This column from the Sunday Seattle Post-Intelligencer deserves broad dissemination. I found it over at Peace Tree Farm.

We think in language. Language significantly affects the content of our thoughts. Thus, reshaping popular language provides a powerful tool to “win the hearts and minds” of the public. Political conservatives figured this out decades ago, but no one has employed language to influence public opinion more intentionally or cleverly than the Bush administration.

Samples:

• Anti-American describes someone who suggests perhaps the United States is losing popularity, trust and allies around the world as a consequence of its own words and deeds.
  
• Civil service reform means “flexibility” to replace civil service protection with cronyism and patronage.
  
• Conservative describes what was once regarded as right-wing extremist. See also “moderate.”
  
• Privatization justifies the notion that corporations are more likely to serve the public interest than publicly owned utilities, schools and prisons.

There’s plenty more where those came from: go read.