Bubble boy and your tax dollar

It turns out that, according to Dan Froomkin, that Shrubby's little social insecurity medicine show is being funded with taxpayer dollars. Not only that, but in keeping with the inclusive spirit of the GOP side of the recent presidential campaign, only GOP partisans are invited to attend. And, naturally, all questions are pre-screened.

I'm no presidential historian -- and I welcome those of you who are to chip in with an e-mail -- but I do remember a bit about the last guy. And Bush himself invited comparison with President Clinton in his Jan. 26 press conference.

"I look forward to . . . traveling around the country discussing this issue -- similar to what President Clinton did," Bush said. "President Clinton highlighted the issue as an issue that needed to be addressed, and an issue that needed to be solved. He fully recognized, like I recognize, that it's going to require cooperation in the House and the Senate."

But Bush's approach couldn't be much more different than Clinton's. When Bush has one of his "conversations" on Social Security, it's with people prescreened to agree with him and he asks the rehearsed and leading questions. When Clinton had his "discussions" on Social Security, he intentionally brought opponents along with him, spoke before a mixed crowd, and let himself get grilled.

And we are paying for this?

Here's an idea. Throw that money into the social security pot, and stay home.