Win-Win Spin-Spin
June 1, 2004
By Brad Friedman

Remember when George W. Bush was arguing for those tax cuts during the 2000 election because the economy was so good that "folks deserved some of their money back?" (He stated during the debates that he refused to believe there would be a downturn in the economy - it's the judgement, stupid!)

Then after he was "elected' and the economy went south he again argued for tax cuts - this time because they were needed to jumpstart the slumping economy.

That's the GOP Win-Win Spin-Spin. The same set of plans no matter what the circumstances. Just find any appropriate justification for what you wanted to do in the first place.

It's ideology in place of reality. Only policy matters, not the reasons for them. They want what they want, and it has nothing to do with you or me, or the "problem" they claim to be trying to solve.

Such reckless behavior is, of course, at work in Iraq where the plans move ahead and the people who implemented them stay in place no matter how different circumstances on the ground may be from what they actually assumed to begin with.

The architects of the plan stay in place no matter what the results. Full steam ahead. Critics are just unpatriotic or partisan or insane (Gore enjoyed that honor last week) or otherwise enemies of the state or freedom or whatever the GOP Attacking Point of the Week is.

And now let's bring it back home.

I'm certain you've heard by now what a terrific job George W. Bush is doing to fight terrorism because "there have been no terrorist attacks on American soil since 9/11" (never mind the anthrax thing, we don't know who did it, so it doesn't count, I guess). I'm sure you've heard someone selling you the line.

So George W. Bush is the man for us because he's kept the "homeland" safe from terror.

Except... last week Ashcroft (apparently unbeknownst to Ridge) announced the latest terror threat that is supposed to scare the crap out of us. He told us an attack is coming - the terrorists are "90% ready" in fact - and we should get prepared for it or look out for it or whatever the hell we're supposed to do about it.

Now, should this "spectacular attack" occur prior to the elections, does anybody - on either side of the political fence - think for a second that such an attack wouldn't be the newest reason for why "we need to re-elect George W. Bush as President?" He will, no doubt, be then spun as "the tough man we need in these difficult times in wake of this horrible attack."

Got it?

He deserves to be re-elected because we haven't had an attack since 9/11. Unless we get attacked again. In which case, he deserves to be re-elected because we need him to keep us safe.

The GOP Win-Win Spin-Spin! Brought to you by the Freedom Loving GOP! A solution for every problem! It's simple, because it's the same solution for every problem!

It's easier to keep things straight that way anyway. And frankly, given the number of folks left that could possibly think George W. Bush deserves re-election at this point, they better keep things nice and simple, stupid.

Brad Friedman is a freelance writer and software designer. He is also a proud "Liberal Hollywood Elitist" sharing all of the great esteem and many rewards that come with it. His blog can be read at http://www.BradFriedman.com/BradBlog.