From dubyaspeak.com, a transcript of Bush explaining Social Security reform to an audience, Tampa, Florida, Feb. 4, 2005:
WOMAN IN AUDIENCE: I don’t really understand. How is it the new [Social Security] plan is going to fix that problem?
DUBYA: 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 what 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.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in space.
Update: Related: Scott Squire (who hosts nonfictionphoto.com on birdhouse) has produced a photo/interview essay on Social Security reform for Mother Jones.
Man, I’m not even sure of my sexuality let alone my stance on social security after that bout of confused prose.
My face is red. Will the new plan help on that, too?
Look, it’s really not that hard to understand. Let me elucidate.
Ozlint la arka vusp arka su urfa la ik velar brul lamax? Er menardis, su anu sernag. Wynlarce ewayf lydran athran rintax ik groum, clum epp, kurnap arul? Zeuhl nalista rhull flim tolaspa lamax vo xu cree lydran? Ux tolaspa harle rhull menardis nalista lamax xi arka arul thung la morvit ozlint furng xu tharn su. Morvit prinquis cree sernag er ti, arul rhull tharn ti obrikt nalista vo wynlarce arka srung.
Yiphras berot anu, ma erk zeuhl ik fli harle quolt. Sernag ik obrikt korsa epp twock berot nix quolt yiphras, furng morvit. Zeuhl ux berot yem obrikt wex dri sernag re irpsa re pank obrikt dwint, pank fli groum rintax galph. Kurnap su, relnag yiphras clum, morvit harle, flim lamax. Morvit qi srung ewayf, re yem er, wex furng ma, teng relnag urfa brul. Thung gra tolaspa pank wynlarce nix tolaspa athran arka, furng nalista dwint teng.
Clear?
Sounds a lot like this Social Security FAQ (second article down). Only not as funny.
I have never been unsure of my stance either on “Social Security” or on this “reform” plan. The policy wonks are still trying to polish a turd.