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No matter that it has but very little substance - given the unprecedented budget increases approved last year, the fact that the "freeze" is to be only narrowly applied, and the $1.35 trillion proposed deficit for the new budget. Administration officials think the phrase "budget freeze" has a nice populist appeal and can easily be trilled off the tongue in press conferences, town hall meetings, and on the Sunday morning talk show circuit.
Because, evidently, the Administration has decided that the electorate is not a very thoughtful lot and a little euphemism goes a long way with our sound-bite generation.
The "budget freeze" is an insult to the intelligence of American voters. Whoever in the Administration is dishing out the wool needs to know that we aren't pulling it over our eyes, and this cheap trick won't sway the hearts of voters or convince us that the Administration is drawing back from its desire to expand government into more and more sectors of the private lives of Americans.
Let's imagine how this came about. A late night meeting. All the President's "advisors" around the table. Someone asks, "What will calm the storm, if only to give us some breathing space?" Several ideas are wafted. Then someone says, "Budget freeze?" The President brightens. Yes, it turns out, that will do it. The very words will ring like a charm in the ears of the mindless public, all the hubbub will abate, and we'll get a little time to think up the next way to continue pursuing our progressive agenda. Budget freeze it is.
But, of course, it ain't. And, Mr. President, we ain't stupid,either. How about trying another question, Mr. President? You who claim to be a Christian, why not pursue this tack a while: "What can we do to bring our government into line with God's good purposes for this, the greatest nation in the world?" Aside from several of his closest aides going into apoplexy, that line of questioning just might yield some new and more beneficial results.
It's just a thought.
T. M. Moore