Efficiency First

“The Third-Way is the leading think tank of the moderate wing of the progressive movement.” The below link will lead you the results of focus groups. These focus groups paid for by the Third-Way a moderate think tank shows the public is hungry for change in energy policy. However, we need to reword our message. Green jobs, energy independence and other terms no longer work.

Reading these pages will help you create a better message and strengthen activism as well as public support. Green jobs are out, change the messaging. http://www.thirdway.org/data/product/file/218/Clean_Energy_Focus_Group_Report_061509.pdf

The sum of the report is

1. Green jobs are about the economy – make the argument in terms of the overall economy

2. Change terminology:

a. Drop the argument for “cap & trade” replace it with “clean energy incentives”

b. Drop green – most voters seen green as organic/vegetarian but they understand terms like “clean tech” and “renewable energy”

c. Government investments are like the bailout very unpopular with Main Street. Change the terms to “government-sponsored “research an development”

MORE IN THE RESEARCH from the Third Way http://www.thirdway.org/data/product/file/218/Clean_Energy_Focus_Group_Report_061509.pdf • Democrats own the brand of clean energy • Voters want politicians focused on energy • Voters want energy that is “clean, domestic and cheap”