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CDC gets list of forbidden words

(www.washingtonpost.com)
382 points js2 | 5 comments | | HN request time: 1.683s | source
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tptacek ◴[] No.15937484[source]
If I understand this well, and it's likely I don't, but for the sake of argument assume I do? Then the most important thing to know about this story is that it's about the President's budget document (which is assembled with input from all the Executive Branch departments).

That budget is one of the more elaborate charades in Washington. Congress controls the budget by passing laws allocating funds to departments. The President can't not spend money allocated to those departments. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of the budget goes to stuff that is effectively non-discretionary; for instance, to Medicare and Social Security entitlements spending.

Banning words, and these words in particular, is batshit. I'm probably not alarming many people on HN when I say this is a batshit administration.

But this is about the words the administration is soliciting from a department for an elaborate marketing document. Someone tell me why, apart from the principles and precedents of it all, any of this matters?

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1. js2 ◴[] No.15937685[source]
This administration has a penchant for creating drama. I can’t see any other purpose to this policy.

Also, 7 words[1]. Not 6, not 8. It could be coincidence but I really feel like we’re being trolled.

[1]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_dirty_words

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2. hirsin ◴[] No.15937697[source]
I think they'd use 14 if they wanted to troll better.
3. colordrops ◴[] No.15937896[source]
Pretty much everyone who is not part of the elite ruling class is influenced by the Dunning–Kruger effect. We all think we have it figured out, and that there's no way they could pull the wool over my eyes like they do to those rubes, and don't realize that we are those rubes.
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4. pulisse ◴[] No.15940793[source]
What makes the "elite ruling class" immune to the Dunning-Kruger effect?
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5. colordrops ◴[] No.15940999{3}[source]
I don't know anything about them other than they seem to have control of the masses down to a science, so I did not make a comment about them - only about those who are not a part of them.