Frank Luntz

[[File:Frank luntz 2009.jpg|thumb|right|168px|Luntz is a master debater.]]{{pundits}}
{{cquote| The disheveled appearance, the sardonic wit, all add up to a sort of tilting against the establishment, an insistence that it listen to the Real People [...] Having once thought elites needed to listen to regular people, he now wants the people to learn from their moneyed betters.|||Molly Ball<ref>Ball, [https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/01/the-agony-of-frank-luntz/282766/ "The Agony of Frank Luntz"], ''Atlantic'' 1.6.14.</ref>}}

'''Frank Luntz''' {{lived|1962}} is a [[Republican]] [[Public relations|spin doctor]], [[Push poll|push pollster]], and heir apparent to [[Edward Bernays]]. If you hear some new, [[conservative correctness|conservatively correct]], political buzzword or [[meme]] on [[Fox News]], you can bet that Luntz cooked it up in a focus group last month.

Luntz is often invited on Faux as an "analyst" or "opinion pollster." Other stations have been increasingly loath to invite him on shows due to his reputation as a GOP shill. He has also been reprimanded by the American Association for Public Opinion Research after refusing to release data and methodology.<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2000/05/26/luntz/ Why should we trust this man?] Dante Chinni</ref>

==Luntz-speak==
Luntz is an expert [[framing|framer]]; here are some of his greatest hits:
*"[[Death Tax]]" (for estate tax)<ref>http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2005/02/23/317/dueling-with-the-death-tax/?mobile=nc</ref>
*"Government takeover" and "Washington takeover" (in reference to health care reform)<ref>http://www.onthemedia.org/2009/jul/24/the-language-of-reform/transcript/</ref>
*"[[Health care rationing]]"<ref>http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2009/07/16/51137/luntz-memo-capitol-words/</ref>
*Emphasizing "Climate Change" (vs. global warming)<ref>http://www.skepticalscience.com/print.php?r=326</ref>
*"Job-killing"<ref>http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2011/01/18/frank-luntz-politics</ref>
*"Help small businesses" (in lieu of talking about [[Capitalism]])<ref>http://www.scpr.org/blogs/economy/2011/12/02/3932/frank-luntz-first-rule-capitalism-you-do-not-talk-/</ref>
*Mentioning 9/11 in close proximity to anything having to do with foreign policy in the Middle East.<ref>http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2005/02/23/309/luntz-watch-911-the-perfect-distraction/</ref>
*[[Contract With America|Contract with]] and {{wpl|Pledge to America|Pledge to America}}<ref>http://mediamatters.org/blog/201009270024</ref>
*"Job Creation" (in lieu of entrepreneurship)<ref>[http://www.politicalcortex.com/special/Luntz_NAL_Growth_Energy_Security "Growth, Prosperity, Energy, Economy"]</ref>

==Global warming memo==
The most notorious of Luntz's memos focused on [[global warming]] [[denialism|denial]] in which he urged Republicans to use only the term "climate change" as it was less threatening than "global warming." Luntz further explains how to [[bullshit]]:
{{cquote|The scientific debate is closing [against us] but not yet closed. There is still a window of opportunity to challenge the science...Voters believe that there is no consensus about global warming within the scientific community. Should the public come to believe that the scientific issues are settled, their views about global warming will change accordingly. Therefore, you need to continue to make the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue in the debate.<ref>[http://www.motherjones.com/files/LuntzResearch_environment.pdf "The Environment: A Cleaner, Safer, Healthier America]</ref>}}
He has since distanced himself from the memo and claims to accept the science behind global warming.<ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2006/06/27/6025/luntz-gw/ Luntz converts on global warming]</ref>

==Orwell rolls in his grave==
In an interview on [[NPR]], Luntz permanently upped the irony bar for future shysters by saying:
{{cquote|To be '[[Orwellian]]' is to speak with absolute clarity, to be succinct, to explain what the event is, to talk about what triggers something happening… and to do so without any pejorative whatsoever.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6761960 NPR interview]</ref>}}

==Penn & Teller==
''[[Penn & Teller: Bullshit!]]'' did an episode showing how statistics and polls were abused in the media. A large chunk of the episode centers on Luntz. P&T claim that they got 24% of people they polled to pledge to say "Fuck you, Frank!" every time they saw a pie chart.<ref>''[[Penn & Teller: Bullshit!]]'', episode 4.09, ''Numbers''</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.theworddoctors.com/ Word Doctors], aka Luntz's bullshit factory
*[http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/luntz.html Luntz coverage at PBS]
*[http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/frank_luntz_rides_again.php Frank Luntz Rides Again], Columbia Journalism Review
*PolitiFact named the "government takeover" soundbite [http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2010/dec/16/lie-year-government-takeover-health-care/ The Lie of the Year for 2010]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Luntz, Frank}}
[[Category:Conservative deceit]]
[[Category:Political strategery]]
[[Category:Propaganda]]
[[Category:Right-wing activists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Shysters]]

Categories: Conservative deceit, Political strategery, Propaganda, Right-wing activists, Living people, Shysters