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red tape is an expression that arose from a technological innovation. The red tape directly refering to the leader tape found in many reel to reel tape recorders and small compact cassetes. As there can be no sound recorded on this portion of the tape it was considered frustrating and often likened to bureaucracy when one had to wait for the end of the red tape to hear what was recorded on the tape Hence The expression red tape and or cut through the red tape or cut to the chase
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