The People Spreading “Disinformation” About Obamacare...

[Henry Hawk]

The People Spreading "Disinformation" About Obamacare

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."

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.

[Exterminator]

You know, as I have decided to back away a bit from the craziness of this whole healthcare debate as it rages across the country....

Knew this was a lie when I read it...just had to wait.

Heritage foundation...typical tripe...keep drinking the kool-aid, Hank.   

[Henry Hawk]

Knew this was a lie when I read it...just had to wait.

Heritage foundation...typical tripe...keep drinking the kool-aid, Hank.   

I guess the only thing I should read to make you happy is the huffington post and NY Times?..huh....

I simply posted a well written view by an organization that puts tons of research and supported facts into their views....just because YOU don't agree does not make this "tripe"....seriously, I'm Lmmfao....you are impossible....a typical close minded liberal....

and I have made my comment in palehorse area.....and I'm not going to debate anymore...but I will post interesting articles that support my belief....and the heritage org is a GREAT organization......

anyway, have splendid evening Ex...

[Sandy Eggo]

Last week, Carroll and his research team polled 600 Americans about 19 medical myths, and the results showed that at least half of the country is misinformed.

For instance:

    * 46 percent of Americans believe reform will result in health-care coverage for all illegal immigrants (it won't—see Jeneen Interlandi's excellent post from yesterday.
    * Half of us think the federal government will become directly involved in making personal health-care decisions.
    * 53 percent of Republicans believe "death panels" will exist in some form, that the government will require the elderly to make decisions about how and when they want to die.(The real meaning of "end-of-life consultation" is actually something that, in practice, gives most people comfort and hope. Check out this astounding interview with a leading expert on end-of-life issues.) The number does drop to 30 percent when you look at the entire population, which still means a third of America thinks Barack Obama wants to kill your grandmother.

Many of these myths sound realistic but are the result of misinformation: that a lack of public option will raise private premiums, for instance. But what's also taking hold are myths that sound completely unbelievable. Carroll, who has been doing several radio interviews to talk about health care, recalls a particularly disturbing myth he was asked about on a call-in station. "I had a caller that thought that if a woman found out she was going to have a baby with Down syndrome, she would be forced to have an abortion, and if she didn't, she and the baby would lose their health insurance," he says. "Really? I think when you confront people and make them think past the first line they're screaming, they haven't really thought it through."

But confrontation takes time, and time is of the essence as Obama tries to push through health-care reform before the end of the year. While the outlandish myths are less pervasive, they're often shouted the loudest and may do the most damage. Having to discredit them in town-hall meetings (à la Frank) takes time away from educating people who are more likely to be sidelined by a myth about cost or government intervention. "The people who believe the outlandish things, I'm not sure we can change their mind," says Carroll. Meanwhile, people who are misinformed about the cost of the program or the access they have to their doctors could come around. "They're just not getting the information. That's somebody you might be able to change their mind, but we're spending all our time focusing on the crazies," he says.

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/08/20/study-no-matter-how-crazy-healthcare-myths-take-hold.aspx#

[Sandy Eggo]

What's the most disheartening is that instead of doing the research and forming an informed opinion, people are willing to allow themselves to be mislead and believe the misinformation. I personally believe that the people who are opposed to the plan would rather see it defeated regardless of whether it would be a good move for America or not.  It's all about who and has nothing to do with the value of the bill.

[followsthewolf]

What's the most disheartening is that instead of doing the research and forming an informed opinion, people are willing to allow themselves to be mislead and believe the misinformation. I personally believe that the people who are opposed to the plan would rather see it defeated regardless of whether it would be a good move for America or not.  It's all about who and has nothing to do with the value of the bill.

You've captured the fatal flaw of politics -- those who are so imbued with a party line that absolutely NO amount of logic will dissuade them. The idea of keeping an open mind does not occur to them. Knee-jerk responses are the theme of the day.

[Exterminator]

You've captured the fatal flaw of politics -- those who are so imbued with a party line that absolutely NO amount of logic will dissuade them. The idea of keeping an open mind does not occur to them. Knee-jerk responses are the theme of the day.

That's what we get for letting stupid people breed like flies.

[dan foster]

That's what we get for letting stupid people breed like flies.

Obama's Death Squads Target  the Nightmares of America's Children!   

Freehold, Iowa - World renowned Pastor and child Counselor, Deacon Fred  received a troubling letter from a concerned homeschooler that disturbed him so greatly, he ordered it to be posted onto the World Wide Web so that every American can see it.

A Christian Child's Depiction of The Future!

[Henry Hawk]

again.....I'm right.

[Exterminator]

again.....I'm right.

It's "case closed," davejar.   

[Sandy Eggo]

[dan foster]

Video

Excellent!!!!!!!

[Anne]

Obama's Death Squads Target  the Nightmares of America's Children!   

Freehold, Iowa - World renowned Pastor and child Counselor, Deacon Fred  received a troubling letter from a concerned homeschooler that disturbed him so greatly, he ordered it to be posted onto the World Wide Web so that every American can see it.

A Christian Child's Depiction of The Future!

You really believe this drawing is legit? I know a lot of home schooled kids and 90 percent of them are way ahead of the kids in public schools.

[dan foster]

again.....I'm right.

...about what, exactly?