latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/news/columnists/la-na-outlook28feb28,1,3175888.column?coll=la-news-columns&ctrack=1&cset=trueRONALD BROWNSTEIN
Attack on AARP, Like 'Religious War,' Built on Either/Or Fallacy
Ronald Brownstein
February 28, 2005
As synonyms for the word "vile," my thesaurus offers some of the following: offensive, objectionable, odious, repulsive, repellent, repugnant, revolting, disgusting, sickening, loathsome, foul, nasty, contemptible, despicable and noxious.
Any of those words would aptly describe the advertising attack launched last week against AARP, the largest advocacy group for seniors, by the conservative interest group USA Next. But there's one word that unfortunately can't be applied: surprising.
The salvo against AARP crystallizes trends developing both in the debate over Social Security and more broadly in the competition between the parties in Washington. On both fronts, the news isn't good.
......After four years of bruising partisan warfare under Bush, the two parties simply may not trust each other enough to undertake a change as momentous as reshaping Social Security. If nothing else, the USA Next ads may provide a service by making plain that for many involved in this debate, it already is more about framing future political campaigns than rethinking retirement security.........