"The Bubblemeister" and "The Magus"

As we have said. Former Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Alan Greenspan is better termed "bubblemeister" than "maestro." Both words mean skilled and masterful. The connotation of "meister," which may appear playful, is deadly serious, at least in economic terms, and especially as applied to average tax payers as we shall see. Presently, we should apply a third term to the former Fed chairman: Magus, meaning "magician, sorcerer" (Concise Oxford English Dictionary).

Quick! Identify the following phrase. Federal Old Age Survivors Insurance Trust Fund. That's correct, another name for the original Social Security Act passed in the 1930s. Some historians have called the Act the single greatest piece of legislation ever passed, particularly because of the unprecedented security it provided elderly, retired Americans. Although today it cannot be used exclusively to ensure financial security upon retirement, it may still be called a cornerstone for retirees.

Some background. Funding the Social Security Trust Fund had amounted to 2% of the payroll in its beginning, and the Fund has routinely operated with a surplus. In fact, "taxes (still) provide approximately $200 billion more in receipts than are paid out, which reduces the reported deficit. Note: This situation will reverse in 2017 when Social Security payments are projected to exceed revenues" (Social Security Trustees Report).

As the years wore on the increasing number of retirees and burden of the war in Vietnam by the 1960s contributed to a general budget deficit (the United States Operating Budget). The temptation was too great: From 1969 forward the Social Security Trust Fund surplus was used to make up the short fall in the general federal budget even though by 1990 the Budget Enforcement Act forbade such plundering. Pretty good sleight of hand, a sort of black magic done by others.

Yet Alan Greenspan must be called the sorcerer, the Magus, for every year in Greenspan's tenure except 1999 and 2000 the Social Security surplus was used and spent in the federal budget converting the wholesome tax-in-advance system into a corrupted pay-as-you-go system further robbing the Social Security Trust Fund of its cash. Greenspan supported the magical looting. But how magical? Because Alan Greenspan, while supporting tax cuts for the wealthy, used his magisterial position to favor putting the average worker into the position of subsidizing the budget deficit. He accomplished this by giving magisterial testimony in the halls of Congress before all, with few noticing which shell contained the pea. Certainly the workers couldn't see as they were, as usual, in the back part of the room. They could only vaguely approve as they perceived someone was performing great feats of magic over the economy in the front part. Prestidigitation not even required from such a distance. (Greenspan's Fraud, Ravi Batra).

Further note: Income tax on the top bracket was 70% in 1980, and fell to 28% by 2000. All during the Magus' tenure. What a performance.

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It's not "all good"

More on clichés using the perfectly good word "good," yet, when over-used, ugh! I'm speaking of the clichéd phrases:

good to go and it's all good. No, it's not "all good" if one can't think of more creative phrases. A cliché was once fresh and appealing. We paid attention. But once over-used, as these two at one time well-coined phrases have become, they stale and fail to communicate any strong color of emotion.

It's worthwhile to stop and consider any spoilt, over-indulged phrases we might be using and to insert another metaphor or even useful, vibrant adjective or verb. People might pay more attention to us.

A few alternatives:

good to go alternatives: ready, set, well-arranged, or, how about simply: go!

It's all good: flawless, impeccable, superior, or a hyperbole for special effect: wicked!


Other alternatives to clichés

Mediocre Metaphor Saved by Fresh Turn of Phrase

Water, as in most areas of the Western United States, is a worry, always has been. Yet, all too many "Angelenos" don't appear to be concerned because water has for most of the past one hundred years cost them little.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa asked the citizens to reduce usage by 10% in June of 2007. The City has not responded well. The Los Angeles Times headline in the Metropolitan Section, called "California" read:

"L.A.'s water savings are just a drop in the bucket."

With water supplies down because of a drought in 2006, and record low snowpack in the Eastern Sierra where Los Angeles obtains most of its water, Angelenos are no angels in their profligate use of water. Therefore, "...a drop in the bucket," while accurate, would appear to be too tame a metaphor to describe the profligacy of the greater citizenry. We're therefore going to have to write a grammar usage citation. A metaphor with more force was requisite. The squandering of water is not solely an economic issue, it has become an environmental one as well.

However, later in the well-written and well-documented article, the writer quotes Miriam Torres of the Environmental Justice Coalition for Water who provided a fresh turn of phrase that encapsulates the issue perfectly. Torres said:

"People in Los Angeles have to think of water as a precious resource and not a commodity."

Beautifully put. The Environmental Justice Coalition for Water is currently applying pressure on the mayor to impose stricter measures to effectively deal with the scarcity of supply. Given that his constituents have increased their water usage 4.83% (millions of cubic feet of water) over the past ten months, "drops" will not suffice.