New Dem Strategy=The Wedge Strategy: Newsweek/Fineman

[kpete]

The Wedge Strategy
Democrats take a page from a GOP playbook, and test Republican loyalties.
By Howard Fineman
Newsweek
Updated: 3:17 p.m. ET Nov. 9, 2005

there’s another Democratic strategy under development, this one inside the Beltway, and it bears watching: a divide-and-conquer approach that is making life miserable for Bush and the GOP.

"The Democrats’ New Wedge Strategy is an inside one, aimed at Bush-led Republican Washington, where team loyalty is supposed to be the number one virtue, and where the president has ruled with an iron hand. The Democrats want to unhinge that discipline by exposing — or creating — friction between: Bush and Cheney, Bush and his political advisor, Karl Rove; the White House and the Republican-run Congress; and between competing Republican leadership tongs on Capitol Hill."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9980077/site/newsweek/

[amitten]

1. Personally, I love this strategy.

Not only will it get the job done nicely, but it is also based on (gasp) the truth.

[movonne]

2. Sounds like a good plan...but maybe it should be a secret plan..

[marbuc]

3. If we are going to play the wedge game

we should be applying pressure to the precarious alliance between social cons and "country club republicans."

[...of J.Temperance]

5. This is

Part of what I refer to in my below post. And we know that it WOULD be a good strategy. That alliance is wobbly at best, so lets completely drive it over the cliff.

[...of J.Temperance]

4. It's long overdue

I fully support this divide and conquer strategy. I've also long believed that we need to use wedge issues in elections and to pit the Repukes against each other because of those wedges...and whilst they're fighting, our candidates can just slip in through the middle and thus win.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

6. Politics is a dirty game

and I'm glad our side is finally playing.

[Ignacio Upton]

7. It's about damn time!

I haven't seen the White House on the offensive since Kerry was defending his non-issue comments about Mary Cheney during the debates last fall. Since then, every GOP talking point has failed to stick in a way that Democrats cower.

[HereSince1628]

8. Yeah, the DNC set up Plamegate, Delay, Abramhof, Frist, AIPAC,

Feith, and a Republican to be named later in the CIA Black Camps.

Right Democrats are brilliant? Only by half of what is suggested. Truth is Republicans are so corrupt they can't stand themselves!

[oneold1-4u]

9. The first republican-

in congress who brings up the possibility that there is a real need to begin impeachment proceedings against this administration, might get re-elected next fall!
Maybe even a better chance than a few Democrats who have been and still are jumping through the hoop! There are many voters who are making plans to change and cross if the democrats don't begin with new blood and a helluva huge plan to remove the crud this administration has created! Needed now is the one who can say that the things done by bush will be changed in a matter of weeks for some, and only a few months for all the other. If they just plan to step into the shoes of republicans and stay the road, they need to be removed from all party plans right now and be replaced. Thinking about it, Kerry may soon retire or be retired. That's sad for a pres. nominee!

[AX10]

10. It's about time we did this.

I've been waiting forever for this to happen.

:bounce:

[Roy]

11. Actually, it's a Dem, expose the corruption strategy.

And, by the way it appears to be working pretty well.

On the other hand, I like this wedge strategy that Fineman speak of.

I urge the Dems to use it also in tandem with the expose the corruption strategy.

Thanks Mr. Fineman for an excellent suggetion.

[applegrove]

12. Why is speaking out on all the failures and dangerous Utopianism

a wedge? This is reality. There are issues that the GOP has ignored. Like accountablity in intelligence. Like a cabal of delusionals. Like putting crap people in positions of importance simply because they will do as they are told.

So much has been deminished. I don't think waking people up and holding them accountable is a wedge. It is the truth.