In what has become a daily event, a new scandal from this, the most corrupt administration of lifetime. And yes, I was alive for Nixon:
A federal panel responsible for conducting election research played down the findings of experts who concluded last year that there was little voter fraud around the nation, according to a review of the original report obtained by The New York Times.
Instead, the panel, the Election Assistance Commission, issued a report that said the pervasiveness of fraud was open to debate.
The revised version echoes complaints made by Republican politicians, who have long suggested that voter fraud is widespread and justifies the voter identification laws that have been passed in at least two dozen states.
Though the original report said that among experts “there is widespread but not unanimous agreement that there is little polling place fraud,” the final version of the report released to the public concluded in its executive summary that “there is a great deal of debate on the pervasiveness of fraud.”
It is a tried and true formula. For example:
Though the original report said that among experts “there is widespread but not unanimous agreement that there is global warming,” the final version of the report released to the public concluded in its executive summary that “there is a great deal of debate on the topic of global warming.”
or:
Though the original report said that among experts “there is widespread but not unanimous agreement that Ru-486 and Plan B are safe,” the final version of the report released to the public concluded in its executive summary that “there is a great deal of debate on the safety of Ru-486 and Plan B .”
or:
Though the original report said that among experts “there is widespread but not unanimous agreement that there are no real ties between Al Qaeda and Iraq,” the final version of the report released to the public concluded in its executive summary that “there is a great deal of debate over how deep the ties run between Al Qaeda and Iraq.”
or:
Though the original report said that among experts “there is widespread but not unanimous agreement that Terri Schiavo is permanently and irrevocably brain damaged and a vegetable,” the final version of the report released to the public concluded in its executive summary that “there is a great deal of debate regarding whether Terri Schiavo can get up and go for a walk next week.”
Do I need to go on?
You see, when you the only things you believe in are keeping yourself in political power and advancing an agenda, you don’t have to worry about facts, or data, or actual good government. You just say whatever best makes your case at the time, and hope to hell no one finds out.
*** Update ***
And no, these are not actual quotes, but merely me paraphrasing what was actually said in all those cases. Tomorrow, when I do not have insomnia and have had some sleep, I will look up the actual remarks. They won;t be much different.
Nor, I suspect, will the defense of this behavior. They will state some iteration of the following: “It is normal for an administration to parse scientific or other reports generated within the administration for political reasons. Every administration does it. Just like Clinton and second hand smoke.”
Bet on it.