You know how often players in the Bush administration, including the president himself, bring up Saddam Hussein in same the breath as September 11th to conflate the two?

To such a degree and so successfully that, at one point, 70% of Americans believed that Hussein had a hand in the September 11th attacks?

Well conflation got as evil and Orwellian as it's ever been this week.

Here's Vice President Cheney, talking about Social Security at yet another fake town hall:

If we don't do anything at all, if we just stay where a lot of people have said we ought to stay -- there are a number of members of Congress of the other faith who have said that we don't need to do anything.

Emphasis mine.

The other faith.

Equating party affiliation with religious affiliation.

A simple slip of the tongue, you might think? Then why were the audience members making the same slip?

My question is, I watched the press conference the other night with the President, and it seems like when the two of you come up with serious ideas that those from the other faith, in the other party, all they do is demonize...

And here:

I think we have a little bit of an easy audience this morning on convincing us of this program -- could you delineate out a few other points from the other side, or the other faith, differences maybe in what you're saying this morning, and maybe what they're saying or not saying?

Remember, they're not talking about the judiciary here. This is a Social Security town hall. They're talking about fiscal policy.

And remember: these things are so scripted they're rehearsed the day before.

There are no accidents.

I'm so angry right now I don't know what to write.

As inconceivable as so many of this administration's actions have been, for them to equate party with religion is beyond any of the Luntzian and Orwellian language games they've played before. Beyond the pale.

In a discussion of Social Security.

In a high school auditorium.

What would Jesus privatize?

You can read more about it at Daily Kos. Hat tip to Kos diarists Coldblue Steele and Magorn for the heads up and analysis.

As one poster noted:

"Wasn't this the way the Nazis described the Jews?"

Um... yes.

Do the math.

The policies are bad enough.

But even if you support the policies, you have to be uncomfortable with the way they're being sold.

If not outraged.

Shhhh... you hear that?

That knocking noise?

That's the sound of me banging my head against the wall.

Again. And again. And again. And again.

B. (son of a preacher man)

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