Rove knows, as everyone is Washington knows, that Social Security is the third-rail of American Politics. You don't go after it and not run into serious problems with the electorate, as House Speaker Bill Frist just admitted in saying that the House was unlikely to achieve the Presidents goals in this Congress (maybe next year was the phrase).
Once we realize that we are facing a master of deception (Rove) behind the scenes, then we can realize that all the noise about Social Security was to hide something else. The first rule of magic is to distract the audience with one hand's actions, while the other hand does the dirty deed.
So, while everyone was faked out and running around doing elaborate bits about Social Security, which genius Rove didn't expect to pass anyway because of Congress's needs for secure votes in the next bi-election, nobody paid attention to the slight of hand going on with the budget. Well a few did, but those stories got lost in the noise of Social Security.
The Budget - 65 programs to be cut, and 63 reduced. Red ink (deficit) still at about 500 Billion. The 80 Billion in additional funds for the War in Iraq this year, still not included in Defense Spending, which itself is now the biggest ever.
Cuts in the Federal Budget means City and State budgets take a big hit in increased expenditures if they want these previously funded federal programs to survive. A tax decrease in the Federal Budget means either a loss of programs or local tax increases.
You've got to remember in watching this administration that it is all about smoke and mirrors.
