Allegorical Malapropisms

President Obama and his speechwriters really need to work on the analogies they use to compare the operation of Government to how things work in the "real world".

Last week in his speech from the Rose Garden, the President drew criticism for comparing the major malfunctions of healthcare.gov and the ObamaCare sign up process on state-run sites to a minor security issue with Apple's new iOS7 operating system.  What the President and those who put the words in his mouth seem to have forgotten is that anyone unhappy with their iPhone or iPad can select several other product options in the marketplace.  And that no one is required by Federal law and the threat of penalty to own an Apple product.

A more correct comparison would have gone like this:

"The major problems with healthcare.gov and the state-run sites is much like another Government entity: the DMV.  You know that it won't be open at times convenient to you.  You know that you will have a long wait with a bunch of other people to get service.  And you know that once you get up to the counter you will have filled out the wrong form--or you won't have the information along with you to properly fill out the forms--so you have to start the whole process over again.  But does that mean that you don't renew your driver's license? No.  You put up with the Government incompetence and the hassle because you know if you don't, the police (or in the case of ObamaCare, the IRS) will keep busting you and you will have to pay a bunch of fines."

The President and his TelePrompter goofed again during yesterday's press conference at the White House--comparing Congress' failure to approve another increase in the Debt Ceiling to someone refusing to make their mortgage or car loan payment.  Actually, most of the borrowing the Fed has to do is to pay off existing debt, so a more accurate comparison would have gone something like this:

"Now Congress refusing to raise the Debt Ceiling again is like the average American who has been living well beyond his or her means for decades refusing to call Bank of America to request a credit limit increase so they can use the balance transfer checks they got in the mail this week to pay off the minimum balances due on their Discover, American Express, Chase Sapphire, Capital One, Delta SkyMiles, Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, Kohl's, JC Penney, Macy's, Shell Rewards, Best Buy, Amazon, Victoria's Secret and Sears cards.  Obviously, this make no fiscal sense."

I think you would agree these allegorical references capture the problems in Washington far more accurately--and would certainly help all Americans to properly place the blame.