House Republicans passed a budget that phases out Medicare. Of course this could cause big problems for Republicans if the public learns about this. Solution? Accuse Obama of phasing out Medicare, and use the right-wing noise machine to spread that story far and wide.
Think Progress: Romney Accuses Obama Of Taking ‘A Series Of Steps That End Medicare As We Know It’.
Yes, you got that right. Romney is accusing Obama of doing what the House Republicans did:
Don't Say I Didn't Warn You - Just This Morning
In this morning's post, The Most Important Thing The President Said About The Republican Budget, I implored readers to make a point of being informed, because Republicans are going to try to confuse voters:
Republicans Counting On "Low-Information" Voters
The secret of the Republican technique is that they count on lots of people being tuned out, apathetic and largely uninformed. They put up a lot of misinformation and smoke and mirrors and diversion and distraction, often claiming that what they are doing is the opposite of what they are doing, to trick people into accepting what they are doing, or at least not getting involved and working to stop them. ...
Another technique is accusing the other side of doing what they themselves are doing, as "cover." (It's called inoculation.) They won the majority in the House by running ads telling seniors that Democrats had cut $500 billion from Medicare, and a majority of seniors voted Republican for the first time. It was enough to swing control of the House. Now in office they are not just cutting Medicare, they are privatizing Medicare, phasing it out for those now under 55.
Don't Say I Didn't Warn You - March, 2004
Wayyy back in March of 2004 - before the "Swift Boat" smear - I wrote in a post, They Just Lie,
Listen, there is something we all need to get through our heads. They just lie.
If the Bush people did a focus group and found out that people would vote against him because he owns a miniature green Chinese monkey with an earring, THEN WE WOULD BE HEARING THAT KERRY HAS A MINIATURE GREEN CHINESE MONKEY WITH AN EARRING! They are making it up, they are lying, they are going to say and do ANYTHING. OK? They just lie. Get used to it.
They just lie. So don't be surprised and don't be shocked. And most of all, don't start responding by trying to disprove their charges and going through all the points and specifics and particulars! YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT THE CHARGES THEY WILL MAKE TOMORROW AND NEXT WEEK ARE FALSE. OK?
... They just lie. We know it. So when do we figure out that they just lie? When we do figure it out, THEN maybe we can start responding effectively, instead of getting all bogged down in the lies each and every time. The public needs to understand that they just lie, and the things they say should just be ignored. THAT is where we should be spending our time.
Just Lie?
The great Calvin Trillin wrote, in his poem, The Ross Perot Guide to Answering Embarrassing Questions:
I lie
I simply, baldly falsify.
I look the fellow in the eye,
And cross my heart and hope to die -
And lie.
I don t apologize. Not me. Instead,
I say I never said the things I said.
Nor did the things that people saw me do.
Confronted with some things they know are true,
I lie.
I offer them no alibi,
Nor say, "You oversimplify."
I just deny, deny, deny.
I lie.
Looks like this is how they plan to win the election ... again.
