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Entrapment by Bush: He plays Democrats for fools, and they always rise to his bait
American Prowler ^ | 01/10/03 | David Hogberg

Posted on 01/09/2003 9:47:06 PM PST by Pokey78

As I was waiting for my flight back to Iowa last Friday I scanned an article in USA Today about the Bush economic stimulus package. It reported that the Presidents' advisers stated the "proposal will likely exclude top-tier taxpayers in an effort to fend off Democratic criticism that his tax programs pander to the rich." As the plane headed for flyover country, I jotted some notes for a possible column on how Bush was engaging in both bad politics and bad policy.

Then on Sunday the Bush Administration released the full details of the plan: $674 billion in tax relief that included eliminating the tax on dividends and reducing income-tax rates for all income-tax payers. So much for excluding the rich. Fortunately, I hadn't written the column as the NFL Playoffs intervened. (Hey, gotta have priorities.) But I was left scratching my head as to why the Bush Administration would hint at placating the Democrats in the first place.

As I thought more about it, it became increasingly apparent that it was part of a strategy that the Bush Administration has employed for some time to put the Democrats in a box. It might be called "entrapment with a twist." It works as follows:

Act Helpless. In this step the Bushies leak stories to the press making the Administration look weak. The Administration may appear as though it lacks focus. Other times it may act as though it's afraid of the opposition. The point is to let the Democrats smell blood in the water. In the case of the economic stimulus package, the Bush Administration acted wary of Democrats' class-warfare rhetoric, and so hinted it might drop tax cuts for top income earners.

Wait for Democrats to Pounce. The appearance of weakness naturally induces the Democrats to attack. And as the Bush Administration surely knows, it will be an attack that pleases the Democrats' base. Over the weekend, prominent Donks turned up the class-warfare rhetoric. The Bush tax cuts would help "the wealthiest Americans" fumed then-impending Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. In an ironic choice of words, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi complained that the Bush plan was a "Trojan Horse to wheel in some tax breaks for the high end that they're so fond of." Trojan Horse indeed.

Spring the Trap. Once the Democrats have committed themselves to a line of attack, the Bush Administration ensnares them by pursuing a policy which forces the Democrats to either anger their base or alienate moderates. In his economic stimulus package, Bush not only has the supply-side tax cuts that please conservatives, he also has items that appeal to moderates, like income-tax cuts for the middle and lower class and "Re-Employment Accounts." Congressional Democrats now face a very unpleasant choice. They can vote against the President's plan thereby voting against the items that please moderate voters. Or they can risk dispiriting their base by voting for a plan that includes tax cuts for the "wealthy." Heads Bush wins, tails Democrats lose.

The "Twist." The twist to this strategy is that the Bush Administration also intends for its appearance of weakness to provoke criticism from the political right as well. For example, last week at the Daily Standard, Fred Barnes griped "Somebody tell the Bush White House that Republicans now control the Senate….Somehow the idea got planted at the White House that a watered-down tax cut, less susceptible to Democratic attacks, would be better politically for the president." It seems to me that this has two important psychological effects. First, seeing the president attacked from the right emboldens the Democrats, making them all the more likely to pounce. Second, when the president actually releases a plan that has plenty of conservative ideas, the right heaves a great sigh of relief, and becomes energized and eager to do battle for Bush. Not surprisingly, in Tuesday's National Review Online Larry Kudlow gushed, "President Bush has surprised everyone with his decision to propose a big-bang economic growth package."

The Bush Administration has used this strategy at least since last year, when it rolled the Democrats on the War Against Iraq. In that instance, the Administration leaked stories that Bush was hesitating about going to war with Iraq. This prompted many on the right to complain; most notably Bill Kristol and Robert Kagan at the Weekly Standard zinged Bush for "Going Wobbly." Sensing an opportunity, the Democrats went on the attack in late summer. Then-Minority Leader Dick Gephardt said the President needed to "make the case to Congress and the people," while Senator Joe Lieberman said Bush must "speak to the American people [and] ask Congress for authorization." They had walked right into it.

Shortly after September 11, Bush made the case in speeches to the American people and in front of the United Nations. He reiterated his support for regime change in Iraq, using force if necessary. He also mollified moderates by giving the United Nations one last chance to deal with Saddam. Support for military action surged to near 70% in most polls. Finally, he asked Congress for a resolution authorizing the use of force. Again, the Democrats were stuck. Either vote against the resolution and alienate moderates, or vote for it and anger their base. The strategy yielded big dividends on election day.

Will the Democrats ever get wise to this? Perhaps. More likely, they will persist in their view that Bush is a dimwit who continues to get lucky. Thus, they will continue to misunderestimate his strategery.


David Hogberg is a research analyst at the Public Interest Institute, an Iowa-based think tank. He also hosts his own website, Cornfield Commentary.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bushdoctrineunfold
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To: Pokey78
Great Article!!! Misunderestimate him at your perils, Libs!
41 posted on 01/10/2003 6:51:53 AM PST by Ann Archy
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To: JohnEBoy
There is a bigger reason to stay out of AARP. They're anti-gun.
The dems tried to do the math. They looked at the ten million members of AARP and the four and a half million members of the NRA and thought gun control was a winner.
42 posted on 01/10/2003 6:58:58 AM PST by Shooter 2.5
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To: Mr. K
Thank you for the 'content' comment.

As for the 'confusing' format, you can blame it on clinton. (This time, anyway.) ;) The 'page' is virtually a replica of hillary clinton's virtual office website.
43 posted on 01/10/2003 6:59:57 AM PST by Mia T
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To: Pokey78
I really wish they wouldn't publish articles like this! After all, somebody at the DNC might know how to read!
44 posted on 01/10/2003 7:03:12 AM PST by Redleg Duke
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To: CyberAnt
I hope he learned from their MISTAKES. Reagan traded increases in social spending to get increases in military spending. Bush '41 broke his "no new taxes" pledge when the dims agreed to spending cuts to get tax increases. Cuts never happened.
45 posted on 01/10/2003 7:18:40 AM PST by orchid
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To: N. Theknow
It would have been even better if he had eliminated the income tax on Social Security benefits which were enacted by the Dems and Toon.

REPEAL THE CLINTON SOCIAL SECURITY TAX INCREASE!!

46 posted on 01/10/2003 7:24:26 AM PST by copycat (Bush Perects Political Rope-a-Dope)
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To: snopercod
Bush will have to take this to the American People and point out just who isn't for the plan and tell why. Because they are all democrats even McCain is a rat!

He needs to start now and everyday he for a week come out to the American People and sell this plan!
47 posted on 01/10/2003 7:30:35 AM PST by TLBSHOW (Keeping the Republicans Feet to the fire is a 24/7 job for conservatives)
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To: orchid
Bush '41 broke his "no new taxes" pledge when the dims agreed to spending cuts to get tax increases. Cuts never happened.

Hillary! broke a gentleman's agreement on the floor of the Senate the first day of Congress. NEVER trust a lying Dem.

48 posted on 01/10/2003 7:33:20 AM PST by copycat (Amendment I to the Tax Package...REPEAL THE CLINTON SOCIAL SECURITY TAX INCREASE)
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To: N. Theknow
Op ed piece in today's Washington Times, A tax cut with dividends predicts eliminating the tax on dividends will raise stock prices "as much as 10 percent." A 10% rise in stock prices -- with a concomitant rise in the value of 401(k)s-- will make a lot of people happy, not just the old.
49 posted on 01/10/2003 7:35:15 AM PST by aristeides
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To: aristeides
Tell that to the fake republicans! McCain and the others.
50 posted on 01/10/2003 7:36:51 AM PST by TLBSHOW (Keeping the Republicans Feet to the fire is a 24/7 job for conservatives)
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To: Shooter 2.5
I wasn't aware AARP was anti-gun. I wonder why they would be. Aren't guns a more desirable equalizer against criminals in the hands of old people than in the hands of young, who need them less?
51 posted on 01/10/2003 7:36:56 AM PST by aristeides
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To: Redleg Duke
Not to worry. The arrogance of the dems will keep them insulated from accepting the strategy of our President, even though they may understand the words. After all, they are much more intelligent than any Republican, or any of the "regular people", or the words of a columnist. Just ask them! They have their own version of reality.
52 posted on 01/10/2003 7:39:03 AM PST by Helen
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To: TLBSHOW
I heard McCain on one of the talk shows on Sunday. I didn't get the impression he is inalterably opposed to the Bush tax cut plan. Rather, he wants some changes made in the direction of directing the cuts more towards lower- and middle-income people. I suspect that, if the plan eventually includes some kind of payroll tax cut or holiday, McCain will be satisfied.
53 posted on 01/10/2003 7:39:08 AM PST by aristeides
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To: copycat; Mia T
I guess Hillary isn't a gentleman.
54 posted on 01/10/2003 7:40:13 AM PST by aristeides
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To: aristeides
Bush needs to sell it to the People like he did the war with Iraq and like he did when Enron happened. Bush is the one that people listen to!
55 posted on 01/10/2003 7:46:34 AM PST by TLBSHOW (Keeping the Republicans Feet to the fire is a 24/7 job for conservatives)
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To: aristeides
You are way too trusting of mccain, IMHO. Never trust him -never! He is up to no good, as he always is. Be wary, be very wary. He was just on Imus the other day saying Bush ran racist push-poll phone calls about his foreign daughter in South Carolina in 2000. It's a lie, mccain knows it's a lie and yet he is pushing that story. He will also try to pin 9-11 on Bush - watch and see. He told 9-11 families on 9-11-02 that the failures of 9-11 "went much higher than the intelligence community", insinuating that the President allowed 9-11 to happen. McCain is vindictive, petty and dangerous. Watch out.
56 posted on 01/10/2003 7:47:44 AM PST by Wait4Truth (RATS Hang Themselves Once Again!)
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To: Wait4Truth; TLBSHOW
Funny how McCain made that charge right around the time Shannon Reeves was complaining about Republican politicians speaking at Bob Jones University (and people here approved.)
57 posted on 01/10/2003 7:51:14 AM PST by aristeides
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To: aristeides
I guess Hillary isn't a gentleman.

Hillary, without regard to gender, being an apostle of "Rules for Radicals", is exactly the opposite of a gentleman.

58 posted on 01/10/2003 7:53:14 AM PST by copycat (Amendment I to the Tax Package...REPEAL THE CLINTON SOCIAL SECURITY TAX INCREASE)
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To: patriciaruth
And here's another... never, never, never will join AARP
59 posted on 01/10/2003 7:53:24 AM PST by myrabach
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To: Wait4Truth
McCain is vindictive, petty and dangerous. Watch out.

Last week he said Bush was a racist!
60 posted on 01/10/2003 7:53:42 AM PST by TLBSHOW (Keeping the Republicans Feet to the fire is a 24/7 job for conservatives)
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