Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Obama's State of the Union: Code Words and Dog Whistles

Earlier I posted on how President Obama is planning on using the word "investment" tonight, as opposed to the more honest "government spending", as he gives his SOTU address (entitled, interestingly, "How to win the future". Hmmm. Sounds like something out of a socialist community-organizing seminar....).

The Weekly Standard defines how Obama will use the term "competitiveness":

More often than not, the code words are invoked to hide one thing: more and more government intervention in the economy.

Obama’s favorite new word is “competitiveness.” This doesn’t mean he wants to enact free market reforms to increase competition in the private sector. Perish the thought. He wants to fund programs that aid or subsidize industries involved in global markets. Once again, it points to more spending, more intervention.


....Who takes the lead in achieving this? Not the private economy unleashed by tax cuts and deregulation. Free markets and free individuals can’t be trusted with this task. The government must be in charge.

Both winning the future and competitiveness have another role. Properly understood, they’re a diversion from the present, with its weak economy and high unemployment. You’re supposed to ignore what’s happening today and look to the future....

...when Obama's true genius will be seen in all of it's glory, i suppose. Much like a certain Georgia peanut farmer....

Protein Wisdom has an "Obama Code to English" dictionary as well:

competition” = “See? I’m all for capitalism, provided I can control the outcome, and get mine in return...

Deficit reduction” = “increasing your taxes." Which I’ve said I’m going to run on in 2012, even as I re-image myself tonight as a moderate. Because I’m a leftist ideologue.”

“back from the brink” = “Remember when we all blamed Bush for everything bad? Remember how good that felt? Well, I’m bringing that back…”

reform government” = “I can get a lot done behind the scenes, without resistance, using bureaucratic agencies. Why the hell do I need Congress?”

“Tucson tragedy” = “never let a crisis go to waste. We’ll be coming for your guns soon, me and the rest of my moderate buddies. Plus, Sarah Palin is the TEA Party and talk radio, so the TEA Party and talk radio = inspiring murderers to kill young children and attempt to assassinate popular moderate liberals. Which is why we as a newly civil country need to put a check on conservative speech, hopefully through some governmental mandate.”

And don't forget, right before the speech ends, in a final dog whistle to the media which adores him so, Obama will renew his call for "civility" (defined as “agree with me or shut the f*ck up, you hate-mongering racists") just before the cameras fade to Rep. Paul Ryan, aka The Devil Himself.

Should make for an interesting night. I'll start pouring the bourbon early...


UPDATE: Here's another good one: Green Energy Initiatives = income redistribution and social justice.

Hey, I didn't say it....Van Jones did.

No comments:

Post a Comment