November 08, 2006
Yippee Equivocated
All of us here at Dakota wish to apologize to our readers for being of such little faith, and to the American public, including the evangelicals for underestimating their ability to see the light.
Even though the President, in his first polite overture toward a democrat in six years, invited Nancy Pelosi for lunch on Thursday, we suspect that the cowboy hasn't changed his chaps overnight,
Here's a piece of good advice from USC professor Kathleen Reardon
First, never try to clean up someone else's mess when you can get him or her to do it. George Bush and Karl Rove and friends would like nothing better than to have the Democrats take responsibility for correcting the Iraq debacle, the obscene debt, the Katrina shame, and a host of atrocities perpetrated on America and the world. Were the Democrats to come in on their white chargers ready to restore America, to FIX the problems, they'd fall right into the hands of clever Republican strategists planning for 2008. There is only one group that should FIX the messes we're in right now both at home and around the world -- that is the Bush Administration.If they're smart, they'll suggest the Democrats provide ways to fix all that's been broken. This is a political strategy not widely known, and so I'm sharing it now. When someone with an ounce of cleverness makes a terrible mess of things, they wisely welcome those with new power and invite their suggestions. These anxious-to-have a-say, often naïve, elated and optimistic, novice players usually fall into a trap. They provide options for recovery. The other side, knowing how deep a mess they're in, offers to implement these plans. The CATCH - they do so feebly and the result is failure. They get to say, "That's what the wanted us to do and we did it. We cooperated and their plan failed."
I'm not suggesting that George Bush fix everything he has been unable to fix so far. And I'm not suggesting Democrats shouldn't make extensive changes. I am, however, sharing a political quagmire potential for 2008 that the Democrats should carefully avoid. When you did not create a mess, you should do all you can to assure that those who did are visibly involved in the clean up -- reminding people of its creators. In fact, they, with the power and wisdom of their office, should be pushed to take the lead. Otherwise they'll surely trip you up all along the line. And guess who'll be pointing fingers and saying, "We told you they couldn't do it"? It's a handy trap but one easily avoided with some foresight and savvy political thinking.
Photo note: It's a damn good thing that the democrats won the House, since I'm running out of flag pictures.
Posted by Dakota at November 8, 2006 06:54 AM