We NOW have a KING
Considering powerful frames, what could resonate more fully with even the more resistant to progressive appeals than the fact that we now have an American King.
The powers now vested in the president by various acts of congress -- or that he, himself, has demonstrably usurped -- enable him and his designated toadies to pick anyone, citizen or not, up off the streets and have him/her shipped off to parts previously unknown to be tortured or killed.
AND, as we all now know, these powers have been exercised.
Arbitrary interference with the lives of supposedly free citizens was among the most important things over which the American revolution was fought. (Against "Mad King George, as we may recall!)
It was what the enforced signing of the Magna Carta was about almost a millenium ago.
(The attack on legal representation of supposed terrorists -- supposed by this President, that is -- made yesterday by a prominent member of the the military is only the latest in an long series of obvious "third party" attacks on legal checks against the exercise of arbitrary, *kingly* power that have, until now, always been held inherent to the American system of justice.)
Why has the frame of the usurper King not been used by any politician of any note?
How is it that Keith Olberman, a newscaster, has demonstrated -- repeatedly -- a thousand times more guts than any of them have demonstrated even once. (Our very own wee timorous beasties . . . . Did anyone say parliament of _ _ _ _ _?)
Enough said.
(Tags that should apply, but don't seem to be entered are: Congress, Justice, Media, and Terrorism -- *American* terrorism, that is.)
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Dictator
When I think of the word "King" it can be good or bad, but the negative part doesn't get too deep. There are children's stories of good kings and bad kinds, have you ever heard of a good dictator? Especially the most recent talk of dictators has framed them worse than ever, from Saddam to Hitler to Castro. I think this frame would also work to show that Conservatives in congress do not stand up to the "Dictator".
Another frame that could resonate with the religious group in America would be to call him a "God wanna-be" or something to that affect. This would also invoke the Fallen Angel (the Devil) frame.
New! Might backfire
In Russell Kirk's "The Conservative Mind" one of the themes that jumps out is the conservative reverence for God, nobility, aristocracy and even royalty. The right may not object to that frame at all, in fact, they may (even if privately) enjoy the metahphors that go along with it. Emperor has a more negative conotation, and since it's pretty hard to dispute that the US is an empire, I think it fits better.