MORE SUSKIND FILES

Perhaps no one else will be surprised by this, but as someone who has never had talking points written up for me and otherwise never participated in any kind of communications plan, I find this document absolutely fascinating. Note in particular how similar the arguments for tax cuts in February 2001 are to the arguments for tax cuts in February 2004. [Hint: they're mostly the same. Still. . .] It's hard to imagine any more complete disassociation of tax policy and fiscal policy than that advanced by this administration: tax cuts because we have a surplus (then), tax cuts because we have a deficit (now) -- at all costs tax cuts. Also, note the dodge in the first item under likely questions, where the likely questioner asks which programs are to be cut, and O'Neill's scripted non-response is supposed to remain vague and refer to "duplication." I heard someone on the Diane Rehm show take pretty much the same tack today. Now that's an all-purpose communication plan for you, I'll tell you what.