Posted on 08/23/2009 2:14:49 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
He says… She says… They say… but what’s the real deal?
Lie #1: President Obama says he wants “death panels” to euthanize your grandma!!!
The truth: "Death panels" are certainly not mentioned in H.R.3200, the Health Care Reform bill. But Presidential health care adviser Ezekiel Emanuel, brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and chairman of the Department of Bioethics at the Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health, has defended rationing care more strictly for older people because "allocation [of medical care] by age is not invidious discrimination."
Lie #2: They’re going to outlaw private insurance and force you into a government plan!!!
The truth: H.R. 3200 does not ban private insurance immediately. But Page 16 does contain a provision making individual private medical insurance illegal. Under the Orwellian header of "Protecting The Choice To Keep Current Coverage," the "Limitation On New Enrollment" section of the bill clearly shows how the “public option” will kill the market for private individual coverage by not letting any new policies be written after the public option becomes law.
"Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual in such coverage if the first effective date of coverage is on or after the first day" of the year the legislation becomes law.
So we can all keep our coverage, yada yada, except: Those who now have private individual coverage won't be able to change it. And those who leave a company to work for themselves can’t choose to buy a plan from a private carrier.
And employers themselves could opt to dump their employee into the “public option.” The nonpartisan Lewin Group estimated that 120 million or more Americans could lose their insurance at work and end up in the “public” program because their employer decided to discontinue their group coverage, finding it cheaper to pay a small payroll penalty than to pay for premiums. This –says the Lewin Group---could cause private insurance to “fizzle out altogether.”
Lie #3: President Obama wants to implement Soviet-style rationing!!!
The truth: The words “Soviet-style” and “rationing”” are not mentioned in the bill. You see, Ezekiel J. Emanuel, a key presidential health care adviser, told Washington Times news reported Jon Ward on August 13 that his "thinking has evolved" on the subject of health care rationing:
"When I began working in the health policy area about 20 years ago ... I thought we would definitely have to ration care, that there was a need to make a decision and deny people care." And: "I think that over the last five to seven years ... I've come to the conclusion that in our system we are spending way more money than we need to, a lot of it on unnecessary care. If we got rid of that care we would have absolutely no reason to even consider rationing except in a few cases."
But why do people get care considered “unnecessary” by Dr. Emanuel? Because they disagree with Dr. Emanuel: they think it is necessary. But Dr. Emanuel says that if we can “get rid of that care” then we won’t have to ration! Whew. Good to know. And who gets to decide what is, and what isn’t, necessary? Why, our very trusted friends, the lawyers. The judges. And our key presidential health care advisors --- top bio-ethicists, no less --- like Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel.
Lie #4: Obama is secretly plotting to fund his ‘Reform’ by grabbing billions from Medicare!!!
The truth: The “secretly plotting” concept is a lie! --- because there’s really nothing very secret about it. Under the House health reform bill — which has already passed through the three health-related committees— House Democrats are proposing cuts to projected Medicare spending that would top $500 billion. They propose using this to subsidize health coverage for millions of people who could afford their own insurance: people making up to $88,000 for a family of four.
Proponents say that this would not involve cutting seniors’ benefits, but cutting billions of dollars in overpayments to insurance companies and eliminating rampant waste, fraud, and abuse. Interesting. President Obama has repeatedly pointed to Medicare as a model proving that the government can successfully manage millions of people’s healthcare.
The basic facts are simple and dramatic:
“And I wanted to say, well, I mean, that’s what Medicare is, is it’s a government-run health care plan that people are very happy with.” --President Barack Obama, to the AARP, July 28, 2009
Lie #5: Obama's health care plan will cost $2 trillion more, and bankrupt America!!!
The truth: That’s what one source says (The National Review, May 13, 2009) Another source says, “President Obama's reform plans would be fully paid for over 10 years and not add a penny to the deficit.” (whitehouse.gov/realitycheck).
Neither of these can strictly be called facts. They both involve predictions for the future, about which, by definition, we don’t have any facts --- yet. So the question has to be answered on the basis of how things have worked out in the past.
1. Do government programs generally result in vast savings, or vast cost overruns?
2. Which is more likely to be responsive to your individual preferences: a private business which is trying to attract you and retain you as a paying customer, or a government agency?
3. If you are not satisfied with services, which could you more successfully challenge, sue, boycott, or fire: a private business or a government agency?
4. Who you gonna trust?
Sources:
#1: "A euthanasia mandate," The Washington Times, July 29, 2009. http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51732
#2: "It's Not An Option," Investor's Business Daily, July 15, 2009. http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51743
#3: "Rationing Health Care," The Washington Times, April 21, 2009. http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51742
#4: "60 Plus Ad Is Chock Full Of Misinformation," Media Matters for America, August 8, 2009. http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51734
#5: "Obama's 'Public' Health Plan Will Bankrupt the Nation," The National Review, May 13, 2009. http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51744
This information was collected and distributed by [Name, City] who is not an agent of any organization and is not on anybody’s payroll.
See #80
I like your idea of trying to get the opposition to read at least a few facts. If you have to use Obama’s words against him, so be it, the point is that you are trying to get them to read!
I think, for a smart activist, one flyer for our FRIENDS and then another flyer for the O-bots makes some sense!
Good work!
Thanks for the ping!
Ha! Love it!
I’d say that covers it.
A very nice effort.
Is that all one document?
I went through the original list of issues with the bill and picked out the four or five that I thought would resonate most, then assembled several documents, one for each issue, Friday night for our Recess Rally Saturday. I headed each one “Read For Yourself” then put the link to the bill underneath, then the claim with its page reference, then a snapshot of that page in the bill.
Then I ran out of ink, and didn’t have a spare cartridge, and it was 2 am. Oh well. Bestlaid plans and all that. We have a Town Hall coming up so maybe I’ll try again for that.
Which is why I am bitterly opposed to any form of this bill. I don't care if the first iteration is nothing but unicorns and fluffy bunnies and it's all paid for by manna from Heaven. If we allow the Government to seize the right to determine health care at all, at some point they'll do anything they please and we'll have no moral ground to stand on.
"You knew I was a scorpion when you picked me up."
Yeah, it’s one two-sided page. With pretty small margins!
Ran out of ink? Oh sister, I know the feeling. Do the Town Hall, then let us know how it goes!
Government, get outta the way.
Excellent Job!
We did not stay for it all. It was a full house in a small auditorium - I’d guess 300 - 400. Mrs D got her picture made with the Congressman because he liked her sign. I stayed outside mostly with my Gadsden flag and Obama/Joker “why so socialist” poster. I got shot by one TV station and the newspaper.
Not many move-oner’s in evidence. They may have, indeed, all been at City Hall. I did have one older gentleman look at my sign and say, “That’s not funny, asshole.” I replied, “It’s not supposed to be funny. It’s supposed to be scary.” He was uninterested in further dialog.
Made a few pics but I don’t think they are any good. May upload them later anyway. I’ll leave it to the Mrs to comment on what was actually said.
I think you are doing an excellent job!
All I could do would be create an animated gif - and they don’t seem to work well on paper, lol!
There were a number of rowdy/noisy pro-Obamacare folks, some of whom wore matching burgundy golf shirts. One woman sitting beside me wore a burgundy shirt so large, I didn’t know they came that size!
Dr. Roe is as Huckabee-like as a man can get and not be as corny as Huckabee. Freeper Vendome has a tagline to the effect of ‘don’t be so serious about life, you’re not getting out of it alive anyway.’ Well, that is pretty much Dr. Roe’s outlook on life. He has a strong sense of humor. But he does not like Obamacare and was all about the Republican alternative HR3400 (IIRC).
Before getting into Q&A, he talked about the Stimulus bill and the passage without reading the 1000+ pages of that debacle because they did not have time from the receiving of the last 300+ pages and voting on it. That was by DNC design since the bill was so loaded with crap for the socialist minions, crap which has not gone into effect and will not before 2010! His take was that the stimulus should be repealed since we are ending the recession and only 10% of the stimulus has been spent.
When Q&A happened on the Obamacare bill, the pro Obamacare shills with lengthy speeches written for them to deliver tried to monopolize the microphone.
Of the dozen or so who got to address Dr. Roe directly, only three or four were openly/clearly opposed to the socialist program. The audience in the auditorium was overwhelmingly opposed to Obamacare, however, and they even shouted on occasiuon for a long winded Obamabot to sit down ... and shut up, but that was not shouted out.
One voice in opposition to Obamacare made the point that the Constitution does not allow for the federal government to take over healthcare of the individual in America. Sadly, Dr. Roe was heard subsequently to say that there were a few good things in the ‘Obamacare’ bill but that democrats did not appear ready or willing to listen to the Democrat and Republican doctors (4 of each, IIRC) who had reviewed the provisions and had major suggestions for alterations.
As I left, Dr Roe was wrapping up with a final negative assessment of the cfrazy, too long, too invasive, takeover of the Healthcare industry with the Obamacare bill. I’m sure he was booed, but I was out the door before he finished his closing remarks.
I did leave Dr. Roe’s staff copies of the thread essay I posted today at FR under blogs.
To his credit, Congressman Roe was very familiar with the provisions in the Obamcare bill and made sound rebuttals to the lies floated by the Obama talking heads regarding ‘no abortion’ provisions, ‘you get to keep your program if you like it’, and ‘no end of life panels’. Roe is a very smart man. I hope the sludge in Washington doesn’t change him into a typical beltway politician.
I just want to reiterate my impression that the crowd was overwhelmingly anti-ObamaCare. I was scouting around TRYING to find the opposition before the meeting started, and --- yes, there were some there, but --- they were not out with banners, bells and bullhorns.
There were entrances to the auditorium from two directions: Don-o covered one entrance, and I covered the other. When absolutely NO opposition showed up at my entrance, I went to join my husband, and spotted a nice young "Progressive Student Alliance" guy from ETSU with a pro-ObamaCare sign. (He had that adorable retro fist-symbol on his shirt, just like I used to wear 40 years ago, when I was young and stupid.) I hailed him, complimented him on his legibility, and informed him cordially that he was seriously in the wrong.
As for my leafets: I hardly used the first one ("The Truth About the Lies") because conservatives tended to think, at first glance, that it was something from the other side, and I realized it was really too subtle to get past that first glance. I favored Comrade Progressive Student with a copy: he pocketed it. I do hope he has adequate reading comprehension skills.
I handed out lots of the second one ("Liberty") and got a universally good response.
Oh! And I got my picture taken with a beaming Rep. Roe, holding a sign that said "I [heart] DOCTOR ROE; PUBLIC OPTION? JUST SAY NO."
Don-o looked great, very dashing, with his big yellow Gadsden Don't-Tread-On-Me flag and his Obama/Joker "Why So Socialist?" poster.
I feel quite confident that Roe won't vote for ObamaCare, and pleased that my husband and I had a chance to spread our nuggets of political wisdom hither and thither.
Only thing that would have made it better would have been tax-chick doing her belly dance :o)
Suggest you call Roe's office today and see if one of his people got that picture. and see how we can get a copy.
I’d have brought lemonade and muffins, too.
I don’t think I can get off this afternoon for Rep. Myrick’s meeting in this area. Frank wants to eat every hour, all day, and it’s more than an hour’s drive in heavy traffic.
Great resource! Thanks!
You’re welcome!
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