[Mb-hair] HAIR: Theater of the Ridiculous

[Walter Michael Harris]

Hello y'all - In response to MB's request for more theatrical use of the 
list (and tossing in some political context), I offer the following that 
was forwarded by my wife today from a very reliable local news source:

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Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 12:33 PM

Subject: Our leader

The President explains the virtues of his Social Security plan (to a 
PICKED audience, mind you!) in Tampa, FL, Feb. 4, 2005.

WOMAN IN AUDIENCE: I don't really understand. How is the new [Social 
Security] plan going to fix that problem?

VERBATIM RESPONSE FROM PRESIDENT BUSH:

"Because the -- all which is on the table begins to address the big cost 
drivers. For example, how benefits are calculated, for example, is on 
the table. Whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or 
price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being 
considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, 
affecting those – changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to 
get what has been promised more likely to be --or closer delivered to 
that has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of 
muddled.

Look, there's a series of things that cause the -- like, for example, 
benefits are calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to 
the increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate -- the 
benefits will rise based upon inflation, as opposed to wage increases. 
There is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into 
effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised 
benefits grow, if those -- if that growth is affected, it will help on 
the red."

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CRAZY FOR THE BLUE, WHITE and RED,

wmh