Modern Politics

Understanding American politics in the digital age through neutral historical analysis.

📖 All Narratives

Directory of partisan storylines, conspiracy frames, and rhetorical labels that structure online political interpretation

26 narratives documented
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Groomer Panic

delegitimizing-label Emerged 2022

Narrative framing LGBTQ+ advocacy, particularly around transgender issues and education, as predatory behavior targeting children

Core Framing:

LGBTQ+ advocates and educators are sexually grooming children under the guise of inclusion and education

Key Terms:
groomergroomingprotecting childrenparental rights +1 more
Targets:
teachers, LGBTQ+ advocates, school boards +2 more
Primary Platforms:
Twitter, Facebook, TikTok +2 more

Censorship Industrial Complex

rhetorical-frame Emerged 2021

Frame that governments, NGOs, and platforms collude to suppress dissenting speech online under the banner of safety.

Core Framing:

Portrays content moderation as coordinated censorship between government agencies, advocacy organizations, and social media platforms to silence political opposition and dissenting views

Key Terms:
censorship-industrial-complexgovernment-pressurecontent-moderationdeplatforming +2 more
Targets:
biden-administration, facebook-meta, twitter-x +1 more
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, facebook, youtube +1 more

Stolen Election / Stop the Steal

partisan-storyline Emerged 2020-11

Narrative framing the 2020 presidential election as fraudulent and stolen, delegitimizing the democratic outcome

Core Framing:

Systematic fraud, vote manipulation, and institutional corruption allegedly robbed the rightful winner of victory

Key Terms:
Stop the Stealelection fraudballot harvestingDominion voting machines +2 more
Targets:
Joe Biden, Democratic Party, election officials +2 more
Primary Platforms:
Twitter, Facebook, Truth Social +3 more

CRT in Schools

partisan-storyline Emerged 2020

Claims that K-12 curricula are infused with critical race theory and that schools are indoctrinating children with anti-white racism.

Core Framing:

Public education has been captured by radical ideologues who are teaching children to hate America and view race as the primary lens for understanding society, replacing traditional civic education with divisive racial ideology.

Key Terms:
critical race theoryCRTanti-white racismindoctrination +3 more
Targets:
public-schools, teachers-unions, school-boards +1 more
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, facebook, fox-news +2 more

Lab Leak Theory

conspiracy-theory Emerged 2020

Narrative that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory accident, often paired with claims of government cover-up and geopolitical blame.

Core Framing:

Frames COVID-19 pandemic origins as laboratory accident rather than natural spillover, often incorporating elements of government suppression and institutional distrust

Key Terms:
lab-leakwuhan-labgain-of-functioncovid-origins +2 more
Targets:
anthony-fauci, joe-biden, facebook-meta +3 more
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, facebook, youtube +2 more

Plandemic

conspiracy-theory Emerged 2020

Conspiracy theory claiming that COVID-19 pandemic was deliberately planned by elites to consolidate power, control populations, or advance political agendas

Core Framing:

COVID-19 pandemic was engineered or exploited by powerful elites for control, profit, or political advantage rather than being a natural health crisis

Key Terms:
plandemicplanDEMic#plandemicscamdemic +3 more
Targets:
Dr. Anthony Fauci, CDC, WHO +4 more
Primary Platforms:
facebook, twitter-x, youtube +5 more

Woke Mind Virus

rhetorical-frame Emerged 2020

Frame that progressive cultural change is a coordinated ideological contagion undermining institutions and norms

Core Framing:

Progressive social justice ideas spread like a virus through institutions, threatening civilization and traditional values

Key Terms:
woke mind virusmind virusextinctionistanti-meritocratic +2 more
Targets:
progressive-activists, social-justice-movements, liberal-institutions +2 more
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, joe-rogan-podcast, conservative-media +2 more

Climate Emergency

rhetorical-frame Emerged 2019

Framing climate change as an immediate existential threat requiring rapid, exceptional policy responses and emergency mobilization

Core Framing:

Climate change demands immediate emergency action comparable to wartime mobilization, requiring suspension of normal political processes

Key Terms:
climate emergencyclimate crisisGreen New Dealclimate mobilization +2 more
Targets:
fossil-fuel-industry, climate-deniers, moderate-politicians +1 more
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, instagram, tiktok +3 more

Shadow Banning

rhetorical-frame Emerged 2018

Claim that social media platforms secretly suppress certain voices and content without notification, used to explain reduced engagement

Core Framing:

Big Tech secretly censors conservative voices through algorithmic manipulation while denying it publicly

Key Terms:
shadow banalgorithmic suppressionstealth censorshipengagement throttling +1 more
Targets:
Twitter, Facebook, YouTube +2 more
Primary Platforms:
Twitter, Facebook, YouTube +2 more

Abolish ICE

rhetorical-frame Emerged 2017

Movement frame that Immigration and Customs Enforcement functions abusively and should be dismantled or radically reformed.

Core Framing:

Frames ICE as an inherently abusive federal agency that separates families, targets vulnerable communities, and operates beyond constitutional constraints

Key Terms:
abolish-iceice-raidsfamily-separationno-justice-no-ice +1 more
Targets:
ice, homeland-security, border-patrol
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, instagram, facebook +1 more

Antifa Terrorists

delegitimizing-label Emerged 2017

Narrative that frames loosely organized anti-fascist activists as a coordinated domestic terror threat requiring government intervention.

Core Framing:

Transforms decentralized anti-fascist resistance into organized terrorist conspiracy

Key Terms:
antifadomestic terrorismradical left disasterantifa militants +1 more
Targets:
antifa
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, truth-social, fox-news +2 more

Enemy of the People Media

delegitimizing-label Emerged 2017

Portrayal of mainstream media as partisan actors deceiving the public and attacking political opponents.

Core Framing:

Frames mainstream news organizations as deliberately deceptive enemies working against the American people rather than serving the public interest

Key Terms:
enemy of the peoplefake news mediacorrupt mediadishonest press +1 more
Targets:
cnn, new-york-times, washington-post +2 more
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, truth-social, conservative-talk-radio +2 more

Great Replacement

conspiracy-theory Emerged 2017

Narrative framing demographic change as an intentional elite plot to replace white Americans and undermine their political power

Core Framing:

Elites deliberately import non-white immigrants to dilute white voting power and destroy Western civilization

Key Terms:
Great Replacementwhite genocidedemographic replacementinvasion +1 more
Targets:
immigrants, Democratic politicians, Jewish elites +2 more
Primary Platforms:
4chan, 8chan, Twitter +3 more

Russia Hoax

conspiracy-theory Emerged 2017

Counter-narrative claiming investigations of Trump–Russia ties were fabricated by political enemies and media collaborators to undermine presidency

Core Framing:

Intelligence agencies and Democrats conspired to create false allegations about Russian election interference and Trump campaign coordination

Key Terms:
Russia Hoaxwitch huntcoup attemptRussia Russia Russia +1 more
Targets:
FBI, DOJ, Mueller investigation +2 more
Primary Platforms:
Twitter, Truth Social, Fox News +2 more

Deep State

conspiracy-theory Emerged 2016

Narrative claiming unelected bureaucrats and intelligence officials secretly control government and undermine elected leaders

Core Framing:

Shadow network of career government officials work to subvert the will of voters and maintain their own power

Key Terms:
Deep Stateadministrative stateswampunelected bureaucrats +1 more
Targets:
FBI, CIA, DOJ +2 more
Primary Platforms:
Twitter, Fox News, Breitbart +2 more

Fake News

delegitimizing-label Emerged 2016

Label used to delegitimize mainstream media coverage and any unfavorable reporting by claiming it is deliberately false

Core Framing:

Mainstream media deliberately fabricates stories and spreads misinformation to advance political agendas

Key Terms:
fake newsfailingdishonest mediaenemy of the people +1 more
Targets:
CNN, New York Times, Washington Post +2 more
Primary Platforms:
Twitter, Truth Social, Fox News +2 more

Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS)

delegitimizing-label Emerged 2016

Rhetorical label portraying critics of Trump as mentally unhinged and irrationally obsessed, delegitimizing opposition

Core Framing:

Trump critics suffer from psychological condition that prevents rational evaluation of his presidency

Key Terms:
TDSTrump Derangement SyndromederangedTrump obsessed +1 more
Targets:
Democrats, mainstream media, Never Trump Republicans +2 more
Primary Platforms:
Twitter, Fox News, conservative talk radio +2 more

Border Invasion

rhetorical-frame Emerged 2015

Framing of immigration as an organized incursion overwhelming sovereignty and security at the southern border

Core Framing:

Immigration portrayed as military-style invasion threatening national sovereignty, security, and cultural integrity

Key Terms:
invasionborder invasionmigrant invasioncaravan invasion +2 more
Targets:
undocumented-immigrants, asylum-seekers, border-crossers +1 more
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, facebook, fox-news +3 more

Crisis Actor

conspiracy-theory Emerged 2012

Conspiracy theory claiming victims and witnesses of mass tragedies are paid performers staging events to advance political agendas.

Core Framing:

Frames genuine victims of tragedies as deceptive actors participating in government or political operations designed to manipulate public opinion and policy.

Key Terms:
crisis actorfalse flaghoaxpaid actors +2 more
Targets:
sandy-hook-families, parkland-survivors, alex-jones
Primary Platforms:
facebook, youtube, twitter-x +3 more

Tax the Rich

partisan-storyline Emerged 2011

Progressive narrative framing concentrated wealth as threat to democracy requiring redistribution via progressive taxation and targeting billionaire class.

Core Framing:

Wealth concentration corrupts democratic institutions and policy must redistribute resources from billionaire oligarchs to working class

Key Terms:
tax-the-rich#TaxTheRicheat-the-richoligarchy +3 more
Targets:
elon-musk, jeff-bezos, billionaire-class
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, instagram, tiktok +1 more

Open Borders

rhetorical-frame Emerged 2010

Rhetorical frame claiming that political opponents favor effectively unrestricted immigration and deliberately weak border enforcement

Core Framing:

Democrats and immigration advocates secretly want unlimited immigration to transform American demographics and voting patterns

Key Terms:
open bordersborder crisisinvasionillegal immigrants +2 more
Targets:
joe-biden, barack-obama, democratic-party +1 more
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, facebook, fox-news +2 more

Voter Suppression

rhetorical-frame Emerged 2000

Frame that restrictive voting laws and administrative practices systemically disenfranchise targeted groups for political gain.

Core Framing:

Presents voting policy changes as intentional efforts to prevent specific demographic groups from voting rather than legitimate election security measures

Key Terms:
voter-suppressiondisenfranchisementvoting-rightspoll-tax +2 more
Targets:
republican-party, heritage-foundation, alec +1 more
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, facebook, instagram +2 more

New World Order/WEF

conspiracy-theory Emerged 1990

Convergence narrative alleging a transnational elite coordinated through institutions like the World Economic Forum orchestrates global policy and undermines national sovereignty.

Core Framing:

Frames global governance initiatives, international cooperation, and economic policies as coordinated plots by a shadowy elite to establish authoritarian world government

Key Terms:
new-world-orderglobalist-elitegreat-resetagenda-2030 +2 more
Targets:
world-economic-forum, klaus-schwab, united-nations +2 more
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, facebook, tiktok +3 more

Law and Order

rhetorical-frame Emerged 1968

Frames social unrest as stemming from lenient policies and elevates policing, punishment, and anti-protest measures as primary remedies.

Core Framing:

Structures interpretation of civil disorder through binary of chaos versus control, portraying strict law enforcement as essential for social stability

Key Terms:
law-and-orderLAW & ORDERback-the-bluetough-on-crime +2 more
Targets:
black-lives-matter, antifa, progressive-prosecutors +1 more
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, facebook, conservative-talk-radio +2 more

Systemic Racism

rhetorical-frame Emerged 1960s

Narrative asserting that racial inequality is embedded in institutions, shaping outcomes across society and policy.

Core Framing:

Frames racial disparities as products of institutional structures rather than individual choices or cultural factors

Key Terms:
systemic-racisminstitutional-racismstructural-racism#SystemicRacism +2 more
Targets:
conservative-politicians, law-enforcement, criminal-justice-system
Primary Platforms:
twitter-x, facebook, instagram +2 more

War on Christmas

partisan-storyline Emerged 2000s

Recurring narrative that secular or progressive forces are systematically erasing Christian traditions from public life during the holiday season.

Core Framing:

Frames routine secularization of public holiday displays and greetings as deliberate attacks on Christian faith and American traditions

Key Terms:
war on christmasmerry christmashappy holidaysholiday tree +2 more
Targets:
retailers, schools, government-agencies +1 more
Primary Platforms:
fox-news, conservative-talk-radio, facebook +2 more