The Cliche as Policy

That is precisely the problem associated with clichés: they don’t address real policy concerns. They may offer public reassurance; they may even be comforting. But the actual effect, more often than not, is deception.

During the ecological crisis in the Gulf of Mexico charges between the government and British Petroleum were hurled to and fro. When it appeared as if President Obama was negligent or hesitant to act, he responded by noting “I’ve been on top of this matter (the leak) from the outset.” If one were to parse this statement, it becomes apparent it is yet another reflexive cliché. What does it mean to be “on top of the matter”? If the president was in charge, he was unable to provide guidance on how to deal with the issue; if he was “on top” why was there a sixteen day delay before action was taken? Who was responsible for the deception about the amount of oil escaping into the sea?

Clichés can get you into trouble. They may strike a responsive chord, but that doesn’t obviate the ambiguity. Overused expressions have their place in communication, but rarely in policy discussions. The problem, of course, is that politicians reference them because they are convenient, words with familiarity. That the words may not have any meaning or worthwhile application is often lost in the midst of debate and extemporaneous commentary.

For those who listen carefully, identify the tell-tale signs, those gotcha moments. If enough thoughtful listeners could heed the signs, cliché driven policy statements might be infrequently used. I don’t expect them to disappear. After all, they are as familiar as “go along to get along” or “happy as a lark” or “fool me once…” The list goes on as does the way to conceal the policy steps necessary to address an issue.