Semantic Infiltration

Semantic infiltration means one undermines one's own position in negotiations by adopting unknowingly the terms which the adversary "infiltrates."  Or simplified, the process whereby we come to adopt the language of our adversaries in describing political reality. It's a technique of winning political arguments without actually winning the argument, just changing the meaning of a few words. The original liberal argument remains intact.

A current example of the phenomenon is occurring in what you could call the "liberal body snatching operation" on Ronald Reagan.

The media-academic complex line on Reagan relies overwhelmingly on one idea or one term, namely, that far from being an ideologue, Reagan was a "pragmatist." And guess who else the media mentats call a "pragmatist"? Why, Barack Obama himself. Obama's ostensible "move to the center" following the November "shellacking" is seen as "pragmatism," though cynics might call it more like "survival instinct."

Pragmatism as ordinary people use the word just means practicality, and in political terms it means reaching compromises. Every successful politician makes compromises; every good politician, then, can be called a "pragmatist." So are we really saying anything important or distinctive by calling someone a pragmatist? Yes, I think we are.

Read more here. More about semantic infiltration argumentation with examples is here.

You've been warned, don't fall for it.