April 17, 2005
LOSING THE FIGHT THEY'RE "WINNING":
Democrats change strategy; tactic just looked stubborn (Glen Johnson, 4/17/05, ASSOCIATED PRESS)
House Democrats have decided to quit emphasizing that they will not negotiate changes to Social Security until President Bush drops his idea for private accounts.The switch in strategy comes after Democrats learned from focus groups that people frown on the lawmakers for being obstinate.
"People feel like it doesn't show a good-faith effort," said a top House aide, who like several others spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the internal data. "It makes us seem like we're 'typical politicians."' [...]
"It may seem like a long time to you, but realistically, we've really just started," Bush told the American Society of Newspaper Editors last week.
It's almost possible to pity them. Even the issues they think they're doing well on at the moment are deadly for them in the longer term. Posted by Orrin Judd at April 17, 2005 11:30 PM
The hole cards of the Mommy Party are fairness and tolerance. Probably the environment, too.
Posted by: ghostcat at April 18, 2005 1:08 AM"opposing a plan they contend would break a social contract by shifting Social Security from a government-guaranteed benefit to a personal investment subject to the risks of the market."
Could it be possible that they don't see the trap that is plainly visible right before their eyes?? [ed: don't act stupid. Of course they don't.]
As soon as Bush has seen that they are firmly committed to this hook, he'll say, "For people who are afraid of stocks, no problem! They'll have the choice of keeping their personal SS funds in T-Bills---exactly like the current SS." This will cut the legs under EVERY Dem argument.