Considering not just the objectives, but the audience:
The tax cut is now the refund. The slight improvements in the tax code are vastly overshadowed by 91 million checks, mailed out to voters, which scream, "We realize that you have been overcharged. Here is a refund of a small portion, which is all we could spring loose from the socialist thieves for now."
The casual "undecided" voter doesn't have the slightest clue that the government is even still out there until he receives this unexpected check. It's a shock to him that there is someone in the government now with enough integrity to try to make amends with a small refund.
THE DEMOCRATS approach this "undecided" voter with babble about the Social Security Ponzi scheme being "raped" by this "irresponsible" Bush tax cut. And proceed to explain to the peasants that Big Milk, the Great Bureaucracies, the "needy", etc., etc. need this money far more than some couch potatoes who's only claim to it is that they originally earned it.
THE REPUBLICANS (assuming they remain as efficient as they have been since Bush came in) proceed to fight the obscene appropriations with vetos and veto threats, and highlight the worst of the spending excesses-on both sides, but primarily by the socialists.
So that, by the beginning of the 2002 election season, it has become-for the "undecideds"-a battle between that token admission of guilt/refund, and Vermont dairy subsidies, free prescription drugs for wealthy retired people in Florida, federal welfare and make-work programs that have failed for decades, and pork that no one asked for.
Bottom line: Nice base debate for the Republicans to nationalize Congressional races on. The last time they successfully nationalized the Congressional races was 1994. Liberal or conservative, it's difficult not to see the writing on the wall. |
