July 21, 2011
It is understandable that politicians would use euphemisms to conceal the true nature of their actions. But what serious newspaper would use the same euphemisms? Newspapers are not supposed to be assisting politicians in their deceptions, they are supposed to be informing readers.
Apparently this fact is not understood at the NYT. In an article on President Obama’s redoubled effort to push the budget program of the gang of six, the NYT referred to “cost-saving changes to entitlement programs.” How many of the NYT’s readers would understand that this statement means CUTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE AND MEDICAID?
Of course this is EXACTLY what this phrase means. The politicians who are pushing cuts to these programs know that such cuts are incredibly unpopular. This is why they try to use obscure and convoluted language to describe their plans. The job of a newspaper is get beyond these efforts and to clearly explain to readers what is at issue.
The cut that Gang of Six proposed to Social Security would reduce benefits by roughly 6 percent to new retirees. They want further cuts to workers who retire in future years. The cuts to Medicare are likely to be even larger, although they have not been spelled out in any detail. The cuts in Medicaid could result in millions of people losing health care coverage.
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