Word Games and Revisionist History

First we had the privatization/personal accounts bamboozle. Republicans and Democrats alike calling it a privatization plan. A focus group said otherwise though and now that is an evil liberal media phrase and the Republicans prefer the apparently much better testing "personal accounts". You know, the ownership society. Yep, in the revisionist history world. If you watch the news at all you can remember everyone including the pResident calling it privatization. Now the new Orwellian speak is in connection with the judges. The right wing bloggers are at it again berating the "liberal media" for using the term "nuclear option". Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., coined the term "nuclear" option to describe this proposal; it is also called the "constitutional" option (the historic and more politic term recently adopted by the Republicans). See, to them everything is the liberals fault, even when it's not! Who can believe somebody who changes the rules to suit their purposes on a regular basis? Truth be damned. Better question, why do people allow this?

Speaking of changing the the rules and revisionist history, how about this from 1999.

Embittered and angry over Clinton's reelection, Senate Republicans increased pressure on Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, to hold up hearings on Clinton's judicial nominees. They also pressed Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) to break with tradition by allowing individual senators to place "secret holds" on nominees they opposed, thereby denying them hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Ever since, the GOP-controlled Senate has been stonewalling judicial confirmations, long before the campaign for the presidential election in 2000 kicks into high gear.

Or this from 1968 to put the lie to the statement that filibustering a vote on a judicial appointment is unprecedented. It's revisionist history. They lie and get away with it on a regular basis. 6 years ago that was an impeachable offense. Personal matter be damned. It's so easy to forget though. Please take your Geritol.