2- Since "bellicose" means to be inclined to fight or aggressively hostile, this thoroughly describes many of the political debates. It clearly represents the now slang terms used to describe the occurrences in a debate. These terms and sayings are a major part of politics and all know that they should not be taken so literally. As she uses the example, "When we say a candidate "took his best shot," we don't mean he aimed a gun at his opponent." This really helps prove her point that since that phrase is not taken literally, why should it be removed?
3- Chavez is clearly trying to persuade her readers that it is not necessary to remove certain sayings. Just to be cautious about what is said in front of the public. Seeing as many words in our vocabulary have been commonly known as unacceptable in public, the non-literal phrases shouldn't be removed because the society has grown and changed the meanings of words to unacceptable slang meanings. Like in the example "We've already virtually eliminated certain words from our public vocabulary -- or revised the meaning of others to conform to political correctness. Former Washington Mayor Anthony Williams forced the resignation a decade ago of a white staffer who used the word "niggardly" in a private staff meeting, even though the word means miserly or parsimonious; its etymology, according to Webster's Third New International Dictionary, traces from the Old Norse to Middle English and has nothing to do with race or color." The society has changed the meanings of words so that the original meaning would be acceptable to be used, but no one considers that meaning, the slang version becomes the new application of the word that comes to mind first.
4- Yes I agree with Chavez, that with a careful choice of words, it’s simple to be sarcastic, derisive and not “bland” without using foul language in front of the public.
