… we would probably never read the subheadline: “Electronics maker, reacting to demand, is building research, distribution center in Raleigh.”
“What?!” you say. “Is he actually crediting targeted tax incentives with helping to attract this electronics maker to Raleigh?”
No, what I’m saying is that without targeted tax incentives that skew the free-market process, there would be no need to use the phrase “reacting to demand.” Every reader would assume that the electronics maker is reacting to demand. The phrase would be as redundant as saying: “Hungry person, reacting to hunger, pursued food.”