BOCCIERI CAMPAIGN (SEE VIDEO): "CAP 'N TRADE" IS A REPUBLICAN IDEA?

According to Congressman John Boccieri, Cap 'N Trade is a Republican idea.

Last night (August 30, 2010) at an event put on by OperationFree.net, 16th District Congressman John Boccieri unveiled his campaign strategy (undoubtedly, a strategy conceived by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee - DCCC) to turn the Cap 'N Tax and National Energy Tax labels put on Cap 'N Trade legislation (formally known as the American Clean Energy and Security Act) by Republicans (including Boccieri's opponent Jim Renacci)  against the Republicans.

Apparently, Boccieri wants the 16th District public (Stark, Wayne Ashland and Medina (parts of) counties to think that the Republicans are the  real "flip-floppers" on the issue and not himself.  Readers of the Stark County Political Report will recall that The Report blogged that Boccieri was going around the 16th suggesting that he was likely to vote against Cap 'N Trade but in the end voted for it.

Moreover, it seems obvious that he also wants to come out of discussion on Cap 'N Trade as being bipartisan.

And he did his Republican idea thing last night in a room of the Stark County District Library, located in the heart of Canton, dedicated to the 16th District's most well known Republican; namely, William McKinley (i.e. "the McKinley Room) who was president of the United States from March 4, 1897 to September 14, 1901.

First, OperationFree?  Who are they?  Here is a video put out by the organization describing themselves:



Second,  a Boccieri Strategy?

Yes.

What is it?

Cap 'N Trade is a Republican idea going back to the days of Ronald Reagan.

Really?

Indeed.  Perhaps going back to the administration of President Ronald Reagan.

Yes, according to a piece put out by a reporter from National Public Radio's WBUR, to wit:

And more recently (2007 and 2008), the Republican version of Cap 'N Trade was put in legislative form in America's Climate and Security Act.

The list of Republican sponsors is impressive, to wit:

Boccieri's tack:  The Republicans are now in the political silly season. The implication being that Republicans are attacking their own idea for political advantage.

Will the Boccieri/DCCC strategy work?

Only time will tell and, of course, Boccieri's persuasion skills.  Look for him to be responding to 16th District voters who stop by his booth at the Stark County Fair (today through Labor Day) to hear the "it's a Republican idea" I'm supporting spiel.

Also, there are the debates.  No doubt Boccieri will be throwing this at his opponent Jim Renacci.  Will Renacci be able to debunk the notion that Republicans are turning on themselves?

Here is a video of Boccieri making his case for the strategy that in voting for Cap 'N Trade he is being "bipartisan" in supporting what was originally a Republican idea.