my fav:

...a matter of fact, Congress felt so strongly that people ought to be able to own and manage their own accounts, they set one up for themselves. You've heard me say, I like to say this, if it's good enough for the Congress, it is -- it ought to be good enough for the workers, to give them that option"

thus extending the myth...

http://www.snopes.com/...s/taxes/pensions.asp

--- Government employees (including Congress) do have an investment plan (TSP.GOV), but it is IN ADDITION to (not a replacement of) Social security. It's no different than a 401(k) plan. (or similar to a deducitble IRA for those that don't have access to a 401(K)).

What an idiot.

What's almost as good - at one point he says:

Our system is called pay as you go. You pay into the system through your payroll taxes and the government spends it. It spends the money on the current retirees and with the money left over, it funds other government programs.

And all that's left behind is file cabinets full of IOUs.

Then later he says:

I know some Americans have reservations about investing in the stock market, so I propose that one investment option consist entirely of treasury bonds, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.

Well gee, which one is it? Are Treasuries just meaningless IOUs, or are they backed by the full faith and credit of the US?

Duh.

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"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" - Benjamin Franklin
"Don't you see the rest of the country looks upon New York like we're left-wing, communist, Jewish, homosexual pornographers? I think of us that way sometimes and I live here." - Alvy Singer, "Annie Hall"

the following is an excerpt from a washington post article a bit more than two years old. while it's possible that things have changed since then, i am doubting it. how can they call this a press conference? how can the reporters participate in that? it's not a press conference, it's a speech with cues. or am i just out of it and this is the typical press conference nowadays for anyone?


"[T]his White House uses news conferences more sparingly than other types of presidential events, because "if you have a message you're trying to deliver, a news conference can go in a different direction."

"In this case, we know what the questions are going to be, and those are the ones we want to answer," Bartlett said. "We think the public will see the thought and care and attention he's given to a lot of the different questions that are being asked about the diplomatic side and the military side and the potential post-Iraq issue. These are all legitimate questions that he has answers for and wants to talk about."

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f/k/a mclamb6

Note that these things ceased being called "press conferences" quite a while ago. That term implied that the press were actually involved in the process. They are now called "news conferences".

Also note that Fox determined it important to actually cut off the President and go to "A Simple Life"...

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"Go yell at an M&M"

Well, if Syria and Egypt say they're not going to torture these prisoners, by gum! that's good enough for me.

Note that the last statements say "it's lawful for us to send prisoners to other countries; if they torture them, we're not the ones doing it."

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"Go yell at an M&M"

Yes, it's inherent evasiveness didn't escape me.

It is rather strange though if you think about it - when asked a question about renditioning, he essentially answers by saying the American people want to be safe. What is that supposed to mean? Is that his form of a wink and a nod?

As for the sham these press conferences have become and their rather Machiavellian way of looking at them, I don't know why they even bother - wouldn't it be easier to just have him videotape a completely scripted program, or perhaps, even better, use that Max Headroom character from the '80s to do it for him, so he can continue the important business of serving his donors?

It was clear that yesterday's impromptu appearance was a somewhat desperate political move to try and rescue what is a foundering attempt at dismantling SS. The public is against him, most of Congress still regards it as the third rail of politics, and his factual claims are a bit, stretched, putting it politely. What is the point here? Or is he trying to take the whole ideological thing to new heights?

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"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" - Benjamin Franklin
"Don't you see the rest of the country looks upon New York like we're left-wing, communist, Jewish, homosexual pornographers? I think of us that way sometimes and I live here." - Alvy Singer, "Annie Hall"

You've got to wonder how little real respect they must have for the press and the people.

They basically must think we are, as Lewis Black would put it, meat with eyes. It's all about messages and talking points, and only answering questions you want to when you want to. So depressing that they can get away with it in a complacent democracy.

And the press hasn't helped. Didn't they used to be the investigative arm of the US public?

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"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" - Benjamin Franklin
"Don't you see the rest of the country looks upon New York like we're left-wing, communist, Jewish, homosexual pornographers? I think of us that way sometimes and I live here." - Alvy Singer, "Annie Hall"

the press is all liberal remember? it's all biased. they'd never be complicit in getting a conservative message across.

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f/k/a mclamb6

Yup, just like those famous Fox News liberals.

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"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" - Benjamin Franklin
"Don't you see the rest of the country looks upon New York like we're left-wing, communist, Jewish, homosexual pornographers? I think of us that way sometimes and I live here." - Alvy Singer, "Annie Hall"