"Reform" or Reform?

One of the most satisfying things in life is watching what happens when my political adversaries learn that their favorite sword has two edges.

Generally, it's conservatives who favor changes to the justice system that will reduce or eliminate the rights of injured citizens in order to protect excessively profitable corporations.  These changes are radical restructuring of a justice system that has served our country well for hundreds of years.  But instead of describing them as such, conservatives say they want to reform our justice system.

Those of us who value human life more than corporate profits bristle every time we hear these changes referred to as reform.  We know that they aren't reform, so we often throw quotes around tort "reform" or call it tort deform - two ways to show readers that we don't believe radically tilting the scales of justice is reforming it.  Conservatives generally laugh at both tactics, and undoubtedly pat themselves on the back for being such masters of doublespeak and stealing the word reform.

So it is with no small measure of joy that I've noticed many of the same conservatives who support tort reform strongly oppose the immigration bills in the legislature.  Why?  Because those who introduce the bills have referred to them as immigration reform.  And the opposition has begun to call the bills immigration deform and immigration "deform."

It's no fun to have to explain why you oppose "reforming" something, is it boys?