It still boggles the mind to know that the more that the current administration lies, the more the media let the lies pass and the more the public gets misinformed. But, even conservative pundits (those who live in the perception-based community) agree one some of these points: 1. BushAdmin were wrong, Iraq represented no 'crisis'. 2. BushAdmin were wrong, a war in Iraq would be a long, sustained effort requiring > 150,000 troops and hundreds of billions of dollars. 3. BushAdmin were wrong to allow torture. 4. BushAdmin were wrong about diverting resources (unconstitutionally!) to Iraq from the search for OBL. 5. BushAdmin was wrong to strip Americans of civil rights (wrong since there is no evidence of benefit to fighting terrorism, no convictions, etc) and so on...
With each of these there was a drummed-up hysteria, a new crisis, that most people now forget was the reason for these decisions/legislations.
A good opening based on this nugget is: this is the Bush who cried wolf.
The nugget of truth here is that everyone knows Bush makes everything into a life-or-death, black-and-white, with-us-or-agin-us showdown. He cries crisis and tries to do it loud enough to drown out the quiet criticism of the well-informed.
So, why should we believe them when it comes to Social Security? This is the BUSH WHO CRIED WOLF, the administration that cries crisis WHENEVER THEY WANT TO IGNORE CRITICISM. This is a meme that could be useful in the Social Security debate
It is already taking shape. The Republicans are in control of the message on SS, which is that it is in crisis and anyone who thinks otherwise is naive or irresponsible. If the opposition can call attention to all the other "crises" that this administration has cooked up, all the fake deadlines and milestones that dissolve when approached, maybe this can be counteracted. It can't be done with reason (because people will not listen long enough to overturn the now-CW) and it can't be done with frustrated sputtering about misinformation. But pointing out this pattern makes sense. The Bush who cried wolf, the administration that cries "crisis" so that it can do what it wants and ignore the advice of experts. Maybe this idea can take root, and force the admin (and the media) to take the word of a consensus of economists and not the admin's at face value...