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Government-to-English Dictionary

Posted by SaltyDog 9 years, 8 months ago to Government
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Let's put together a list of the obscure, misleading and downright confusing words and expressions used by our government.

Please include the word or expression, the context and the definition if it is known!


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  • 14
    Posted by Mamaemma 9 years, 8 months ago
    PHRASE: "I think it's better when you spread the wealth around."
    DEFINITION: I hate anybody who works hard and is successful and I'm going to screw them over any way I can.
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  • 12
    Posted by 9 years, 8 months ago
    "Incomplete Success"
    President Jimmy Carter

    President Carter ordered an immediate mission to be flown from aircraft carriers to the Iranian dessert to rescue the 52 hostages who were captured when the US Embasy in Teheran was overrun. The helicopters used we're not fitted for dessert work, nor did they have any FLIR gear for night operations. The results were predictable; the loss of all aircraft and infinitely worse, the lives of all of the GIs.

    President Carter, announcing the mission the next day, called it an 'incomplete success". The rest of us viewed it as a gut wrenching, stomach churning, unnecessary, I-think-I'm-gonna-puke unmitigated disaster.

    To this day, Mr Carter still can't fathom why he didn't win re-election.

    Go figure.

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    • Posted by 9 years, 8 months ago
      My apologies...dessert is what you have after a meal...DESERT is the sandy place where they send you to get you killed. This is what happens when I let auto correct take over!
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  • Posted by $ allosaur 9 years, 8 months ago
    Obama's touted and spouted TRANSPARENCY
    "I'm going to lie to you so many times that you will see through me every time I move my lips. But don't cross that red line to criticize me. One of my sheeple flakes will call you a racist. Have a nice day and, oh, if you want to keep your freedom, you can."
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  • Posted by 9 years, 8 months ago
    What does "NET NEUTRALITY" mean anyway? What's 'neutral' about the body of regulation? Neutral in my world means not leaning in any direction. The truck is in neutral means that the drive gears are disengaged and nothing is going to happen. How does this definition relate to the Internet? Why doesn't anyone in the media ask these morons to define their terms?
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    • Posted by $ puzzlelady 9 years, 8 months ago
      It means that large users will not be allowed to pay more to get faster service. It means tilting the playing field in favor of underdogs. It means the government has nationalized the bandwidths.

      Funny. They don't seem to mind toll roads or express lanes for faster travel for those willing to pay.

      "Neutrality" once meant no government involvement. It has been coopted and turned on its head to mean government regulation limiting the rich (the largest operators).
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  • Posted by JCLanier 9 years, 8 months ago
    Phrase: "We have to pass the Bill so that you can find out what's in it"
    Definition: We don't know, you won't know and nobody ever will know so just pass the f...ker.
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  • Posted by khalling 9 years, 8 months ago
    AFFORDABLE care act
    Net Neutrality-nothing neutral about it
    America Invents Act-america invents "NOT"
    PATRIOT act-that one bit you in the butt
    Social security "trust" fund-no trust, no fund no time left
    Inter-state passports-yea-you were all about nabbing illegals. last laugh on you with your Hitler-era papers across state lines

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    • Posted by johnpe1 9 years, 8 months ago
      yes!

      Net Neutrality = Net Nationalization

      NSA = no sense administration

      war = nationbuilding, with casualties;;; no end in sight

      comprehensive immigration = open border

      "clean bill" = what WE want

      compromise = 2/3 of what WE want

      this could never end! -- j

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  • Posted by $ puzzlelady 9 years, 8 months ago
    Extraordinary National Security Threat: A trumped-up excuse to sanction/invade/bomb/overthrow the government of any country, even if they are at least 1000 miles from our shores, without Congressional approval.

    National security: the blanket excuse to tell us nothing.

    National security interest: Any and every excuse to allow us to demonize, destabilize, invade, overthrow, occupy, impoverish and destroy any country anywhere, and for any length of time.
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  • Posted by eimb1999 9 years, 8 months ago
    Phrase: "We will need to invest more in our community"

    Meaning: "We will tax the sh*% outta you to pay for all our cronies, corruption, greed and stupidity.
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  • Posted by 9 years, 8 months ago
    "Add Liquidity", "Remove Liquidity"

    Sounds pretty benign, doesn't it? In English it means to lower interest rates or increase interest rates by injecting more cash or removing cash from circulation. Either one is not good news for consumers in general...there are serious drawbacks to both.

    Ah, yes...the Federal Reserve.

    The Fed's dual mandate included studying the economy in order to strive to maintain stability. It has morphed into an instrument of political policy. That's OK I guess, except for the fact that the pols who are pulling the strings don't understand economics...they understand getting and staying elected. Effectively, when you hear of some politician "going after Wall Street", he/she is mouthing empty phrases. One only has to understand the economic theory du jour, at this point it's the followers of John Maynard Keynes. So if you're an huge multi-national you don't need insider information. All you need is some genius from Wharton who understands the theory that is in vogue but doesn't believe in it. So effective the system can be legally gamed by the companies that can afford high six figure analysts.

    Central planning has never worked. Let me repeat that, because it bears repeating...central planning has never, ever worked. But that little fact doesn't seem to deter anyone in power from trying.

    When you hear the words, "This time it's different!", watch out.
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    • Posted by IndianaGary 9 years, 8 months ago
      Repeating the same failed action over and over is the definition of insanity. Such an action is never designed to work, only to support the perpetrator throughout his/her lifetime and to hell with everyone else.
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    • Posted by 2004done 9 years, 7 months ago
      Never, ever, worked? Only if you continue to think progress, instead of power, is the goal of Central Planning. It is usually effective, just not in any logical sense. Self-destruction is thought to be fine as long as one is the last one standing, Ozymandias!
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  • Posted by Flootus5 9 years, 8 months ago
    And then there is:

    Phrase: "You have to pass the bill to see whats in it."

    Meaning: "Go away and let us send the nation down the drain without you questioning and objecting."

    God, this just keeps going on, rather illuminating and as usual, discouraging.
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