Saturday, September 26, 2009

How to Speak the Doublespeak of Obama

North Star National

Many Americans are no doubt confused by some of the terminology used by the president in recent weeks as he has given speeches before a joint session of Congress and the United Nations, conducted a variety of television interviews and introduced new policy proposals. As a public service, we are providing a glossary of these terms with their real meanings:

Lets be clear.

Let's be clear.

ACORN – who? Never heard of them. (For related definition of Defunding – “holding a show vote on an amendment to eliminate funding, then bottling up the bill” – see the Congressional Glossary.)

Action (as in “now is the time for action”) – big government.

Balanced and sustained (as in “chart a course for growth that is balanced and sustained”) – involving more big government.

Choice – the opportunity to select big government.

Competition – we choose who wins.

Compromise – accepting my position after I give a big speech.

Cost savings – $900 billion in new spending.

Create or save (as in “create or save 4 million jobs”) – destroy or lose, as in 2 million jobs.

Engagement – a combination of unilateral concessions and America-bashing abroad.

Fact (as in, “these are the facts” or “to state a fact”) – my opinion.

Honest debate – agreeing with me.

Incorporate (as in “incorporate ideas from Republicans”) – include in the early stages of a proposal and then have Pelosi and Reid drop like a hot potato behind closed doors in the final version.

Irresponsible (as in “irresponsible behavior”) – constitutionally protected.

Misinformation – facts, when presented by our opponents.

Neutrality (as in “net neutrality”) – favoring one side in a dispute, especially when that side has supported your campaign and provided a senior White House staff member.

Necessary (as in “necessary war”) – not really that necessary, at least when it comes to backing up your words with required manpower and funding and standing up to your liberal base.

Negotiations without preconditions – the position I took vis-à-vis our enemies during the campaign, then denied taking, but am now trying to force on the Israelis.

Nobody (as in “nobody disputes [these facts]”) – no liberals or members of the mainstream media.

Non-profit (as in proposals to establish tax-favored, non-profit status for failing newspapers) – making official a condition that has existed unofficially for years.

Nothing (as in “nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have”) – everything.

Plan (as in, “the [health-care] plan I am announcing tonight”) – a really good speech.

Respect (as in, “respects the rights of the Israelis and Palestinians” or “the Iranians and North Koreans”) – overrun (Israelis) or elevate beyond reason with no expectation of reciprocity (everyone else).

Responsibility (as in the “responsibility” to buy health insurance or America’s “responsibility” to confront global warming) – big government telling people or nations things they have to do. (See “Action” above.)

Scare tactics – see “Misinformation” above.

Security (as in “stability and security” in health care or “true security for all Israelis”) – you’re toast.

Stand by our friends – desert our friends in order to “engage” with our enemies. (See “Engagement” above.)

Tax – certainly not the fine that goes along with the individual mandate. No matter what that little #&%@! Stephanopoulos or Webster’s say.

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