Yet the way the Republicans went after it, by intimidating the three-member board or by providing the excuse it was looking for, gave Americans the first TV view of strong-arm tactics in what was supposed to be a showcase of democracy in action.

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Egypt has remained isolated in Arab public opinion as Mr Mubarak has subsequently cracked down on cross-border smuggling and struggled to strong-arm Hamas into sharing power with its secular rival, Fatah, by using the opening of the border as a lure.

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By passing an effective growth package quickly, we can provide a shot in the arm to keep a fundamentally strong economy healthy.

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But charities representing one parent families accused the government of "strong arm tactics" and said it would make life harder for lone parents by assuming that "government always knows best".

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