# Bush is a detail wonk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 23, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-is-a-detail-wonk/286252 "2005-01-23T16:10:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-is-a-detail-wonk/286252/121 "2005-01-26T18:00:55Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > o\_0 ! The frequency with which it is done affects the veracity??? I see folks lie all the time. It has no bearing on my ability to call it a lie. Deluding ones self or cherry picking data doesnt make it a lie either Hentor. Its a very human reaction, especially to those who are exactly rigorous in how they evaluate data. Again, it makes him/them fools, not liars. If you want to call every who ever filtered data to make things conform to their own world view or expectations knock yourself out…but your list of liars is pretty long and would have to include just about everyone. Including every president thats ever served. > [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > Good on you. Keep practicing, you’ll get better! Perhaps I will someday. I’m having fun, thats all I care about. 😃 -XT ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-is-a-detail-wonk/286252/122 "2005-01-27T18:39:07Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Perhaps I will someday. I’m having fun, thats all I care about. 😃 -XT Maybe its better that you just point out the other side of issues instead of “appearing” to be on the other side ? 🙂 opps… I mean o\_0 ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-is-a-detail-wonk/286252/123 "2005-02-08T13:36:21Z")
Does this strike you as the work of a master of detail? [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/02/20050204-13.html](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/02/20050204-13.html) Q – to the way you’re proposing? THE PRESIDENT: Yes, she’s asking about the cost of the transition. It’s estimated about $600 billion over a 10-year period of time to get the personal accounts started on the – the way we’ve suggested they grow. It’s a good question. Yes, ma’am. Q – really understand how is it the new plan is going to fix that problem? THE PRESIDENT: Because the – all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There’s a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those – changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be – or closer delivered to what has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It’s kind of muddled. Look, there’s a series of things that cause the – like, for example, benefits are calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to the increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate – the benefits will rise based upon inflation, as opposed to wage increases. There is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if those – if that growth is affected, it will help on the red. Okay, better? I’ll keep working on it. (Laughter.) ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-is-a-detail-wonk/286252/124 "2005-02-09T04:33:31Z")
It reads like he was really saying “Hell if I know”, doesn’t it. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-is-a-detail-wonk/286252/125 "2005-02-09T04:36:13Z")
For the record though, I still think the guy is 1) not a detail wonk, since that would imply doing some homework and having some knowledge of maybe just a few facts and 2) he is an evader, if not an outright liar. My conclusion is, he has no clue, and lies even when it isn’t “necessary”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-is-a-detail-wonk/286252.md?page=6)