Hall of Fame Moments In Hackery
By In 2010, Warren Buffett critiqued the Senate version of the ACA from the quasi-left, arguing that it was preferable to the status quo but a bill that did more to control costs would be preferable:
“If it was a choice today between plan A, which is what we’ve got, or plan B, what is in front of — the Senate bill, I would vote for the Senate bill,” Buffett said. “But I would much rather see a plan C that really attacks costs. And I think that’s what the American public wants to see. I mean, the American public is not behind this bill. And we need the American public behind the bill, because it’s going to have to do some tough things.”
Jon Chait finds the Weekly Standard twisting this argument 180 degrees to assert that Buffett favors getting rid of the ACA. When it was pointed out by people, including Buffet himself, that Anderson had inverted Buffett’s meaning, this is Anderson’s response:
It appears that Buffett made his anti-Obamacare comments in 2010, thereby showing that he, like most of the American people, has opposed Obamacare since even before it was passed.
That is some truly world-class dissembling. I believe that PolitiFact has already given this update its coveted “Spandau Ballet” rating.