Posted on 08/19/2011 9:15:20 PM PDT by STARWISE
In a bombshell accusation, the government watchdog group Judicial Watch announced today that the Obama administration used taxpayer money to help orchestrate an internet search engine manipulation campaign specifically promoting Obamacare.
Judicial Watch obtained 2,328 pages of records pursuant to a March 23, 2011, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit.
The FOIA information included correspondence between the Department of Health and Human Services and the Ogilvy Group, the public relations fire hired by the White House to push Obamacare on the American people.
Judicial Watch listed the following as major points of interest from the FOIA request (all bullets quoted):
The Obama HHS launched a campaign to track Internet searches and to use online search engines such as Google and Yahoo to drive traffic to a government website promoting Obamas healthcare overhaul.
Using pay-per-click advertising tools, such as Google Adwords, HHS purposely targeted for influence people searching the term Obamacare, a word that has been described as disparaging by political agents of the president.
According to a budget summary prepared by Ogilvy, from October 2010 through February 2011, the Obama administration spent $1,435,009 on these online advertisements alone, including advertising campaigns with Google and Yahoo, almost $300,000 per month.
A number of documents address the need to target the Obamacare propaganda campaign to Hispanics, blacks, and women. For example, according to an email from Chris Beakey, Vice President of Ogilvy PR Worldwide, to HHS officials on December 16, 2010, summarizing a conference call,
You want to utilize the bulk of their paid media efforts (which would include expenditures for Radio One and Univision) on media that reaches African Americans and Hispanics. The money will go farther and these audiences continue to be a top priority.
A January 18, 2011, email from Ogilvy to HHS New Media Communications Director Julia Eisman notes with respect to a Spanish banner ad campaign, I realize we really cant use the blond mom and child for this audience.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton believes strongly that the information above amounts to dishonest tactics by the White House, and perhaps even illegal ones. Fitton wrote on the Judicial Watch site:
The American people should be disturbed that the Obama administration is using taxpayer funds to try to brainwash people simply searching the Internet for information on health care.
This Big Brother campaign is underhanded, potentially unlawful, and it must be stopped. As the congressional super-committee begins negotiations to cut the deficit, this wasteful Obamacare propaganda campaign is the first place they should look.
There are even more relevant details-including the possibility that $200 million was spent on the Obamacare propaganda campaign in total, available here.
Despite all the time and (apparently taxpayer) money spent to pass the massive Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare, a number of Federal courts have struck down the bill on grounds that it is unconstitutional.
A Supreme Court showdown for the signature legislative action of this administration appears inevitable.
But if Judicial Watch is correct, an official inquiry into the misuse of public funds could also be coming.
Google loves Zeros.
>>>>the Obama administration is using taxpayer funds to try to brainwash people
Didn’t they also pay Andy “You’re Gonna Like It” Griffith to spread the propaganda too?
Are you telling me this Obama regime manipulated and lied to the American people??
get outta here!
If you have money in your wallet, please consider donating some of it to Judicial Watch. THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB and we all who read and cheer them would do well to support them with some cold cash. What they’re doing for us is not inexpensive.
And what they’re doing may well be one of the ‘little foxes’ that spoil Obama’s vine. [Song of Solomon 2:15]
Why would “Obamacare” be considered disparaging if the law itself wasn’t a piece of sh^t?
The Admin budget should be reduced by the amount of these illegal expenditures. Then get a special prosecutor to find out WHO authorized this propaganda expenditure.
Am I surprised that this fake President is using our own tax money to propagandize his DEATHCARE to us??? Not so much.... eat your peas.
Supplied the bad guys with guns as well.
Impeach this criminal.
Right now, he’s eating Lobster on his vacation while people struggle to make ends meet.
It’s like he won the lottery, but the money is coming out of our pockets.
.. Ding!
There is a world of difference between presenting neutral facts and presenting slanted selected questionable distortions and speculation about future results.
Facts, yes. Propaganda in the form of unsupported "projections?" No.
If it is not illegal, it should be. Where's the Congress on this?
No surprise though.
And the idiot Republicans stood and stand, idly by......
The thuggery and treachery that goes on in this renegade administration is astounding, thanks to the corrupt news media that covers for the demonic-rats and obama.
Snipped from http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_010411/content/01125107.guest.html on January 4, 2011
Would you say it’s corrupt to use taxpayer dollars to buy search results in Google for propaganda purposes, to spread your own lies about your own health care bill, when most people think that the search engine just pulls up what’s the best answer to the question? You know, most people don’t have the slightest idea you can buy search results. They know you can buy ads. Most people don’t know you can buy search results, then you learn that your government’s using your tax dollars to do it to further their own propaganda?
Revolting!
What will ever be enough grounds for impeachment???!!!
Judicial Watch might have gotten the actual amounts of OUR money spent, but it’s been common knowledge for a while now!
Lots of links to stories about this at:
Any means used, no matter how dishonest, to promote someone as wonderful and indispensable as Obama is sooo justified. Any worldly, intelligent person knows this!/sarc
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