But that is the point…it isn’t messaging. The message is just an excuse because then they don’t have to make the real hard choices that lie in front of them. And they are really really hard.

I don’t know what the answer is but the problem is definitely not messaging. It’s (1) the people that need to hear the message never ever hear it…how do you change that?!?! (2) you probably have to make real hard/difficult choices on the actual platform that really alienate portions of your base. They might be even antithetical to your and my values. (3) they have to find enemies that they attack and vilify constantly. And (4) they cannot support or defend the institution