The People Spreading “Disinformation” About Obamacare

by The Heritage Foundation, Morning Bell: The White House is losing the health care debate. Polls from National Public Radio, Wall Street Journal/NBC News, The Washington Post, Gallup, and Pew all show that the American people do not support President Barack Obama’s health care plan. The White House wants people to believe they are losing the health care debate because “scary … videos are starting to percolate on the Internet” that are spreading “disinformation” about Obama’s health care plan. The White House is even encouraging Obama supporters to help them identify people spreading this “disinformation.” The official White House blog now asks Americans: “If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.” [ARRA Editor: Can any one recall from history another country that practiced control of public opinion by silencing them via programs to turn in neighbors, friends and family members?]

In the interest of honest debate, we would like to flag the White House about some prominent people that are directly contradicting the President about what his health care plan would do to the American people. As White House Health Reform Office communications director Linda Douglass points out in a video released by the White House yesterday, President Obama has repeatedly assured Americans that under his plan “if you like your insurance plan, your doctor, or both, you will be able to keep them.”

The problem the White House faces, however, is that much of President Obama’s base does not want the American people to keep their current insurance plan or doctor. Activists on the left prefer a single-payer system where private health insurance companies have been eliminated. So how can the White House both appease its leftist base, which wants single-payer/government-run health care, and mollify the vast majority of Americans, who want to keep their current health insurance providers? By creating a government-run “public option” designed to slowly eliminate private insurance over time.

The President has explicitly said that the public option will not eliminate private insurance. He told the American Medical Association on June 15th: “What are not legitimate concerns are those being put forward claiming a public option is somehow a Trojan horse for a single-payer system…So, when you hear the naysayers claim that I’m trying to bring about government-run health care, know this - they are not telling the truth.” So the President SAYS the public option will not lead to single payer health care … but a number of prominent people are saying the exact opposite:

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) at a Health Care for America Now rally: “And next to me was a guy from the insurance company who argued against the public health insurance option, saying it wouldn’t let private insurance compete. That a public option will put the private insurance industry out of business and lead to single-payer. My single-payer friends, he was right. The man was right.”

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) told Single Payer Action: “I think that if we get a good public option it could lead to single-payer and that is the best way to reach single-payer. Saying you’ll do nothing till you get single-payer is a sure way never to get it. … I think the best way we’re going to get single-payer, the only way, is to have a public option and demonstrate the strength of its power.”

Washington Post blogger Ezra Klein at the Democratic National Convention last year: “They have a sneaky strategy, the point of which is to put in place something that over time the natural incentives within its own market will move it to single-payer.”

Noble Prize winning New York Times columnist Paul Krugman: “[T]he only reason not to do [single-payer] is that politically it’s hard to do in one step…You’d have to convince people completely give up the insurance they have, whereas something that lets people keep the insurance they have but then offers the option of a public plan, that may evolve into single-payer.”

Americans deserve an honest debate about health care. President Obama, Barney Frank, and Jan Schakowsky cannot all be right. Either the President is wrong when he says his plan will not lead to government-run health care, or Frank and Schakowsky are spreading disinformation when they tell their single payer advocate base that it will. So let’s help the White House out. Do email flag@whitehouse.gov and let the White House know you’ve seen something “fishy” on the web about health care reform.
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Bill Smith, ARRA Editor, Additional Insights: Now consider the following effort by the Democrats to enhance the disinformation and to insult and demean the efforts of dissent by citizens' opposed to health care. Below is an email from the Democratic Party sets forth "disinformation" - false hoods - that really should be reported to The White House but would make no difference since Barack Obama heads both organizations. To quote a local Arkansas community leader and Tea Party participant, "They STILL don't get it!!! Kind of interesting that they are trying to deceive folks this way. They can't accept the fact that common people are intelligent enough to do these things on their own." I have added my commentary in brackets "[...] in the below referenced email.

The Democratic Party email: "5 facts about the anti-reform mobs"

There's been a lot of media coverage about organized mobs intimidating lawmakers, disrupting town halls, and silencing real discussion about the need for real health insurance reform.

The truth is, it's a sham. These "grassroots protests" are being organized and largely paid for by Washington special interests and insurance companies who are desperate to block reform. They're trying to use lies and fear to break the President and his agenda for change.

Health insurance reform is about our lives, our jobs, and our families -- we can't let distortions and intimidation get in the way. We need to expose these outrageous tactics, and we're counting on you to help. Can you read these "5 facts about the anti-reform mobs," then pass them along to your friends and family?

5 facts about the anti-reform mobs

1. These disruptions are being funded and organized by out-of-district special-interest groups and insurance companies who fear that health insurance reform could help Americans, but hurt their bottom line. A group run by the same folks who made the "Swiftboat" ads against John Kerry is compiling a list of congressional events in August to disrupt. An insurance company coalition has stationed employees in 30 states to track where local lawmakers hold town-hall meetings. [NOT TRUE - While some orgs may be supporting the efforts of citizens, it is the people, i.e., citizens, in their districts that are rising up and expressing their disdain with government programs including the nationalized health care. As for the SWIFT boat group - the Democratic Party may know more because it was veterans who were democrats who led the effort against against John Kerry. In a sane world, the average American be they Democrat, Republican, independent or other are main street people and opposed this radical take over of health care.]

2. People are scared because they are being fed frightening lies. [This statement is TRUE - people are tired of being told lies by the Democratic leadership about the socialization of health care.] These crowds are being riled up by anti-reform lies [False] being spread by industry front groups that invent smears to tarnish the President's plan and scare voters. But as the President has repeatedly said, health insurance reform will create more health care choices for the American people, not reduce them. If you like your insurance or your doctor, you can keep them, and there is no "government takeover" in any part of any plan supported by the President or Congress. [Talk is cheap; however, taking away our health care, abortion and end of life euthanasia is permanent!]

3. Their actions are getting more extreme. [Maybe true] Texas protesters brought signs displaying a tombstone for Rep. Lloyd Doggett and using the "SS" symbol to compare President Obama's policies to Nazism. [If the shoe fits!] Maryland Rep. Frank Kratovil was hanged in effigy outside his district office. [What about the liberals who burned flags, hung President Bush in effigy and burned in him in effigy?] Rep. Tim Bishop of New York had to be escorted [doubtful, try war, now that is tough] to his car by police after an angry few disrupted his town hall meeting -- and more examples like this come in every day. And they have gone beyond just trying to derail the President's health insurance reform plans [Finally some Truth - it is Obama. health care plan!] , they are trying to "break" the President himself and ruin his Presidency [Cool it with the rhetoric - Obama has only been president over 6 months - and has 3 1/2 yrs to go. The people have a right to express their concerns, feelings and positions to the President; after all, isn't he supposed to be President of ALL the people and not just the Democratic Party. Finally, only Obama can ruin his own Presidency.]

4. Their goal is to disrupt and shut down legitimate conversation. Protesters have routinely shouted down representatives trying to engage in constructive dialogue with voters, and done everything they can to intimidate and silence regular people who just want more information. [When democrats or let's say liberal groups shout down people it was okay, but now when the shoe is on the other foot, there is a problem. Are you even aware that democrats are also upset with Obama's agenda for government to take over health care? ] One attack group [Look at the sue of these words "one attack group." Give us the name - I would guess it was a Democrat based group like "pink ladies," PETA, etc.] like to has even published a manual instructing protesters to "stand up and shout" and try to "rattle" lawmakers to prevent them from talking peacefully with their constituents.

5. Republican leadership is irresponsibly cheering on the thuggish crowds. [One biased Democrat's opinion: I am glad to see someone in any leadership capacity opposing this health care reform.] Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner issued a statement applauding and promoting a video of the disruptions and looking forward to "a long, hot August for Democrats in Congress." [You mean that speaking the truth after having a bill surreptitiously rammed through committee, is a problem.]

It's time to expose this charade, before it gets more dangerous. [So True - Time to expose all the lies and deceptions that even lead to this administration being in power and about the "tuggery" being advanced by the Democratic leadership.] Please send these facts to everyone you know. You can also post them on your website, blog, or Facebook page.

Now, more than ever, we need to stand strong together and defend the truth. [SO TRUE - sometimes the truth spills forth from even those who seek to mislead or misinform. America under Obama has moved onto the fast track to socialism. I would even guess that Jen would not be in the position she is in if she did not agreed fully with this agenda. Representatives are having their arms twisted by President Obama and his administration, the Democratic Party and others. It is being demanded that they choose party over the people and violate the trust of their constituents by proceeding to remain quite and or vote for bills that the majority of their constituents do not want. That is why Democrats in Congress have a low approval rating. In my humble opinion, at the rate things are going, the only way many of these Democrats will be able to continue in office is by graft, greed. lies, deception and maybe, suspended elections.]

Thanks, Jen
Jen O'Malley Dillon, Executive Director, Democratic National Committee
Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, . . .

There you have it; Their True Deception and my commentary! Since Jen O'Mally Dillion what's you to expose something -- it is time to expose her falsehoods, and the agenda and activities of The Democratic Party.

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