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Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Marc A. Thiessen: There's a Word for the Democrats' Negotiating Strategy: Insanity

Good news for the incoming House Democratic majority! They have something President Trump really, really wants: money to build a border wall. Trump is desperate for this money. Mexico won’t give it to him. Only congressional Democrats can. Without their consent, he can’t deliver on one of the key campaign promises he made during the 2016 election.

There’s a name for this in classic negotiating strategy. It’s called “leverage.” Good negotiators use leverage (something they have, which their adversary wants) to obtain what are called “concessions” (something their adversary has, which they want). The result is what experts call “compromise.” This is how the civilized world gets things done.

But in a fit of pique, Democrats are throwing away their leverage, insisting that they will never — under any circumstances — give Trump the wall he so desperately wants. The reason? Because he wants it and they despise him.

There is a name for this in negotiating strategy as well. It’s called “insanity.”

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So, Trump lied, Mexico is NOT paying for the wall.

And, Trump is holding the American People hostage by demanding for OUR money to pay for the wall, shutting down the government and taking money out of American government workers hands.

So, effectively, his brilliant negotiating skills are to throw a tantrum, take his toys and go home.

Some genius. Actually, that would be liar and fraud.