On Wednesday, congressional Democrats announced a new 2018 campaign slogan — “For the People.” This may be better than “A Better Deal,” but it’s far from new. At least one Florida personal injury law firm has claimed ownership of the slogan and the founder — jokingly — said he would allow Democrats to pay him for the privilege.
John Morgan, founder of the personal injury law firm Morgan & Morgan, mockingly thanked the Democrats for adopting his slogan — which is the same as the URL for his firm “www.ForThePeople.com.”
Let's jog their memory! #ForThePeople @JohnMorganESQ pic.twitter.com/gyjnk1AmSz
— Morgan & Morgan (@forthepeople) July 18, 2018
“I thank them for the free advertising. Al Gore used it too. It has been my slogan for over 30 years,” Morgan told National Journal‘s Zach Cohen. “Straight from the mouths of our founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence. Imitation is the highest form of flattery.”
.@JohnMorganESQ: “I thank them for the free advertising. Al Gore used it too. It has been my slogan for over 30 years. Straight from the mouths of our founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence. Imitation is the highest form of flattery.” #sayfie https://t.co/Q2YuX6baXo
— Zach C. Cohen (@Zachary_Cohen) July 18, 2018
Morgan joked that he agreed to let House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to use the slogan — for a price.
“Also I agreed to allow [Nancy Pelosi], or Aunt Nancy as my children call her, to pay me only a nickel every time #ForThePeople is used by the DCCC. [Senator Schumer] will be paying a quarter for the DSCC,” Morgan said, referencing the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee — campaign arms of the Democratic Party that will use the slogan.
Also I agreed to allow @NancyPelosi, or Aunt Nancy as my children call her, to pay me only a nickel every time #ForThePeople is used by the DCCC. @SenSchumer will be paying a quarter for the DSCC.
— John Morgan (@JohnMorganESQ) July 18, 2018
Morgan had a great deal of fun with the situation, even going so far as to attack the Democratic turn toward socialism.
“To all my Democrat friends I am a capitalist not a socialist, as so many now call themselves,” the law firm founder tweeted. “You can be a socialistic country if you have no big military and no atomic bombs. You have to pay for things. Sweden exists because we have big bombs.”
To all my Democrat friends I am a capitalist not a socialist, as so many now call themselves.
You can be a socialistic country if you have no big military and no atomic bombs. You have to pay for things. Sweden exists because we have big bombs.#IAmIndependent #ForThePeople
— John Morgan (@JohnMorganESQ) July 18, 2018
Morgan revealed the origin of his firm’s slogan: “The Declaration of Independence. Stole it from George Washington.” Washington declared, “For the people of the United States…” in his Thanksgiving Proclamation on October 3, 1789.
The Declaration of Independence. Stole it from George Washington. #ForThePeople https://t.co/3AdN6WhNlg
— John Morgan (@JohnMorganESQ) July 18, 2018
POLITICO‘s Scott Bland jokingly tweeted, “There’s only one way this ends: House Speaker John Morgan.”
There's only one way this ends: House Speaker John Morgan https://t.co/pEU5zDw9hC
— Scott Bland (@PoliticoScott) July 18, 2018
Morgan had a field day with this. “If nominated, I shall not run. If elected, I shall not serve,” he declared, adding the hashtag #ForThePeople.
The Daily Caller’s Joe Simonson pointed out that the Democrat slogan also apes the slogan for a used car dealership in Austin, Texas. Watch their ad below.
POLITICO‘s Heather Caygle suggested that “the pivot to ‘For the People’ could also help House Democrats put some daylight between them and the GOP. House Republicans have been running on their own ‘better’-based campaign slogans in the last two election cycles — ‘A Better Way’ in 2016 and the GOP’s recently unveiled 2018 slogan, ‘Better Off Now.'”
Democrats will not make a big deal about the new slogan, avoiding press conferences and rolling it out silently. This may be a good idea. They don’t want too much competition from John Morgan…
Join the conversation as a VIP Member