Over the years some phrases that became overly popular became sources of irritation for me. In the 1960's it was "Sorry about that, Chief". I really wanted to put the cone of silence over that one. Then Jim Carrey had "Alrighty then". They and others are like a top forty song that you hear every time you turn on the radio.
The new irritating phrase is "make no mistake". Looking at the recent history of the over usage of the MNM phrase, it appears to have started in earnest with GW Bush. It was primarily a sports and business idiom, but it's usage during the fist four years of GW Bush's presidency saw its usage in the media jump from 3,624 to 9,174 in 2000 to 12,062 in 2001 to 13,141 MNM's by mid 2004 according to 'Factiva'. Obama has taken this to a whole new level. I googled "Obama make no mistake" and got about 2,720,000 results. The first two pages show just about every statement or speech he's made in this past six months has the idiom. "Let me be clear", it's wearisome. It's also offensive and threatening. Just exactly what do you feel and think when some knucklehead says that to you? I think, "what a jerk". It's a whole, "you better listen to me and obey or else" kind of feeling. Didn't like it when Bush overused it, and really don't like it coming from this president who is a mistake.
"Take back our country" is currently in vogue among Republicans and Conservatives. The Dems used it running against GW Bush. I don't understand their thinking that he ever denied them any rights or liberty, but that an issue for another blog.
It's just stupid for Conservatives and Republicans to be using it now. We haven't lost our country. We're in danger of losing our Constitutional Republic, though I'm hopeful given that over two-thirds of the country are against the recent legislation passed by the Dems. Especially heartened that about 60% want ObamaCare repealed.
I'm not a sloganeer, but something better needs to be crafted. "Return Our Constitutional Republic", "Out with Statism, in with Liberty", "Make no mistake Dems, yer outa here!".
Good article on "take back our country" phrase by Michael Medved here.
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