Straw Men

How many times do you hear someone complain about "them"? Often "them" turns out to be a composite of comments that may or may not have been said.

The President has taken this to an art form, I think. I don't know anyone who is in favor of "doing nothing" or "no change" and yet he often rejects these arguments in his speeches.

There was a funny editorial in this morning's Wall Street Journal about this. Here's an excerpt, with the full link below:

I'm the President's Trusted Counselor

My name is Straw Man, and I've got a direct pipeline to the Oval Office.

By NOAM NEUSNER

Some people get quoted in presidential speeches by writing heartfelt letters to the president about personal loss, or by doing something heroic, like landing a plane in the icy Hudson River.

I just sit in the Oval Office, and mouth off to President Barack Obama, one inanity after the next. And sure enough, my words—word for word, mind you!—show up in his biggest speeches.

Who am I? Sotus—Straw man of the United States. I'm Mr. Obama's most trusted rhetorical friend.

In his speeches, Mr. Obama says there are "those" who suggest we "can meet our enormous tests with half-steps and piecemeal measures." He suggests there are "some" who are content to let America's economy become, at best, "number two." He says that on health care, "some people" think we should do nothing.

Listen, there is no "some people." He's just quoting me, Sotus.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704820904575055790787012432.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEFTTopOpinion