Obama (still) lying about Social Security
This is nothing new. Democrats have been lying about Social Security (and Medicare/caid) almost from the inception of the program during the reign of FDR. One of the early promises, for example, was that a private system of accounts would eventually supplant the government controlled accounts. Oops.
And almost every decade since then the Democrats have played Lucy with a football to the Republican Charlie Brown. Invitations to "bipartisan" studies on how to "fix" Social Security have led to the Democrats successfully baiting the Republicans into accepting tax hikes in exchange for "future spending cuts" (1982 and again in 1990); increases in entitlement programs like Medicare Part D (prescription drug benefits) again in exchange for "future" spending controls in 2003; and invitations to float "alternative ideas" about funding the programs (1996).
And each and every time the Republicans fell for the invitation to "kick the football" the Democrats have yanked it away and attacked the Republicans on the very "bipartisan" proposals they invited. In 1982 they successfully played the "raised your taxes" card into legislative gains. In 1998 they used the proposed changes in how to finance Medicare into legislative gains. After practically browbeating President Bush into offering prescription drug benefits Democrats now routinely attack him for "increasing taxes" (see the pattern?) while simultaneously attacking Republicans for always wanting to "destroy Social Security/Medicare/caid" with their proposals.
One of the reasons this works is because of the affect of propaganda. In the 1980s, for example, the Republicans had no alternative to the MSM. In the 1990s they had talk radio but their lead spokesperson (Newt Gingrich) became embroiled in scandals and caved in to President Clinton so often that he eventually lost his leadership position in the Republican Party. President Bush, with his desire to be liked and seen as "working with Democrats" again played into their hands with a prescription drug benefit that did not come with corresponding cost controls or alternatives such as private accounts. Even though there are now considerable resources to counter the propaganda of the MSM (talk radio, Fox News and other independent news sources, etc.) Republicans still can't seem to get together and present a coherent, well-documented plan to present to the American people.
So now Obama is just the latest piece of the propaganda puzzle. Repeated claims that Republicans are evil people who will sell out your grandmother to the even more evil Wall Street banks will be all you hear in the coming months even as Obama invites the Republicans to "take another try" at kicking the football.
As long as the Republican response to Democrat lies about social welfare programs are tepid "we are not trying to kill your grandmother" they will continue to lose the debate in the court of public opinion...and look like Charlie Brown falling for Lucy's trick. (Republicans should keep in mind that people admire Lucy for her ability to trick Charlie Brown over and over again more than they feel sympathy towards Charlie Brown, who keeps allowing himself to be taken in.)
And almost every decade since then the Democrats have played Lucy with a football to the Republican Charlie Brown. Invitations to "bipartisan" studies on how to "fix" Social Security have led to the Democrats successfully baiting the Republicans into accepting tax hikes in exchange for "future spending cuts" (1982 and again in 1990); increases in entitlement programs like Medicare Part D (prescription drug benefits) again in exchange for "future" spending controls in 2003; and invitations to float "alternative ideas" about funding the programs (1996).
And each and every time the Republicans fell for the invitation to "kick the football" the Democrats have yanked it away and attacked the Republicans on the very "bipartisan" proposals they invited. In 1982 they successfully played the "raised your taxes" card into legislative gains. In 1998 they used the proposed changes in how to finance Medicare into legislative gains. After practically browbeating President Bush into offering prescription drug benefits Democrats now routinely attack him for "increasing taxes" (see the pattern?) while simultaneously attacking Republicans for always wanting to "destroy Social Security/Medicare/caid" with their proposals.
One of the reasons this works is because of the affect of propaganda. In the 1980s, for example, the Republicans had no alternative to the MSM. In the 1990s they had talk radio but their lead spokesperson (Newt Gingrich) became embroiled in scandals and caved in to President Clinton so often that he eventually lost his leadership position in the Republican Party. President Bush, with his desire to be liked and seen as "working with Democrats" again played into their hands with a prescription drug benefit that did not come with corresponding cost controls or alternatives such as private accounts. Even though there are now considerable resources to counter the propaganda of the MSM (talk radio, Fox News and other independent news sources, etc.) Republicans still can't seem to get together and present a coherent, well-documented plan to present to the American people.
So now Obama is just the latest piece of the propaganda puzzle. Repeated claims that Republicans are evil people who will sell out your grandmother to the even more evil Wall Street banks will be all you hear in the coming months even as Obama invites the Republicans to "take another try" at kicking the football.
As long as the Republican response to Democrat lies about social welfare programs are tepid "we are not trying to kill your grandmother" they will continue to lose the debate in the court of public opinion...and look like Charlie Brown falling for Lucy's trick. (Republicans should keep in mind that people admire Lucy for her ability to trick Charlie Brown over and over again more than they feel sympathy towards Charlie Brown, who keeps allowing himself to be taken in.)