Just ignore the specifics. Because when the president says he welcomes substantive new ideas, he means that if you have the nerve to offer any ideas — like Whole Foods CEO John Mackey did in the Wall Street Journal last month — his allies will attempt to destroy your business and reputation.

And when the president says he welcomes bipartisanship, what he means is that he hasn’t met with a single Republican on the issue since April — despite numerous requests and two separate House bills chock full of ideas.