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."