Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:05 am on September 23, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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You knew I was going to come back to this moment with Barack Obama and George Stephanopoulos, only because this one minute is practically an Obamateurism gold mine. How many goofs does Obama make in a single minute? I count four:
OBAMA: No. That’s not true, George. The — for us to say that you’ve got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase. What it’s saying is, is that we’re not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you anymore than the fact that right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase.
People say to themselves, that is a fair way to make sure that if you hit my car, that I’m not covering all the costs.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But it may be fair, it may be good public policy…
OBAMA: No, but — but, George, you — you can’t just make up that language and decide that that’s called a tax increase. Any…
STEPHANOPOULOS: Here’s the…
OBAMA: What — what — if I — if I say that right now your premiums are going to be going up by 5 or 8 or 10 percent next year and you say well, that’s not a tax increase; but, on the other hand, if I say that I don’t want to have to pay for you not carrying coverage even after I give you tax credits that make it affordable, then…
STEPHANOPOULOS: I — I don’t think I’m making it up. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary: Tax — “a charge, usually of money, imposed by authority on persons or property for public purposes.”
OBAMA: George, the fact that you looked up Merriam’s Dictionary, the definition of tax increase, indicates to me that you’re stretching a little bit right now. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have gone to the dictionary to check on the definition.
Here are the goofs:
- Auto insurance is not required for anyone who doesn’t want to access publicly-owned roads by driving a car. Furthermore, no one is required to insure themselves. Technically speaking, they’re only required to buy liability insurance, which covers damage to the other driver(s).
- Stephanopoulos didn’t just “make up the language”. In the Baucus bill, the fine for failing to comply with the individual mandate is called — wait for it — an “excise tax”. It’s on page 29, Subtitle D, Shared Responsibility.
- If premiums go up by 10%, it’s still not a tax, because the money doesn’t go to the government, and people can choose to buy cheaper policies or none at all. Or at least they can at the moment ..
- Given all of the above, accusing Stephanopoulos of “stretching” by reading a dictionary definition of “tax” is a stretch of its own. And given Obama’s attempts to redefine the term, Stephanopoulos could have been considered a public service.
Did I miss any?
Got an Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at obamaisms@edmorrissey.com with the quote and the link to the Obamateurism. I’ll post the best Obamateurisms on a daily basis, depending on how many I receive. Include a link to your blog, and I’ll give some link love as well. And unlike Slate, I promise to end the feature when Barack Obama leaves office.
Illustrations by Chris Muir of Day by Day. Be sure to read the adventures of Sam, Zed, Damon, and Jan every day!
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George, George, by doubting me, you are doubting the smartest man alive and I don’t care what Merriam-Webster says, they have not asked me about the definition of “taxes” yet, so stop stretching and stop asking question that I have to re-phrase for you.
allstonian on September 23, 2009 at 11:44 AM
The man’s arrogance is so….taxing!
anuts on September 23, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Sorry, but that is not politically correct. You see Webster was a white male, so to refer to it as “Webster’s Dictionary” is sexist. “Merriam’s Dictionary” is the preferred gender normative word-speak because it is a homophone for the female name “Miriam”. If you were as educated as Barack you’d know this, you ignorant peon!
Buy Danish on September 23, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Looks stoned.
Acts constipated.
Diagnosis: Dumber-than-a-rock head inserted up a$$.
Yoop on September 23, 2009 at 12:17 PM
I’ve always been told driving is a privilege. If I want to take advantage of that privilege, I need to buy insurance. But I always have the choice of giving up driving & insurance.
Do I have that choice with Obamacare? I always thought life (as in life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness…) was a right, not a privilege. Apparently Obama thinks different, and if I want the privilege of life in the US, I am required to pay for health insurance.
taznar on September 23, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Translates to something like “Diarrhea of the mouth, Constipation of the brain” (I actually heard a Judge on the bench say this to a lawyer!).
Greyledge Gal on September 23, 2009 at 12:24 PM
You missed: “OBAMA: No. That’s not true”
HotWeaver on September 23, 2009 at 12:35 PM
YOU LIE!
/s
Yoop on September 23, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Depends on what your definition of
“is”“tax” is.Susanboo on September 23, 2009 at 1:56 PM
God deliver us from this liar. The libs (I can’t call them “progressives” since they are anti-progress) are going to force Obamacare down our throats if they can get away with it. Don’t wait for the Supreme Court to overturn it (won’t happen). Our only hope is to keep fighting this tooth and nail. The freedom you save may be your own.
Christian Conservative on September 23, 2009 at 1:57 PM
Not even gonna go there in this thread.
Susanboo on September 23, 2009 at 2:05 PM
I wonder if he never ever thinks about any of his statements and, at least when he is alone, cringe in embarrassment? I am forever embarrassed that he speaks for the USA.
Oleta on September 23, 2009 at 3:59 PM
Obama’s next book, I’ll give you a clue.
He’s contracting with Webster’s.
(By the way, the Cuda is on the hunt and guess what’s on the menu?)
Sapwolf on September 23, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Listening to Obama? Taxing?? You bet!! Listening to him fumble along as he speaks in the inarticulate tense AND does so chock full O lies?? Really really taxing. SEEING HIM doing all of this with that undeserved arrogance?? Priceless!
Obamateurism? Office of the American President Amateured Down more like it!
Let`s take a wonderful mystical journey below:
OBAMA: No. That’s not true, George. The — for us to say that you’ve got to take (a)?? responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase. What (it’s)?? saying (is, is) that we’re not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you (anymore than the fact that)??(What the??) right now everybody in America, (just about), has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase.
People say to themselves (now Obama is psychic??), that is a fair way to make sure that if you hit my car, that I’m not covering all the costs.(I guess if the police say it is the other party`s fault that party will be covering ALL of the costs, but what do I know?? Do I look like President or something??)STEPHANOPOULOS: But it may be fair, it may be good public policy…(rudely interrupted! Par for the illiberal course!!)OBAMA: No, but — but (throw in a few more buts and a tune and we have song!! Something like that song by The Doors??), George, you — you (Ditto!!)can’t just make up that language and decide that that’s called a tax increase. Any… (Just who is MAKING up stuff here???)(And thankfully interrupted by a Stephanopoulos who just can`t tolerate Obama`s junk anymore. It is starting to make Stephanopoulos look bad and he is having none of that!)</em>STEPHANOPOULOS: Here’s the… (Sigh . . . .)
OBAMA: What — what — if I — if (song time)I say that right now your premiums are going to be going up by 5 or 8 or 10 percent next year and you say well, that’s not a tax increase; but, on the other hand, if I say that I don’t want to have to pay for you not carrying coverage even after I give you tax credits that make it affordable, then…
(Crap! Obama lost me!! All I can see is that he has now become some kind of script writer . . . . Bad career move!)
STEPHANOPOULOS: I — I (One time, no biggie)don’t think I’m making it up. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary: Tax — “a charge, usually of money, imposed by authority on persons or property for public purposes.”
OBAMA: George, the fact that you looked up Merriam’s Dictionary (It sounds like Stephanopoulos just borrowed some dictionary from someone named Merriam), the definition of tax increase, indicates to me that you’re stretching (reaching??) </em>(or did he stretch?? I would have stood up, stretched or retched and left the room so Obama could look for flies to deftly kill) a little bit right now. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have gone to the dictionary to check on the definition. (So now “going to” the dictionary is a bad thing?? Not a good example, but one I would expect from you, Mr. President (Sing it sultry) Happy Birthday toooo yoooo!)
Everyone gathered around the tv watching Obama is the scene:
Meanwhile:
Tommy`s mom: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Tommy (wants to please mom but has one eye on Obama): Uh . . uh . . . The President of the United States??
(Tommy is already sweating.)
Sherman1864 on September 23, 2009 at 6:45 PM
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