What is it about liberals that they think they have to fool people into supporting them?

Run as a nice, safe moderate only to become screaming leftists once in office. It really shows they have no confidence that the substance of their ideas can stand scrutiny much less win out in a fair fight with the right.

The latest manifestation of this is Nancy Pelosi suggesting that we "rename" the public option. Matt Sedensky of the Seattle Times notes:

A government-sponsored "public option" for health care lives, though it may be more attractive to skeptics if it goes by a different moniker, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday.

In an appearance at a Florida senior center, the Democratic leader referred to the so-called public option as "the consumer option." Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., appeared by Pelosi's side and used the term "competitive option."

Both suggested new terminology might get them past any lingering doubts among the public - or consumers or competitors.

"You'll hear everyone say, 'There's got to be a better name for this,'" Pelosi said. "When people think of the public option, public is being misrepresented, that this is being paid for with their public dollars."

Does "everyone" really say 'there's got to be a better name for this?' Not that I've heard. We may assume then, that it is liberals who want a "better" name for a public option that will indeed be paid for with public dollars if you are honest enough to include subsidies paid for by tax payers in your definition of "public dollars."

Perhaps Pelosi doesn't see taxpayer dollars as public money. Regardless, I think the old saw about dressing a pig in a prom dress will still leave you with a well dressed porcine is apt here. Even if you put a goat's head on the pig, you won't change its nature.