Senate Report--A Hobson's Choice

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Most on this forum, I think, have a healthy distrust of the federal government in general matters and in Y2K issues in particular. Having said that, though, I must admit to a sort of moral equivalent of a Hobson's Choice after reading Bennett's special committee report. As those of you who have read it know, it's a pretty straightforward piece that pulls few punches and paints a fairly grim picture. My point is that after all these years of skepticism where government is concerned, I now find myself reading and believing a report submitted by the very entity I don't trust. Of course, Bennett immediately reinforced my beliefs when he said "Bump in the road" when the report was released. So, we have a forthright report by a government entity that is suspect, a report which predicts a good chance for severe disruptions, followed immediately by a disclaimer. Go figure.

-- Vic (Roadrunner@compliant.com), March 14, 1999

Answers

Vic:

It's quite easy to explain. You see the reports "grim" picture is still 85% based on self-reporting, so the odds are that the situation is far worse than even these "facts" reveal.

-- Dr. Roger Altman (rogaltman@aol.com), March 14, 1999.


Be that as it may, Roger, my point is not about the veracity of the report, but rather that it is as forthcoming as it is, given the government's usual mushroom approach to feeding the proletariat.

-- Vic (Roadrunner@compliant.com), March 14, 1999.

Vic,

I think Bennett and Dodd knew that the press was more likely to quote their comments about the report than the report itself. They also knew that most Americans would not pay attention to it anyway.

Which was true...the big news item one day later was the Monica Lewinsky interview.

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), March 14, 1999.


So, we have a forthright report by a government entity that is suspect, a report which predicts a good chance for severe disruptions, followed immediately by a disclaimer. Go figure.

Easy to figure. Its called having it both ways. If nothing happens, no problem -they can say they predicted it (Bump sound bite). If TSHTF then they can point at the full report and say - look, we gave you the information! It was publicly available on the Internet and widely discussed. We gave copies to the major media and we can't control what they quoted,. (Looking sanctimonious, eyebrow lifted), -You mean you didn't actually read the report - gasp!?

-- RD. ->H (drherr@erols.com), March 14, 1999.


-bks- read the Senate report and dismissed it as unverifiable worrying. GN read it and dismissed it as a whitewash and a coverup. These are both intelligent and knowledgeable people. They both examined the same material.

At the risk of offending Big Dog, maybe personalities played a role in this.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), March 14, 1999.



The Reuters/San Jose Mercury take on Bennett and Dodd's report:

http://www.sjmercury.com/svtech/news/breaking/merc/docs/027317.htm

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), March 14, 1999.


Vic;

Washington, Ottawa, London, Paris et al are famous for developing conundrums for their citizens at citizen's expense.

Meantime let us citizens get on with minding our own survival business.

Thanks for the post.

Regards,

-- Watchful (seethesea@msn.com), March 14, 1999.


If we had some eggs we could have eggs and ham, if we had some ham.

-- Spidey (in@jam.com), March 15, 1999.

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