David Corn - Has Bush Blown His Election with One Word? ("Privatization")

[StlMo]

Has Bush Blown His Reelection with One Word?


...

In the piece, Ron Suskind--the veteran political reporter who did damage to the Bush White House with his book on ex-Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill--reported that last month at a confidential luncheon with big-money supporters (the RNC Regents), Bush said, "I'm going to come out strong after my swearing in with fundamental tax reform, tort reform, privatizing of Social Security." The privatizing of Social Security? Everyone in politics knows a candidate is not supposed to say that. Bush has been trained--with a rolled-up newspaper?--to talk about Social Security "reform," not privatization. Mentioning the P-word is a major slip-up (almost as bad politically--perhaps worse--than invading another country by mistake). As soon as the newspaper his breakfast tables across the nation, a Kerry aide emailed me a note:

This Social Security privatization stuff from Bush is a huge gift. Huge.

And the campaign cut a television ad within nanoseconds of the story's release. Here's the script:

The truth is coming out... George Bush has finally admitted that he intends to privatize Social Security in a second term. "I'm going to come out strong after my swearing in," Bush said, "with…privatizing of Social Security." First, George Bush threatens Social Security with record deficits of over $400 billion. Now, Bush has a plan that cuts Social Security benefits by 30 to 45 percent. The real Bush Agenda? Cutting Social Security.

Expect to see heavy rotation in, say, Florida. And how many retirees are there in Ohio? Could this make a difference? In this election--as tight as it is--a sneeze could make a difference. Bush has been dodgy on Social Security for years--talking about a partial privatization without calling it such, declining to endorse a specific plan, or accounting for the $2 trillion short-term cost of such a move. At the last debate, he ducked a direct question regarding the $2 trillion shortfall. And he has tried to self-inoculate himself from the traditional Democratic attacks on Republicans regarding Social Security by essentially saying over and over, "Watch out for those traditional Democratic attacks on Republicans regarding Social Security." But unless the GOPers can succeed in undermining Suskind's piece by pointing out (vigorously) it is based on unnamed sources, Bush has handed Kerry the political equivalent of an assault rifle and said, "Just shoot me."

...

http://www.davidcorn.com

[aaronbees]

1. David Corn rocks!

And Kerry's already using this. Wooo hooo! There's nothing Bush won't privatize to make a buck.

[evilqueen]

13. Yeah, I love David Corn

and also Greg Palast.

:)

[popstalin]

2. Just so we're all aware

Bush is denying he ever said that... I know it holds less water than a collander but.

:)

[Gore1FL]

5. He has denied saying a lot of things

hopefully there is a tape of this one too.

[SammyWinstonJack]

30. Just because he denies it doesn't mean he didn't say it

Besides he denies he says most everything. His actions speak louder then his words.

[regnaD kciN]

3. Could Bush have just...privatized...his next four years?

:evilgrin:

[StlMo]

16. Let's hope so.

:D

[StlMo]

4. Kerry Will Defeat Bush

Bush's attempt to privatize Social Security ensures that senior citizens will overwhelmingly vote for Kerry.

Bush's preparation of a draft guarantees that young Americans will overwhelmingly vote for Kerry.

Bush's disastrous economy will drive a majority of those in the middle age group to vote for Kerry.

Kerry will win a solid majority.

[pocoloco]

10. Not necessarily...

George Lakoff explans in his new book "Don't Think Like an Elephant!" why some people do not vote their best interests!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=115583

[StlMo]

12. It will happen.

No, not everyone will vote in their best interest.
Yet, enough will vote in their best interest to elect Kerry decisively (only election fraud will make it close.)

[MatrixEscape]

6. That word?

I wonder if the Freepers are listening and considering what it means?

Privatize:

Schools = Have what is considered a sociopath teach your children with commercials included. They will graduate as great drones and rapid consumers. They thought gay teachers were a threat?

Prisons = Build them everywhere! Gotta' keep those beds full though! Prisoners then become a mere commodity and lawmakers will HAVE to comply by passing more draconian laws. The benefit is that local communities get joba and get to be the "keepers" of their fellow man. Outsourcing a problem to you? Well, prison labor is very cheap, you know!

The list goes on from there. Why not have corporations own every public service and have the tax payers fund it? Yeah, that's the ticket. Profits are God.

Come to think of it, isn't Bush really a privatized pResident? He is so owned by fundies and corporations. We are not a part of his plan it seems. America Incorporated, one Nation under a profit.

[StlMo]

19. Privatization is truly the cause of some great evils.

Just look at the "private military contractors" who have tortured people, including many innocents.

[Zhade]

27. Privatized government is fascism, by definition.

And so many of those rightwingers will never see it coming.

In my weaker moments, I almost pity them - then I remember they want to destroy people like us.

[Kolesar]

7. Bush Privatizing SS was on my local tv news this morning ... eom

[StlMo]

15. Good. The more exposure, the better.

:)

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Maybe he should have called if faith-based investment?

Conservatives seem to like those kind of words.

[StlMo]

18. Heh, heh, heh!

:D

[Guaranteed]

9. This IS a huge deal. 3rd-rail.

This should be at the top of our talking points, and probably our number-one talking point with the older folks.

Younger folks, too, though.

[StlMo]

11. Possible Talking Point:

"Bush wants to make Social Security unsocial and unsecure."

[Zynx]

14. Well, at least it's a multi-syllabic word.

;-)

[StlMo]

17. True

:)

[Shopaholic]

20. Are any of the morning talk shows talking about the NY Times

profile from yesterday? We need to get them to cover this but my guess is that they're not going to go near it.

[NewJeffCT]

22. I doubt we'll hear much about it

Rove has most of the news media on a tight leash.

[flpoljunkie]

21. "Unnamed sources" were big money supporters, the RNC Regents! Priceless!

In the piece, Ron Suskind--the veteran political reporter who did damage to the Bush White House with his book on ex-Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill--reported that last month at a confidential luncheon with big-money supporters (the RNC Regents), Bush said, "I'm going to come out strong after my swearing in with fundamental tax reform, tort reform, privatizing of Social Security."

http://www.davidcorn.com

[StlMo]

28. Some of Bush's biggest supporters admit his idiotic plan!

:dem:

[democrat in Tallahassee]

23. 10,000 in Tallahassee did not like privatization

10,000 people in Tallahassee went to hear Edwards on Sunday and the biggest reaction came when Edwards indicated he wanted to privatize SS...

This is a very big deal with Democrats

[StlMo]

33. It's also a big deal with "swing" voters.

Bush's plan would hurt many Americans.

Many Americans will be angry that Bush is plotting to destroy Social Security.

[RevCheesehead]

24. Al Gore just used it in his speech!!

"Privatization" is out!!!!!!

[Out the Parasites]

34. give this story some legs...write all the crapy news orgs!!! kick it n/t

maybe an administrator can supply the list...we should make it our purpose to keep this in the news. Any ideas?

[StlMo]

36. We could use the DU Local Media Blaster to write to the news media.

Democratic Underground Local Media Blaster:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/cu/cu.php?az=blaster

[Out the Parasites]

38. Good Idea...I think this is Bad for Bush - but I dunno? anyone?

[Supersedeas]

25. but but but big money luncheons w/big-money supporters are supposed to be

confidential, like energy task forces and such....this is so unfair, Kerry should apologize for amplifying this leak, and Dan Rather should be fired as well.

[StlMo]

37. Dubya is probably whining, "How dare they admit that I'm crooked."

:dem:

[amandabeech]

26. "Fundamental Tax Reform" may mean a consumption tax

instead of an income tax. That means that those who live paycheck to paycheck will pay taxes on their entire take-home pay, but those who have lots left over will only pay taxes on the money that they spend. It is the ultimate regressive sales tax.

[Shopaholic]

29. But will the fucking media cover this story?

My guess is--NO, because then their beloved Chimpy wouldn't be re-elected.

[high density]

31. Yeah, when I read that Suskind article,

I couldn't believe what I was reading when I came to that quote. A great gift indeed.

[Steelangel]

32. This statement

Bush has handed Kerry the political equivalent of an assault rifle and said, "Just shoot me."

Hahahahaha, that is fuckin ROCK!

[Generic Other]

35. Now that the plan's out of the lockbox, let's check to see where the $$ is

Gone? They spent the savings too? The extra loot my generation ponied up to pay for our parents and ourselves? Where did that money go, Mr. Privatization?

WTF?? Unless you like the idea of hordes of indigent criminal seniors roaming the streets in the future poking their fingers in the produce they can't afford at the grocery stores, contaminating with sneezes the bread they can't buy, and otherwise pissing on this thieves' parade you call a government, you better get your sticky fingers off my social security earnings.