Reforming The United States

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President Obama chooses words carefully.

For example, the President uses the word "reform" often. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary has these definitions:

Main Entry:

¹re·form

Pronunciation:

\ri-ˈfȯrm\

Function:

verb

Etymology:

Middle English, from Anglo-French refurmer, from Latin reformare, from re- + formare to form, from forma form

Date:

14th century

transitive verb
1 a: to put or change into an improved form or condition b: to amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults or abuses
2: to put an end to (an evil) by enforcing or introducing a better method or course of action
3: to induce or cause to abandon evil ways <reform a drunkard>

Most people hear "reform" and think "repair" or "fix" or "correct." Mr. Obama uses the word in its "1 a" sense... to change into an improved form or condition.

The kicker is the idea that the change will be into an improved form or condition.

We can allow Mr. Obama to "re-form" the Constitution, the three branches of government, the Bill of Rights, personal liberty and choice, or any number of "re-forms." We can re-form our free market system into a government managed system. We can re-form our elected system of government into a "czar" system. We can re-form government of the people into governing of the people.

Re-forming based on slight-of-words may not repair, fix, or correct anything.

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