Posted by
Defend America on Friday, February 12, 2010 6:55:13 AM
Obama's Attack Machine—II
The White House is deflecting questions about its ugly budget by hammering on Paul Ryan's plan.
'Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it," wrote
Saul Alinksy in his "Rules for Radicals." The White House would appear
to have a copy.
His agenda stymied and his approval numbers sinking, President Obama
has realized this year's midterm election is shaping up as a referendum
on failed Democratic governance. The new White House plan? Change the
discussion, talk about Republicans, and frighten the nation about GOP
ideas.
This is the way to read Mr. Obama's sudden re-embrace of his
opposition—his unexpected appearance at the House Republican retreat,
and his more recent invitation to Republicans to a "bipartisan"
health-care summit. And it's the way to understand the recent
Democratic targeting, freezing, personalizing and polarizing of Rep.
Paul Ryan.
The idea-driven Wisconsin Republican first released his "Roadmap for
America's Future" in 2008. The nation can argue about its particulars,
but what is inarguable is that Mr. Ryan's plan is a real attempt to
solve America's biggest problems, with bold tax, health and entitlement
reforms to put the country back on the path to solvency.
At the time, Democrats could barely
muster a yawn. So imagine the surprise when, after Mr. Ryan re-released
his plan in late January, it became a sudden sensation. Two days later
Mr. Obama used his visit to the Republican retreat to thrust it into
the national spotlight. The cameras rolling, the president praised Mr.
Ryan for putting forward a "serious proposal." He in fact singled out
the congressman at least three times. Having done his spotlight bit,
Mr. Obama then left it to the rest of the Democratic Party to
systematically distort and trash the road map.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703382904575059573079680544.html