Dear Karl,
I'm writing to congratulate you on your remarkable column this week in the Wall Street Journal.
I know the Journal's standards have dropped precipitously in the five years since Rupert Murdoch bought the paper. Still, your ability to get the Editorial page to publish musings as illogical, nonsensical and ridiculous as what you wrote this week -- well, it's just amazing.
It's almost as impressive as your bamboozling of prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald in the CIA leak investigation six years ago. Remember when Fitzgerald was considering charges against you for possible perjury and obstruction of justice? Lawyers in the case thought you would get indicted. Taking cues from them, I said on MSNBC that I thought you would get indicted. Your 11th hour con of Fitzgerald is something many of us will never forget.
Anyway, back to your bamboozling of Wall Street Journal readers. You write that the "GOP doesn't cut Medicare spending," because they still project growth in spending over the next decade. You added it is "just 3% less than what President Obama proposes."
But in the very next paragraph you wrote, "The President's legislation cuts Medicare..."
As you know, Congressman Ryan and President Obama -- in their respective budgets -- extract the same $716 billion in Medicare savings.
But you say it's "not a cut" when Ryan does it and it is a cut when the Obama administration does it.
Do you get paid to write this non-sense?
There are some key differences in what Representative Ryan and President Obama do with the $716 billion Medicare extraction. The Obama administration uses this money to help Medicare beneificiaries pay for prescription drugs and enable more seniors to get preventative care like cancer screenings. Paul Ryan uses this money to cover the loss in federal revenue from tax cuts he wants to give the rich.
It's obvious, Karl, that you are going to write or say almost anything that muddies the facts and help Republicans. Furthermore, you and I both know you have financial interests riding on the election.
Still, how have you managed to get the Wall Street Journal not to disclose any of this?
I think there are still a few people working at the Journal who have a modicum of integrity. Then again, I've been wrong in my thinking before.
Best wishes,
David S.
PS Do you still go by the nickname "turd blossom"?