From the White House:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Facts-A ... rn-Things/

White House Blog wrote:Opponents of health insurance reform may find the truth a little inconvenient, but as our second president famously said, "facts are stubborn things."

Scary chain emails and videos are starting to percolate on the internet, breathlessly claiming, for example, to "uncover" the truth about the President's health insurance reform positions.

In this video, Linda Douglass, the communications director for the White House's Health Reform Office, addresses one example that makes it look like the President intends to "eliminate" private coverage, when the reality couldn't be further from the truth.



For the record, the President has consistently said that if you like your insurance plan, your doctor, or both, you will be able to keep them. He has even proposed eight consumer protections relating specifically to the health insurance industry.

There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can't keep track of all of them here at the White House, we're asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to [email protected].

Many people are already focusing on the very last paragraph of this White House blog post. That isn't why I'm posting this here though.

In this blog post the White House, our White House, is trying to use a very clever sleight of hand. Can you see it? They are purposely misdirecting attention from the Health Care Bill onto what Obama says. They are purposely misstating the nature of what they "debunk" and they are leaving one very important thing out of this blog post - and that one very important thing, that one very important piece of information, blows apart what they are trying to convince you of. Can you see how they are misrepresenting the argument about the elimination of private insurance? Can you find the lie? Can you see the magician-like misdirection of your attention from the Health Care Bill itself onto what Obama says or doesn't say?

Comrade Margaret,

Comrade Bonnie Fwank always tells the twuth like he did on Comrade Leninka's Radio Show.


To hear original broadcast, Click Here

First off, if I am not mistaken, neither the House nor the Senate have actually written an official bill yet. Obama, whose talents are more propagandistic rather than legislative, is unlikely to know what's in either version of a bill that hasn't been written yet. If history is any guide (he didn't know what was in the Stimulus Bill, either) this will be the case.

Putting that aside, I belive the operative word is "keep". I read that one of the proposals making the rounds was that everyone would be allowed to keep their current coverage but as soon as they lost it for any reason (i.e. employer dropped it, company went bankrupt, they didn't like it and wanted to change) they would be required to join the government plan. Of course, by setting an initial low premium, they would likely get a whole bunch of employers to drop their private plans quickly, especially in this era of expense cutting induced by Porkulus-driven economic non-recovery. And, by hectoring and harrassing the private insurance companies with the usual set of inane regulations and mandates, they will likely either be driven out of business entirely or else forced to raise their premiums to the point that almost no one could afford them. Likely there would be little or no private insurance to keep within a few years. Years ago, our New Jerkey state politburo drove a number of big auto insurance companies out of the state with their repeated asinine attempts to "reform" the industry; they did quite a bit of damage without even trying so it's likely that "reformers" practiced in "the Chicago way" could do even better on a national scale with motivation.

So, yes, this is effectively a half-truth but on the bright side, this is more truth than the Dohbamacrats usually tell.

I like how Comrade Douglass has a framed picture of the Obama inaugral ceremony proudly displayed on her wall. Very appropriate.

What is not appropriate, Margaret, is discussing Health Insurance Reform ™ in tones that I come across to my progressive ears as being critical. I'm flagging this article. Oh, and don't think I won't flag it, Comrades! I have done some flagging, let me tell you! Just this morning I turned in some maple trees after overhearing them whispering falsehoods about the public option!

Chairman, just where the Hell have you been?

Ivan Betinov wrote:Chairman, just where the Hell have you been?

Not "Hell",Comrade B.....Heaven....He has been in Prog Heaven. Well...atleast I think he was there...they did keep me fairly stoned on all the free pharmaceuticals that i could ingest(yes,another glorious bonus in Prog heaven....all the drugs you could ever want!)

I saw someone,who looked alot like the Chairman,stumbling around in a drunken stupor.
But i could be mistaken...does he have a good twin?

Ivan Betinov wrote:Chairman, just where the Hell have you been?

I was flagged, Comrade. I was flagged.