For all their nervousness that the economy could trump the war and emerge as the dominant issue in the midterm elections, Mr. Bush and his political advisers have ruled out any dramatic new steps to address a looming budget deficit that will appear in place of the surplus that had been expected to grow throughout the decade.

Military and economy trump all?

Boris Island airport: economy trumps environment once again 3.

Instead, settlement negotiators say, politics and a slowing economy have trumped promises to fight smoking, leading many states to use the money for other needs, like public schools, elderly care and balancing the budget.

Despite predictions that the economy could trump worries about the war in commanding public attention, it could be that Americans are so unnerved about their own safety that they will continue to offer the president unyielding support.

It makes the assumption that the economy trumps other concerns; allowing for the elevation of class as the focus of study.

Reflecting the White House's belief that the economy can trump even war when it comes to a president's political fate (as became evident when the first President Bush lost his re-election after the Gulf war), the first third of the hourlong speech was on domestic matters.

The lesson, some advisers are telling Mr. Bush, is that the economy trumps war, and the country may not cut him much slack.

Rather, the working Republican hypothesis seems to be that the damaged economy will trump any specific stand on the issues.

And Ireland's lively new economy - the Celtic Tiger purring in the Republic - trumps the old begrudgers and hateful rhetoric.