Bait and Switch Redux

As expected, last night's State of the Union address focused on Social Security. President Bush is just bound and determined to dismantle this program, spitting on FDR's grave while quoting him in his speech. For the longest time the President has been harping on this "Social Security is in crisis" theme as the reason we have to ACT. NOW.

Faced with mounting evidence that there is no crisis, this administration is changing its tune. From today's LA Times

Bush added new details to his proposal for individual accounts, under which workers could direct some of the taxes now paid for Social Security to mutual funds investing in stocks and bonds.

In a significant shift in his rationale for the accounts, Bush dropped his claim that they would help solve Social Security's fiscal problems — a link he sometimes made during last year's presidential campaign. Instead, he said the individual accounts were desirable because they would be "a better deal," providing workers what he said would be a higher rate of return and "greater security in retirement."

A Bush aide, briefing reporters on the condition of anonymity, was more explicit, saying that the individual accounts would do nothing to solve the system's long-term financial problems.

So once again we have the administration lying about its real motivation. Much like they did about Iraq.

"It's the WMD's"
"It's because Saddam Hussein is supporting terrorists"
"It's to spread democracy"

Geez guys --pick a reason and stick with it for a change.