• 1913: "The income tax will only hit the top 1%."

  • 1935: "Social security numbers will never be used for identification."

  • 1971: "The gold suspension is temporary."

  • 2001: "These surveillance powers are only for terrorists."

  • 2020: "Two weeks to slow the spread."

  • 2026: "CBDCs will never be used to control spending."

  • You: "I'm noticing a pattern."

  • Government: "There's no pattern."

  • You: "That's what the pattern would say."