The Power of Political Framing: How the Republican Party Renamed the "Estate Tax" as the "Death Tax"

What political strategy did the Republican Party use to successfully rename the "estate tax" as the "death tax"?

a. framing

c. media manipulation

d. policy advocacy

Final answer:

The Republican strategy to rebrand the "estate tax" as the "death tax" is an example of framing.

The Republican electoral success in renaming the "estate tax" as the "death tax" is an example of the power of framing. Framing is the way in which information is presented to influence the perception of the audience. In the case of the estate tax, the term "death tax" was coined to create a negative connotation and garner support against the tax. This is despite the fact that the estate tax actually only affected a small percentage of the population — mainly the wealthiest.

Polls and the language used can have a significant impact on public opinion and policy outcomes. In politics, framing is often used to make a concept more appealing or unappealing to the public by carefully selecting words that carry certain connotations or implied meanings. President George W. Bush also used framing in other policy areas, cleverly naming them to promote acceptance and support among the public.