There is no Crisis!
What is this essay about? First one to get it right gets a dinner date with Annie Jacobsen of World O’Crap fame.
[…] are now at a stalemate: Public enthusiasm for the president’s plan has precipitously declined, but its opponents have failed to capitalize on its obvious flaws and kill it outright. This is just a temporary lull, however. The plan is due for resuscitation–unless a strong counteroffensive is mounted. In political terms, that task falls mainly to […] What form should their opposition take?
A simple, green-eyeshade criticism of the president’s […] plan–on the grounds that it’s numbers don’t add up (they don’t), or that it costs too much (it does), or that it will kill jobs and disrupt the economy (it will)–is fine as far as it goes, but it is not enough. Such opposition can only win concessions on the way to a “least bad” compromise.
[…] Second, they must aggressively debunk the administration’s “crisis” rhetoric, which in any case is merely a justification for it’s radical reforms. […]
And the president’s plan is unnecessary: There is no […] crisis, and the reforms suggested above show how real problems can be directly addressed.
[Fixed link.]
The Clenis Health Care Plan?
BTW Is your link to World O’Crap broken in your post and your blogroll?
Sadly, Yes!
BTBTW Thanks for getting your blogroll working again!
Social Security? Surely that’s too obvious, but I figured I’d be the first to guess it and get shot down — much as poor Annie feared her plane would be with all those Arabiac guys on it.
Hmmm…
I’d say it has to be about Clinton’s Health Care plan. And if it isn’t Newt Gingrich or Bob Dole, it has to some Republican who is currently high up in the Bush administration, but I don’t know enough politicians to guess who.
I cheated and googled a phrase from it. Dorothy’s right.
Yup. George Johnston wins. Bill Kristol said it.
http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/onprin/v2n1/kristol.html
‘Such opposition can only win concessions on the way to a “least bad” compromise’.
Clearly it’s the mission to Mars, the crisis we are facing is an invasion by, you guessed it, Martians…Whether it’s imminent, or grave and gathering is unclear, but we ought to go up there and kick some green guy ass. Opponents of this bold plan are afraid and will probably push for a compromise where we just do a couple laps around the moon and try to look menacing. Wussies.
My guess is that would be Freddie Barnes, Charlie Kraphammer or Billy Kristol on the Clinton health plan. Fortunately, it looks like George guessed it and gets the date with Annie “Eek, There’s A Muslim in the Aisles!” Jacobsen if my guess is right.
Um, I forgot to sign my comment above.
Since you mention Annie, I noticed that she had an article in the American Airlines flight mag I got this past weekend. That makes sense to me. “This woman is doing her best to convince people that if you use our product, Syrian musicians will kill you–let’s kick her some cheddar!”
I can die happy now. A date with the proprietess of World O’Crap. (okay, I will settle for a link from her blogroll) (sheesh, am I easy)