Left-leaning think tank urges Democrats to drop alienating terms

A left leaning think tank is urging Democrats to drop a wide set of terms it views as alienating to voters, arguing that the party must speak more plainly to reconnect with persuadable Americans after a sweeping electoral setback. The memo, titled Was It Something I Said, catalogs dozens of words and phrases across several categories that it says create distance rather than dialogue, and it presents a path for a more direct, everyday style of political messaging without abandoning core values.

The memo reflects a broader moment of introspection within the Democratic coalition following the 2024 results. An influential center left organization that has positioned itself as a voice for moderate Democrats says language matters as much as policy, and that certain forms of progressive framing can make the party appear elite or out of touch to many voters. The analysis acknowledges that its authors themselves have used some of the terms in question, but argues that public facing messaging should invite conversation and clarity rather than signal exclusion.

The document breaks its critique into six categories. Therapy speak includes terms such as privilege, microaggression, and...