Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Controversial stool pigeon program axed


by Cylinsier

Well, that didn't last long. A controversial program involving an email account and a request to citizens to forward any and all fishy information about health care reform to white house staffers has been killed. The program was meant to counter many of the false rumors floating around on the internet about health care reform (death panels, going blind before an eye doctor will see you, biweekly rectal inspections by the Obama gestapo) and the justification was that there's just too much bad information moving around out there too quickly for this administration to keep up with it on their own.

While I applaud the Obama administration's unprecedented effort to take advantage of current technologies in communicating and interacting with the public, we need to be honest here: this program was a pretty bad idea from the start. First of all, health care reform isn't a competition. This is supposed to be about improving care for everyone, not just those on the winning side. The GOPers in congress who are trying to kill this are doing a fine job of dividing the public and making this an "us against them" fight. The last thing you want to do is play into their hand, but that's exactly what this program did. It created a clear distinction between good guys and bad guys. But there aren't really any bad guys save for the select few starting these rumors. Most of the ones in opposition to the program are just not understanding it. They don't need to be vilified, they need to be educated.

Secondly, its obvious that something needed to be done to counteract the bad information out there. But in spite of all the protesting and disruptions, the town hall meetings were really the most effective and least confrontational way of doing this. The administration should have gone down that road from the start. Most of the people falling for these rumors are going to be represented in some way at these meetings and will voice their misguided opinions there. To simplify what I'm saying, there was no reason to go out hunting this information because it was going to find the administration on its own.

The health care opposition, either artfully or accidentally, laid a devious trap for Obama and he unfortunately fell into it. The cancellation of this program comes at a good time; before Congress returns to session. Hopefully by the time they actually get settled in and get back to talking, we can avoid any distracting after effects from this plan's short misguided lifespan. Sphere: Related Content

5 comments:

wesley said...

Cylimpdick, the White House propaganda minister Linda Douglass, set up the e-mail site, to troll for Americans to snitch on other Americans who disagree with BO’s health care policy. Of course they had to pull the plug because it was fucking illegal. It directly violates the Constitutional free speech right to dissent with government policy WITHOUT fear of reprisal or being reported for our dissent and our right to privacy.

You sound like a fawning school girl with a crush unwilling to see the truth that the Whitehouse could use the site to compile an enemies list which allows the Executive Branch to keep an eye on those who oppose health care policy. Of course the Whitehouse denied that anything will be kept but that’s a fucking lie that in itself is against the law. Federal law states that ALL communication with the White House cannot be deleted and must be kept for legal and historical reasons which translates into compiling all reports of, "misinformation."

This site illegally recorded citizens practicing the right of free speech. The Privacy Act of 1974 provides that any communication of free speech by citizens CANNOT be compiled in any form by the White House or any other government entity.

Cyasspirate and Elirumpranger…we have gone back and forth and are starting to make the same arguments over and over again. You are boring the shit out of your reader. The sad truth is that you have either been totally brain crushed to engage me on the counterpoints that I have raised to your Democrat useful idiot talking points, or you are suicidal maniacs who, once faced with the clear understanding of what is at stake, you want to sprint down that road to destruction.

Rather than debate the substance of my brilliant counterpoints to your dog vomited talking points, you guys grin like shit-eating weasels and label any opposition to the government-heavy health reform agenda as “misinformation” or “myths you’ve heard.”

Despite your blind BO groupie claims that it’s “disinformation,” the Lewin Group — a health econometrics firm that has been cited by think tanks and lawmakers across the ideological spectrum -- forecasts more than 88 million Americans could see their current employer-based health coverage disappear under the House drafted bill that includes a new public plan. (And Cylentard, don’t come back and tell me that the Lewin Group is inside Rush Limbaugh’s scrotum so we can’t pay attention to them.) Part of the shift would be the result of employers making the economic decision to drop their current plans in response to financial incentives built into the bill.

And who the fuck pays $1500 a month for helath care??? Does that come with a weekly blow job? Cylendildo...you are not fooling anyone... you don't make $1500 in a month...at least not legally. OR you are married to Octo-mom.

Both you bitches are paying too much. Someone is really screwing you up he ass....besides me!!!!!

Anonymous said...

The Lewin Group is owned and funded by United Health Care- one of the nations largest health insurance providers. They have also recently agreed to a settlement of millions of dollars regarding a fraud involving the distribution of skewed or false data... The Washington Post covered this recently- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/22/AR2009072202216.html?hpid=topnews

Cylinsier said...

Wesley, if we're boring you so much, please feel free to leave any time. I promise you won't be missed.

As the above anonymous poster so kindly pointed out, your source blows. One day you will probably find a reliable source at which point you will have an epiphany but until then, I can only wish you good luck in attempting to convince anyone with half a brain of your argument with the sources you use.

In response to the program being against the Constitution, it was designed to have information forwarded via email, not peoples' names. I can understand how you would have a deep mistrust of the government after the last administration, but the email system wasn't set up to receive the email addresses or names of the people sending around the false information, only the actual information.

And yes, someone is screwing us. An insurance company. Because that's what they do. As for how much I make or what I do, its not really any of your business. I thought based on some of your most recent comments that you might have matured and you would be acting more like an adult in future comments, but I see I was mistaken. You ridiculous commentary laced with thinly veiled envy-based hatred has lost its humor and is really sort of an embarrassment to your reputation at this point. Have you noticed that no one else comments on hear agreeing with you? That's because you're making yourself very hard to like or take seriously.

Ellipses said...

If 88 million people go onto the public option because it's economically better for them, I don't see what the roblem is. If the public option makes sense economically for that many people, then that proves the point that private insurance is overpriced.

That said, the lewin group is OWNED by a health insurance company... That raises no questions for you?

I don't know where you get your insurance... But if I bought mine privately, it would be 1450 a month. At work, it's 980 a month from my pay plus whatever my company pays.

Do you have other questions that you need answered?

Will you answer my question: what value does a health insurance company create for it's customers?

Anonymous said...

The insurance available to me through work would cost $900/month out of pocket.

Interesting fact: Insurance industry profits have risen by 400% since 1996. The increase in insurance costs is clearly not primarily because the actual health care costs more.