[skeeter]

That is exactly what the news report I just heard asserted - 'a harsher than expected winter' is to blame but no worries, because 'economists expect the economy to rebound to 2% next quarter'.

Pravda had nothing on our news media.

[CitizenUSA]

1984: “As short a time ago as February, the Ministry of Plenty had issued a promise (a ‘categorical pledge’ were the official words) that there would be no reduction of the chocolate ration during 1984. Actually, as Winston was aware, the chocolate ration was to be reduced from thirty grammes to twenty at the end of the present week. All that was needed was to substitute for the original promise a warning that it would probably be necessary to reduce the ration at some time in April.”