Monday, August 15, 2022

Random Act of Journalism: Karine Jean-Pierre Gets Called 'Orwellian' During Interview


Bonchie reporting for RedState 

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre appeared on ABC News Sunday morning and things didn’t go quite as she had planned. Long used to the kid glove treatment because she’s so intersectional, Jean-Pierre ended up facing some unexpectedly tough questions from Jonathan Karl, a leftwing hack in his own right.

At one point, Karl pressed Jean-Pierre on continuing to claim the faux-named “Inflation Reduction Act” will help lower inflation, asking if the White House’s messaging is “Orwellian.” The press secretary quickly put on her dancing shoes and gyrated around in an attempt to deflect.

The Daily Wire provides a transcript of the exchange.

“But let me ask you, it’s called the ‘Inflation Reduction Act,’ but the Congressional Budget Office, which is nonpartisan, said that there would be a negligible impact on inflation this year and barely impact inflation at all next year, isn’t it almost Orwellian?” Karl asked. “How can you call it inflation reduction when the nonpartisan experts say it’s not gonna bring inflation down?”

“I appreciate the question. We’ve actually addressed this with the CBO,” Jean-Pierre continued. “It was the top line number; there’s more in there that shows it will have the money from– remember how we’re doing this, too, it’s making sure that billionaires in corporate America are paying their fair share, making sure that the tax code is a little bit more fair, and so when you do that, put it in its totality, you will see that it will bring down, lower the deficit, which will help fight inflation.”

…“So you disagree with the assessment of the CBO?” Karl pressed.

“Well, there’s more to it than that,” she replied. “It was just the way that Republicans did that was so that [they] could make an argument that is false. It is going to fight inflation, it has been proven and said by economists across the board, on the Republican side and the Democrat side.”

Is she taking speaking lessons from Kamala Harris? Because there are times reading that excerpt where I’m not even sure what she’s trying to say. Who are these “economists across the board” who say the Democrat spending bill will lower inflation? More importantly, what are they basing that analysis on? I’m old enough to remember the White House citing faceless economists to suggest inflation was “transitory,” so color me unimpressed with their expertise.

As to the CBO, it is easily manipulated and has long been willing to rubber stamp Democrat budgetary tricks. Given that, if even they are saying this bill isn’t going to do what the administration says it will do, you know things are bad. Jean-Pierre’s response, though, is to essentially accuse the CBO of being dumb while quickly jumping to her talking points about taxing the rich. Who does she think will end up bearing the burden of those tax increases, though? Corporations pass on their costs, and that’s exactly what will happen here.

Karl’s accusation of the White House being Orwellian is on the money. Just like with the redefining of what a recession is, Biden and his handlers are content to lie to the American people while insisting water is not, in fact, wet.

Can you blame them, though? This is an administration that believes it is invincible, and it just might be. After all, who is going to hold them accountable? Those in the bureaucracies won’t because they are run by like-minded radicals. Those in Congress won’t because Republicans either lack the power to do so or the will to act when they do have the power. The courts have tried to be a check, but Biden’s lawlessness is so brazen that he’s put them in a position of always being a step behind.

The administration’s attitude smacks of the kid learning a cheat code in a video game and just using it over and over again. They’ve got no reason to stop because it keeps working for them. Heck, there’s even talk of Democrats avoiding a wipeout in November now (a political prediction I don’t agree with). Until the American people actually hold this White House accountable, the insanity will continue.