusetts Good Choice of Messengers
Making the Caseg
V l A ti l t th • Values: Articulate the Public Good behind the policies and programspolicies and programs
• System Thinking: Help reveal our essential reveal our essential Public Systems & StructuresStructures
• Awaken the Citizen:What is our shared stake What is our shared stake and responsibility?
Public Works:h D C f h the Dēmos Center for the Public SectorPublic Sector
www.publicworkspartners.net
