System Moves
How the Hill maintains control without ever raising its voice.
Relabel
Change what something is called to change how it is perceived. The thing stays the same; only the label changes.
Real world: Layoffs become "right-sizing." Pay cuts become "compensation optimization." Surveillance becomes "workplace engagement metrics."
Reframe
Change the context around a problem to make the problem disappear. If the framing is different, the facts do not matter.
Real world: Stagnant wages reframed as "total compensation" including parking. Failure reframed as "learning opportunity."
Rescope
Change the boundaries of measurement to exclude inconvenient data. If you cannot hit the target, move the target.
Real world: Redefining unemployment to exclude discouraged workers. Changing baseline years to make growth look better.
Reroute
Redirect accountability through bureaucratic channels until responsibility dissolves. Nobody is in charge; everybody is following procedure.
Real world: Customer service loops. Insurance claim denials. HR investigations that investigate the reporter.