The Death of "Why?"

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6: No Piggy Bank Left Behind

IN THE BUSINESS OF POLITICS WE HAVE SOMETHING called a “push poll.” Maybe you have been an unwitting victim of it. You get one of these in-the-middle-of-dinner phone calls from an innocent-sounding voice that asks for just a few moments of your time. She says she is from some kind of official polling outfit and then asks you questions that go a little like this: “Did you know that City Councilman Smith voted three times against increases in salaries for our police officers? Did you know that City Councilman Smith voted to raise taxes on families just like yours? Did you know that City Councilman Smith is a bad child who doesn’t love his mother? Do you intend to vote to reelect City Councilman Smith?”

We call ...