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SEMANTICS

White House Will Replace ‘Bailout’ With ‘Rescue’ And Everyone Will Love It

This is exactly how Hank Paulson envisioned it workingThe White House has been trying to rename the GREEDY WALL STREET MONEY GIFT a “rescue” plan today as a more palatable replacement for the common nomenclature, “bailout.” Now “bailout” is not a very marketable word, sure, so let’s test how “rescue” plays out: “The government wants to rescue Wall Street with billions of dollars in taxpayer money.” Somehow we are still skeptical! So here’s a free advertising tip, White House — avoid this structure: “The government wants to [ANYTHING WITH A POSITIVE CONNOTATION] Wall Street with billions of dollars in taxpayer money.” In fact, “rescue” may be even worse than “bailout” — “rescue” implies some actively exhausting and dangerous double-cover spy mission to Hell on which every taxpayer must embark; “bailout” sounds like you just have to cut a check and be done with it. We suggest they call the package an “iPod,” because everyone will pay for an iPod. [LA Times]


4:43 PM on Tue September 30 2008
By Jim Newell
1182 Views

  1. slappypaddy says at 4:48 pm, September 30th, 2008

    how bout “fertilize”?… as in, “the gummint wantsa fertilize wall street wit billions o’yer dollars, cuzz that’s all they’s good fer anymore”… them peeps all fulla shit, anyway…

  2. How about calling it a surge?

  3. queeraselvis v 2.0 says at 4:49 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Masturbate?

  4. Sussemilch says at 4:50 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Freedom funding!

  5. Congress wants to FATTEN-UP Wall Street. Americans love fat.

  6. Davidwatts says at 4:54 pm, September 30th, 2008

    “Congress PUNISHES Wall Street with a STERNLY-WORDED $700 billion.” Makes just about enough sense for your average American.

  7. A-Levels.

  8. shortsshortsshorts says at 4:54 pm, September 30th, 2008

    “The government wants to sex up Wall Street”

  9. NotUrEvryDayWEzl says at 4:55 pm, September 30th, 2008

    nurple: The pig farmer in me can’t wait to lead them to slaughter.

  10. Why don’t they call it “700B Iraq Appropriations Act of 2008″. That kind of shit passes all the time.

  11. Just say “it’s magic.”

  12. AngryBlakGuy says at 4:57 pm, September 30th, 2008

    …how about a “Patriot Pay-Out”?

  13. NotUrEvryDayWEzl: You have a pig farmer in you? Why don’t you let him out?

  14. BillyClubb says at 4:58 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Davidwatts: Yes, punishment, that’s what we’ll call it. We have been naughty and deserve a good spanking…

    Now I feel better.

  15. Gopherit v2.0 says at 4:58 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Which of the Administration clods is the clumsy but well-meaning Albatross?

  16. Sussemilch: Win!

  17. magic titty says at 4:59 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Masturbailout?
    Touchie feelie governance?
    Butt sex?

  18. Chicken Smack says at 4:59 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Call it “Value-Added Re-positioning”. Or a keighwai rechurround. Yeah, that’s it.

    and to nurple: Y’know, it makes more sense to just fatten up Americans. Wait… wait… we’re almost done. We eat tonight!!

  19. Quiverfull Wall Street to get 700 billion gifts from god?

  20. Wall Street Re-fund?

    Everyone likes a refund!

  21. Bailout = Rescue. Clear Skies = Pollution. Withdrawal = Surrender. Choice = Murder. So I ask you, HOW FUQING STUPID ARE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?

    After eight years of GW the answer — apparently — is “very.”

  22. Freedom Fund?

  23. NotUrEvryDayWEzl says at 5:01 pm, September 30th, 2008

    tunamelt: It feels too good.

  24. AngryBlakGuy says at 5:01 pm, September 30th, 2008

    …Financing Freedom?

  25. cal: …never believe it’s not sooo…

  26. AngryBlakGuy says at 5:01 pm, September 30th, 2008

    …Maverick Mortgaging?

  27. Smoke Filled Roommate says at 5:02 pm, September 30th, 2008

    The Taxpayer Assfuck? no, too negative. What about ‘Deliverance Package’ or ‘Economy AIDS Plan’?

  28. Lascauxcaveman says at 5:02 pm, September 30th, 2008

    I have two iPods and didn’t pay for either of them. Got the Mini free when I bought my wife an iBook and the Touch free when I bought my iMac.

    I thought that’s how everyone got their iPods?

  29. Gopherit v2.0 says at 5:04 pm, September 30th, 2008

    do-over. Everybody wants a do-over.

  30. “roger”?
    an alternative from Krugman

  31. AnnieGetYourFun says at 5:05 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Everyone knows that the government feels strongly about the fine line between a bailout and a rescue. That’s why they intially refused to bail out all of those black people in New Orleans who were too greedy and selfish to get out of town before the levies broke.

  32. AngryBlakGuy says at 5:05 pm, September 30th, 2008

    …Democratic Do-Over!!!

  33. loquaciousmusic says at 5:05 pm, September 30th, 2008

    I know I’ve said this before, but George would get this bailout passed — hell, he’d get anything passed — if he just showed this video and then was like, “So, um, what do all you dipshits think NOW?!” and everyone would still be dancing and they’d vote “YEA,” the end.

  34. Botswana Meat Commission FC says at 5:06 pm, September 30th, 2008

    The president wants to shock and awe some dang default-credit swaps.

  35. Davidwatts: Haha… that’s what I was about to type…

  36. shortsshortsshorts says at 5:06 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Honest marketing would be nice:
    “Fuck you tax payer. Suck my balls. We are going to spend a ludicrous amount of your money now because we can’t tell our mouths from our assholes” plan.

  37. call it NO BAILOUT BILL…then, give ‘em what they need.

    think…PATRIOT ACT…then, take away their freedom.

  38. Lascauxcaveman says at 5:08 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Lascauxcaveman: It wouldn’t kill Wall Street to check apple.com to see if Jobs is giving away $700 billion rebates w/purchase of a new MacBook Pro, would it?

  39. magic titty says at 5:08 pm, September 30th, 2008

    FEMA?

  40. loquaciousmusic says at 5:08 pm, September 30th, 2008

    loquaciousmusic: Also, Barack Obama is in that video. Can you spot him?

  41. How about “Congress votes on a $700 Billion hostile takeover of Wall Street”

  42. How about: I Don’t Know How Much of This I Can Handle Before I Start Burning Cars Downtown In Front of The Local Starbucks or IDKHMOFICTBISBCDIFOFLS.

    Look what’s happening down at Wall Street!
    Got a refundlution Got a refundlution
    Hey they’re dancing down The Street
    Got a refundlution Got a refundlution
    Ain’t it amazing how all the people got beat
    Got a refundlution Got a refundlution
    One generation got old
    This generation got sold
    Next generations got no destination to hold
    Pick up the cry
    Hey now it’s time for you and me
    Pay a refundlution Pay a refundlution
    We are volunteers of America
    Volunteers of America!

  43. queeraselvis v 2.0 says at 5:11 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Wall Street: Giving Taxpayers a Drano Enema since 2008!

  44. JadedDIssonance says at 5:11 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Support our Financial Troops!

    I want a yellow car ribbon!

  45. How about: “You’re either with us or your against the economy?”

  46. InsidiousTuna says at 5:14 pm, September 30th, 2008

    That movie is the fucking shit.

  47. sanantonerose says at 5:14 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Rescue? What is this, some trashy romance novel where the handsome stud with dark curls and flashing eyes saves the blond swooning half naked damsel in…

    I’ll be right back. I just remembered that I have something to attend to.

  48. madtowngooner says at 5:15 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Who cares? From MSNBC

    Global asteroid watch urged

    We’ve got 5 1/2 years

  49. mr.november says at 5:16 pm, September 30th, 2008

    How ’bout Bush wants his economic stimulus package back and than some?

  50. btwbfdimho says at 5:16 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Lascauxcaveman: I didn’t buy my wife so I’ve got her touch free.

  51. East of Sweden says at 5:21 pm, September 30th, 2008

    “Rescue” sounds nice enough. As a patriotic move you could add the numbers 911 to it. And ask William Shatner to host it.

  52. Gopherit v2.0 says at 5:23 pm, September 30th, 2008

    madtowngooner: They say that every 10 years or so. Don’t worry. Putin will kill us all before an asteroid will.

  53. shortsshortsshorts says at 5:26 pm, September 30th, 2008

    The free market is saving the free market from itself? Isn’t this like the definition of insanity er something?

  54. JadedDIssonance says at 5:27 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Bailing Out implies some kind of sinking. Instead: Taxpayer Rape Kits

  55. madtowngooner says at 5:27 pm, September 30th, 2008

    East of Sweden: Have Rudy host it and it can be Rescue 9/11

  56. PrairiePossum says at 5:27 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Call it a stimulus check. No one can resist a good stimulation.

    Or White Man’s Welfare.

  57. btwbfdimho says at 5:30 pm, September 30th, 2008

    “Financial Prozac”?

    But I’d rather recommend the SubPrime Minister Paulson to lower the cost of the program to $690 billion and offer the remaining $10 billion to the honorable members of the House, just to see what happens.

  58. Gopherit v2.0 says at 5:34 pm, September 30th, 2008

    btwbfdimho: Fuck that. We need financial Zanax with a MBA Burbon chaser.

  59. Outstando says at 5:47 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Of all the drugs the one I like more is Wall Street
    Of all the junks the one I need more is Wall Street
    Of all the boys the one I take home is Wall Street
    Of all the ladies the one I kiss is Wall Street (muah!)

    Wall Street is my boyfriend
    Wall Street is my girlfriend
    Wall Street is my dead end
    Wall Street is my imaginary friend
    Wall Street is my brother
    Wall Street is my great-grand-daughter
    Wall Street is my sister
    Wall Street is my favorite mistress

    Of all the shit the one I gotta buy is Wall Street
    Of all the jobs the one I choose is Wall Street
    Of all the drinks, I get drunk off Wall Street
    Of all the bitches the one I wanna be is Wall Street

    Wall Street is my beach house
    Wall Street is my hometown
    Wall Street is my king-size bed
    Wall Street’s where I make my friends
    Wall Street is my hot hot bath
    Wall Street is my hot hot sex
    Wall Street is my back rub
    Wall Street is where I’d like you to touch

  60. Outstando says at 5:50 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Gopherit v2.0: I have a t shirt covered with ghoulish visages that reads “Anxiety has many faces. There is only one Xanax.” It’s actually part of their marketing materials. Words don’t do it justice.

  61. Lascauxcaveman: I’m an honest hardworking American and I pay for my iPods with my hard-earned wages, only I’m poor so all I can afford are Zunes.

    Freeloading communist hippies like my father, on the other hand, seem to win two a year in half-baked “contests”.

  62. o here’s a free advertising tip, White House — avoid this structure: “The government wants to [ANYTHING WITH A POSITIVE CONNOTATION] Wall Street with billions of dollars in taxpayer money.”

    I dunno. It’s possible that “set fire to” might go over well. That money’s not going to be worth anything in a few weeks anyway.

  63. “The government wants to [keep the welfare queen from driving her Cadillac on] Wall Street with billions of dollars in taxpayer money.”

    Reagan would approve

  64. From my Thesaurus widget: Release, freeing, liberation, deliverance or saving someone’s bacon/neck/skin.
    My choice: duct tape.

  65. Why all the hatred of Wall Street? There’s, like, nothing there now, except the Federal Hall museum, St. Patrick’s church, and some condo buildings that used to be banks.

    If you want to set fire to something, try Greenwich, Conn. or Manhattan Between 42nd and 86th.

  66. I actually just heard a Republican congressman claiming that he voted against the bailout because the White House was saying that it had to get done right now without proper oversight or else. WTF was he during the runup to Iraq and the shoving of the Patriot Act up our butts? Oh yeh. He was on the George Bush side.

  67. Baseproduct says at 6:54 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Why must wonkette be anti-semantic?

  68. bitchincamaro says at 7:47 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Money shot?

  69. bitchincamaro says at 7:49 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Failout?

  70. bitchincamaro says at 7:50 pm, September 30th, 2008

    I got billions of ‘em.

  71. Johnny Zhivago says at 8:00 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Instead of calling it the “Wall Street Bailout”, call it the “Wall Street Blowjob”

  72. Smoke Filled Roommate says at 9:51 pm, September 30th, 2008

    bitchincamaro: Ha, ‘failout’ has already crossed my mind. I’m beholden to ‘Deliverance Package’ (Rescue + Assfuck).

  73. Call it “Sarah Palin.” It’s attractive, but stupid.

  74. Smoke Filled Roommate says at 10:48 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Or the nicely misleading ‘Blue Sky’ Initiative.

  75. Smoke Filled Roommate says at 11:00 pm, September 30th, 2008

    Jeez Louise: blue sky.

  76. heathenish says at 11:22 pm, September 30th, 2008

    i vote for JadedDIssonance’s’ Taxpayer Rape Kits or Johnny Zhivago’s Wall Street Blowjob, all i could come up with was stuff that sounded too true, like wall street welfare, or something that didn’t have the right spin, so let’s see blue sky=polution, this has to be the exact opposite of what it is so would be not “help to wall street rich bastards”, but ummm, i think i’ve almost go it…help main street americans, or something like that? i don’t know i think the Rape Kit and the Blow Job really are the best!

  77. villageatrois says at 3:47 am, October 1st, 2008

    TeddyS: Actually, something very important happened yesterday: The Billion Mega-buck Gift to our financial overlords was stopped by House Republicans AND the Congressional Black Caucus. Look at the votes! Jesse Jackson Jr. joined with the Red State Congress members to stop the Fascist takeover of our economy!

    This is the most positive political development in the US for many years. Congress members actually thought about, and voted for, the best interests of their constituents. Because, if we fry them for tubing us, we’re not gonna stop and ask whether they are lib/cons, or black/white, or red state/blue state.

    Go to a print shop and get 1000 bumper stickers with this message: ALL OF THEM! People in DC don’t even have a seat to lose.

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