Washington State Budget & Policy Center: Washington state no longer has worst tax code in U.S.

This press release does it all: Promotes the win, uses the effective “upside down” metaphor to explain a complex topic, connects revenue to wellbeing and community prosperity, and leans into Washington’s image of itself to say – “we can do even better.”   Check out the press release

ITEP: Who Pays?

Kudos to Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy for the 7th edition of their comprehensive analysis of tax systems in all  50 states. Connecting “upside down taxes” to wealth inequality is an excellent way to explain a complex topic like regressive taxation. Access the Report and State-by-State Data

NC Budget and Tax Center: Everyone contributes or this boat won’t float

Well done, NC Budget and Tax Center! This video is aspirational and explains the role corporations SHOULD play to help working people and communities.  

Louisiana Budget Project: Medicaid Works

Focused on telling success stories about this essential public system, uses voices of impacted people to reinforce the up-front systems language, talks about how it helps everyday people and families AND the broader ripple effects for communities and our economy. Check it out here.

Messaging on “safety:” Some positive examples

Recent Topos’ research confirms that a progressive take on “safety” is effective (and needed!). To counter efforts by conservatives to use anxieties about crime to put progressives on the defensive, a progressive take on “safety” acknowledges people’s concern, but puts the causes and solutions in terms of the well-being of regular people, including an aspirational […]

MDCEP: Connecting policy to the impacts

Instead of the usual “the pay gap between x and y is z” this tweet leads with “x group loses y because of the gap.” And then it gets quickly to what that means to real people: rent, utilities, groceries and child care.

Maine People’s Alliance: Applying a framework of solidarity economics

Check out this piece in Beacon –  a website and podcast created by the Maine People’s Alliance –  applying a framework of Solidarity Economics to thinking about why everyone has a stake in passing paid leave. Read more  

River Valley Organizing: The importance of success stories

When people come together and get a win  (even a small one) – we should tell about it! Topos’ research continues to affirm how important shouting out these wins is to help people see that their voices matter and that government leaders can and should act on behalf of the people. Here’s a good example […]

Arizona Center for Empowerment: People-First Economy and tying revenue to investments

We envision an Arizona that is bright, joyful, and full of thriving communities. However, if SCR1035 passes, we cannot create an economy that works for everyone nor can we protect the basic necessities we all depend on every day. Arizona Center for Empowerment created a digital toolkit for partners in English and Spanish on elevating […]

Policy Matters Ohio: Best practice framing, all in one tweet

So much best practice framing going on in this tweet: Giving lawmakers agency…not a vague “our tax code is riddled with breaks”…no, someone put them there so they can be taken out; Connects to a vision for how fixing this would make life in Ohio better; Practical language for economic insecurity…”make ends meet”, not “reduce […]

How NOT to bust myths: An example

In an attempt to point out the harms of some bad economic policy proposals, this well-meaning expert uses all of his opening moments of this tweet to reinforce the very untruths he means to refute. We can’t afford to give the opening lines of our messages to our opponents. Instead consider a quick phrase that […]

Together We Rise Minnesota Video: A vision of abundance

Check out this great video from Together We Rise Minnesota, sharing a powerful vision of abundance for the North Star State.  

NEA: An example of social math

Try your hand at social math. Data and facts, especially when they’re complicated, can prevent our core messages from breaking through. Social math can help – it’s a  practice that uses easy to visualize comparisons to make large numbers comprehensible and compelling. Here’s an example from the NEA:

Highlights from the Field Archive

An archive of highlights from the field: State campaigns/Microsites Recover Washington: Washington Recovery Agenda Makes the connections between taxes and public goods and points to the opportunity to change the current state’s upside-down tax code. People’s Budget for New Jersey  Focuses on a pro-revenue message by highlighting what the state’s communities need to become vibrant […]