HCR haterade: maybe it’s simpler than that

I’ve suggested that the big hate-on that nearly 50% of the pollectorate has for health-care reform boils down to a matter of classist and paternalistic perceptions.  I think I’m mostly right, but maybe it’s (in part) simpler than that:

• Depends on your definition of the word ‘yes’ (The Agitator)

Last June, Democrats in the Oregon legislature attempted a nutty little bit of political chicanery. After some anti-tax groups and Oregon Republicans began agitating to put recently passed tax increases to a popular vote, Democrats tried to sneak the following language into the bill:

“A measure referred to the people by referendum petition may not be adopted unless it receives an affirmative majority of the total votes cast on the measure rejecting the measure. For purposes of this subsection, a measure is considered adopted if it is rejected by the people.”

Emphasis mine. Yep. You read that right. They attempted to pass a law defining yes as no, and no as yes.

Maybe people just don’t trust government not to fuck ’em over.

(Hat tip: Offsetting Behaviour)

Edit: A bill that amounts to over 2100 pages of stultifying legalese, which none of the Senators could possibly have read closely to check for small inclusions like the above before voting on, seems like the perfect place for gotchas, doesn’t it?  It’s also perfect fodder for conspiracy theorists, because no-one’s likely to read through it in toto to check.