Saturday, November 17, 2012

A 'fiscal cliff,' a 'fiscal slope' or ... let the readers decide

In these times where Congress can’t seem to get it’s act together, and the people are thoroughly confused with each new metaphor and euphemism for political disasters, Jon Healey, an opinion writer and member of the editorial board at the Los Angeles Times, share’s his opinion on the term, ‘a fiscal cliff (or slope)’.  His view? Both metaphors are inadequate, as they only reflect a specific party’s ideas.  So he want’s the reader to coin a new phrase.  For all those people who actually like politics, I’m sure some will take the chance to coin a new phrase.  Healey makes a point for each existing version: cliff and slope, and provides logical reasons as to why they will not work, defining each term, and how they work in terms of politics and ideals.  He gives his opinion to the reader and supports them with evidence from the CBO and the ideals of the two political parties.  Healey extrapolates on the possible outcomes of the ‘fiscal cliff/slope’, and leaves the reader open to disagree and write back to refute it, writing “I look forward to the many comments from readers taking issue with me on this point”.  I believe he get’s his point across quite well, and even if readers do not agree with his views -that ‘fiscal cliff’ needs to be renamed- it still provides a lasting argument as to why it ought to be changed.  

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-fiscal-cliff-by-any-other-name-20121116,0,2814282.story

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