Budget process? Its more like a magic show. Its wink and blink and smoke and mirrors and pulling rabbits out of hats, but almost all that ever comes up are designs to hide increases for the special interests.
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Smoke and mirrors — is a metaphor for a deceptive, fraudulent or insubstantial explanation or description. The source of the name is based on magicians illusions, where magicians make objects appear or disappear by extending or retracting mirrors amid a confusing… … Wikipedia
smoke and mirrors — UK US noun [plural] ► an explanation or description that is not true or not complete and is used to hide the truth about a situation: »Even allowing for the smoke and mirrors, offers such as half price cornflakes and 40% off washing powder look… … Financial and business terms
smoke-and-mirrors — something which is intended to confuse or deceive people, especially by making them believe that a situation is better than it really is. City Hall has saved taxpayers little with its smoke and mirrors trick of using money set aside for building… … New idioms dictionary
smoke and mirrors — An attempt to conceal something is smoke and mirrors … The small dictionary of idiomes
smoke and mirrors — n. elaborate deception or pretense: so called after the use of smoke, mirrors, etc. by professional magicians to create an illusion … English World dictionary
smoke and mirrors — ► smoke and mirrors N. Amer. the use of misleading or irrelevant information to obscure or embellish the truth. Main Entry: ↑smoke … English terms dictionary
smoke and mirrors — noun uncount something that is intended to prevent people from clearly seeing or understanding something … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
smoke and mirrors — noun plural Etymology: from the use of smoke and mirrors in conjuring tricks : an illusion created (as by public statements) to disguise or draw attention from something potentially embarrassing or unpleasant (as the unworkability of a proposal)… … Useful english dictionary
smoke and mirrors — An attempt to conceal something is smoke and mirrors. (Dorking School Dictionary) *** An attempt to conceal or distort the truth (like a magician) in order to confuse people is called smoke and mirrors. The outgoing president used… … English Idioms & idiomatic expressions
smoke and mirrors — n. a strategy of deception and cover up. □ Her entire report was nothing but smoke and mirrors. Who could believe any of it? □ There is no plan. It’s all just smoke and mirrors … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
