What,pray tell,am I talking about,you say?Well,we've all heard of the six degrees of Kevin Bacon or the Kevin Bacon connector game.If you haven't,just Google it,it's all over the web explaining how it works.I believe the Democratic party has been playing it far too much lately and they have now substituted GWB43.Seemingly every event that occurs can be traced back to Bush.At least anything detrimental in the eyes of the left.
For a while,it was laughable as they attempted to link blame for everything to Bush.Now it's simply become pathetic.The left never got the memo explaining that the American public is over it.They want the Bush blame game to stop and for Obama to own it.
No one should be surprised at a new administration squeezing all the value it can out of the leftover mess from the previous administration.Every new one does it.However,to make it a long-term part of your political strategy and use it in your talking points daily is amazing.At least,when it comes to the economy.The American economic engine is an amazing piece of artwork.To repress it for any length of time is quite an achievement.Its resiliency is second to none.It has bounced back from an impressive list of attempts to destroy it.Obama will be its stiffest challenge yet.
I mention the economy because there are certainly areas in which fallout can last far longer.Progressive infiltration of our society began right from the beginning of America.Of course,we still deal with the massive expansion of entitlement programs from last century,and will for as far as the eye can see.Or take the creation of the Federal Reserve,for example.Nearing one hundred years now,it has been a cancer to our economy and society from the beginning,yet we have persevered.
The members of the think tanks don't need to wonder what the strategy of the left will be come 2012.Regardless of the candidate,they will attempt any link possible to scare the public with 4 more years of Bush.Do we want to go backwards to the policies of Bush,they will ask.The name won't matter,nor the party.Be it Libertarian,Republican or a tea party candidate,they will still go with it.
I suggest we play them at their own game,rather than play one of constant denial.Spending everyday attempting to separate yourself from the Bush link is not productive.However,Obama is providing multiple linking opportunities of himself to Bush.
Start with TARP.Created by Bush,the second half of the $700 billion was left alone for Obama and he picked up the ball and ran with it.That's an easy one.
Then there's Gitmo.A broken campaign pledge from Obama to shut it down with-in a year provides another easy link to Bush.
Of course,we can't forget the two wars.The consensus seems to be to label Afghanistan as Obama's war.I beg to differ.Obviously you have the time length at 9 years.I would also cash in on the political capital from tying Bush and Obama together on it.That already exists with Iraq,but most people will always call that Bush's war regardless.So,Afghanistan must be where you concentrate on linking the two.
You can go on and on with social programs,or even the border.It wasn't secured under Bush and it certainly isn't now under Obama.When you start looking,you can find many,many opportunities here.
And why not?If you wish to go after Obama with talk of economic failure,that's fine.But you will be battling over a lot of mis-information and grey areas that a skilled political strategy team can defend.What seems to be poison to the left,though,is attachment to Bush.They preach it everyday and will certainly use it in the upcoming mid-terms.Why not go after them with their own poison?It will be indefensible if you can clearly articulate the links between Obama and Bush.America will be more hungry for change than ever,so why not sell it as 12 years of Bush?
At some point, they just start parodying themselves.