Bush To Alter Economic Stats Again

[annuin]

Last week, the Census Bureau released statistics showing that for the first time in years, poverty had increased for three straight years, while the number of Americans without health care increased to a record level. But instead of changing its economic and health care policies, the Bush administration today is announcing plans to change the way the statistics are compiled. The move is just the latest in a series of actions by the White House to doctor or eliminate longstanding and nonpartisan economic data collection methods.

http://www.misleader.org/daily_mislead/read.asp?fn=df09012004.html


Because we all know it's the statistics that are to blame, not the policies...

Then again, we also all know that you can make people believe a whole lot of stuff if you hide the facts deeply enough and repeat the lies enough.

Comments

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

One of T's colleagues is a big Bush supporter. He informed T that he believed that the thousands of scientists who publicly accused the administration of perverting and suppressing scientific debate were all "liberals with an agenda"; when T theorised that their agenda was to get scientific data to the public without it being twisted, the chap blew his stack. He honestly believes that there's no evidence of global warming, and that all the international large-scale studies are just about an anti-American agenda. I'm sure he'll consider this new development as a good initiative to stem the tide of liberal lies.

[lunamoth42.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine (who studied statistics as part of his Business degree) was fond of saying "Statistics never lie, but statisticians do."

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing that colleague is "Catholic Steve"?

It never ceases to amaze me how much people will lie to themselves when the truth is smacking them in the face. And how they'll believe partisan shit over numerous non-partisan corroborating sources.

Considering that before Bush managed to alienate many allied nations most people were friendly towards this country, it's amusing to think that now the international community would supposedly have an anti-american agenda...

[leonatos.livejournal.com]

The question is, how are they going to change the way that statistics are collected? It's going to be part amusing, part horrifying to watch. I wonder if anyone will make an attempt in Bush's life and how they are going to cover that up/blow it out of proportion. Maybe warp some statistics along the way.

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

Well, starting by having a partisan group rather than a non-partisan private organisation collect the statistics.

Plus there are all kinds of guidelines and rules for how and what is included in statistics, I'm sure they can re-write those rules and/or pick and choose what they feel should be included or not.