[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 21 (Thursday, February 2, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE SECRET BEHIND THE REPUBLICAN STRATEGY

  (Mr. WISE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WISE. Mr. speaker, one of those embarassing genies popped out of 
the bottle last night when NBC-TV revealed the secret behind the 
Republican leadership strategies when the playbook was opened to public 
scrutiny, and the strategy described might be a little scary to 
Americans looking for true change.
  Apparently, according to the Republican leadership strategy, it is 
all in the wording. You do not like what you are doing, call it 
something else. Americans believe, according to this playbook, that the 
GOP is mean and uncaring. That will not do, so how do you handle it? Do 
not talk honestly about the programs you are going to cut that actually 
serve people, instead talk about slashing bureaucrats.
  If your aim is to cut the capital gains tax for the wealthy, do not 
say wealthy, talk about helping the middle class.
  And as the playbook says, the media is watching what comes first.
  The cynicism suggested in the revelation of this confidential memo 
will leave a sour taste in the mouths of most Americans and it should. 
It is time for the GOP to stop sugar coating their actions with 
rhetoric and bumper stickers and honestly explain to the American 
people what their aims are.


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