Understatement of the Year

[Updates below.]

This administration is not philosophically coherent.

-Andrew Sullivan

No shit. I missed the first two-thirds of the speech, but one only needs to look at the transcript to see just how divorced from reality this president and his team are.

He mentions "free" or "freedom" twenty-two times. He mentions "liberty" or "liberation" thirteen times. Compare this series of quotes:

I am running with a compassionate conservative philosophy: that government should help people improve their lives, not try to run their lives.

[...]

The story of America is the story of expanding liberty: an ever widening circle, constantly growing to reach further and include more. Our nation's founding commitment is still our deepest commitment: In our world, and here at home, we will extend the frontiers of freedom.

[...]

Many of our most fundamental systems the tax code, health coverage, pension plans, worker training were created for the world of yesterday, not tomorrow. We will transform these systems so that all citizens are equipped, prepared and thus truly free to make your own choices and pursue your own dreams.

[...]

To create jobs, my plan will encourage investment and expansion by restraining federal spending, reducing regulation and making tax relief permanent.

[...]

Another drag on our economy is the current tax code, which is a complicated mess filled with special interest loopholes, saddling our people with more than six billion hours of paperwork and headache every year. The American people deserve and our economic future demands a simpler, fairer, pro-growth system. In a new term, I will lead a bipartisan effort to reform and simplify the federal tax code.

[...]

In all these proposals, we seek to provide not just a government program, but a path a path to greater opportunity, more freedom and more control over your own life.

[...]

I believe in the transformational power of liberty: The wisest use of American strength is to advance freedom.

[...]

Young women across the Middle East will hear the message that their day of equality and justice is coming. Young men will hear the message that national progress and dignity are found in liberty, not tyranny and terror. Reformers, and political prisoners, and exiles will hear the message that their dream of freedom cannot be denied forever. And as freedom advances heart by heart, and nation by nation America will be more secure and the world more peaceful.

[...]

Yet Americans, of all people, should never be surprised by the power of liberty to transform lives and nations. That power brought settlers on perilous journeys, inspired colonies to rebellion, ended the sin of slavery, and set our Nation against the tyrannies of the 20th century.

[...]

I believe that America is called to lead the cause of freedom in a new century. I believe that millions in the Middle East plead in silence for their liberty. I believe that given the chance, they will embrace the most honorable form of government ever devised by man. I believe all these things because freedom is not America's gift to the world, it is the Almighty God's gift to every man and woman in this world.

[...]

This young century will be liberty's century. By promoting liberty abroad, we will build a safer world. By encouraging liberty at home, we will build a more hopeful America. Like generations before us, we have a calling from beyond the stars to stand for freedom. This is the everlasting dream of America and tonight, in this place, that dream is renewed. Now we go forward grateful for our freedom, faithful to our cause, and confident in the future of the greatest nation on earth.

I have little experience with big-time political speeches (and I didn't watch any of the democratic convention), but it is dead obvious President Bush is going to use the theme of freedom and liberty as one of his central planks.

But how does that stack up to what he wants to do? More excerpts:

I believe every child can learn and every school must teach so we passed the most important federal education reform in history. Because we acted, children are making sustained progress in reading and math, America's schools are getting better, and nothing will hold us back.

[...]

In our high schools, we will fund early intervention programs to help students at risk. We will place a new focus on math and science. As we make progress, we will require a rigorous exam before graduation. By raising performance in our high schools, and expanding Pell grants for low and middle income families, we will help more Americans start their career with a college diploma.

Translation: I got the federal government more involved in our education and I intend on keeping it that way.

I believe we have a moral responsibility to honor America's seniors so I brought Republicans and Democrats together to strengthen Medicare. Now seniors are getting immediate help buying medicine. Soon every senior will be able to get prescription drug coverage and nothing will hold us back.

Translation: I pushed for the largest entitlement spending increase in recent memory and intend on following through with it. I also believe we are bound by morality to sacrifice our values for others.

Many of our most fundamental systems the tax code, health coverage, pension plans, worker training were created for the world of yesterday, not tomorrow. We will transform these systems so that all citizens are equipped, prepared and thus truly free to make your own choices and pursue your own dreams.

Translation: I won't actually eliminate the bureaucracies that control your lives and your wealth.

To create jobs, we will make our country less dependent on foreign sources of energy.

Translation: By "making" us less dependent, I actually mean I'll use the power of government to force changes in the way people act.

And we must protect small business owners and workers from the explosion of frivolous lawsuits that threaten jobs across America.

[...]

To stand with workers in poor communities and those that have lost manufacturing, textile and other jobs we will create American opportunity zones. In these areas, we'll provide tax relief and other incentives to attract new business and improve housing and job training to bring hope and work throughout all of America.

[...]

To make health care more affordable and accessible, we must pass medical liability reform now. And in all we do to improve health care in America, we will make sure that health decisions are made by doctors and patients, not by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.

Translation: I'm not fundamentally against domestic protectionism and local favoritism. I can also contradict myself in one sentence because I won't eliminate Medicare and Medicaid as well as the thousands of regulations imposed by Health and Human Services.

The American people deserve and our economic future demands a simpler, fairer, pro-growth system. In a new term, I will lead a bipartisan effort to reform and simplify the federal tax code.

Translation: I will continue supporting the institutionalized theft known as taxation.

Another priority in a new term will be to help workers take advantage of the expanding economy to find better, higher-paying jobs. In this time of change, many workers want to go back to school to learn different or higher-level skills. So we will double the number of people served by our principal job training program and increase funding for community colleges.

[...]

And we will provide low-income Americans with better access to health care: In a new term, I will ensure every poor county in America has a community or rural health center.

[...]

In a new term, we will lead an aggressive effort to enroll millions of poor children who are eligible but not signed up for the government's health insurance programs.

Translation: I will continue redistributing wealth around the nation as the government sees fit.

We will offer a tax credit to encourage small businesses and their employees to set up health savings accounts, and provide direct help for low-income Americans to purchase them.

Translation: I was just bullshitting about that "simplifying the tax code" thing.

In a new term, we will change outdated labor laws to offer comp time and flex time.

Translation: Government is here to grant you permission to run your business on the terms we allow, rather than letting you and the market decide.

Tonight we set a new goal: seven million more affordable homes in the next 10 years so more American families will be able to open the door and say "Welcome to my home."

Translation: I will use the force and power of the government to secure housing for the needy.

In an ownership society, more people will own their health plans and have the confidence of owning a piece of their retirement. We will always keep the promise of Social Security for our older workers. With the huge Baby Boom generation approaching retirement, many of our children and grandchildren understandably worry whether Social Security will be there when they need it. We must strengthen Social Security by allowing younger workers to save some of their taxes in a personal account a nest egg you can call your own and government can never take away.

Translation: You only get "a piece" of the wealth that you've earned. We will continue to steal from workers in order to provide for the needy in their old age. I won't abolish a thorough fraud forced upon the American people.

In all these proposals, we seek to provide not just a government program, but a path a path to greater opportunity, more freedom and more control over your own life.

Translation: And I will do it all while openly lying to you in your fucking faces.

Not that John Kerry is any better. He's worse.

UPDATED 9/28/2005 10:02am
Speaking of incoherency, Andrew Sullivan continues to call for slaves.

Posted by Drizzten at September 03, 2004 11:02 AM