A White House blog item posted on Monday issued a warning against "disinformation" being spread around the internet on healthcare reform. White House new media director Macon Phillips requested that readers report to the White House anything online regarding healthcare reform that seems "fishy."
Reason Magazine, a libertarian publication, followed suit by turning in one of their own. Well, sort of.
Reason.tv produced a web video ridiculing the White House's plea. In the video, the narrator says "some might think that seems a bit big brother-ish, but not us and now now. The government takeover of healthcare is too important."
The video "targets" Reason Associate Editor Peter Suderman for "spreading lies and misinformation about the Obama administration's healthcare plan."
In a mock interrogation scene Suderman denies "spreading lies," to which the narrator retorts "nice try Suderman, you're lying through your teeth you tool!"
As dreary, spy film-like music plays in the background, the narrator "excoriates" Suderman:
It's not just that you have a principled, intellectual disagreement about incompetent bureaucrats controlling 15 percent of the economy through state-run healthcare. Or that you write regularly about the fact that more than 88 million could potentially lose their private, employer-based coverage. It's that you're using reliable sources, data from the CBO, and cold hard facts to scare people.
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) has cooled her once vigorous opposition to an extension for the money-starved "Cash for Clunkers" program, saying that she now considers the matter a "tough call."
"This is a tough call, but at least wanted to let eveyone (sic) know that I'm studying all of it and trying to make a decision that is not rushed, but thoughtful," McCaskill wrote on her blog Tuesday.
Last week, the centrist Democrat tweeted that she "will vote no on any extension of Cash for Clunkers program."
Now McCaskill has taken a more measured approach. She reached out members of the auto industry to discuss issues facing a prolonged version of the program. McCaskill tweetedlateTuesdaynight:
Still getting info on C4C. Phone calls to Mo car deaers today getting their view.Need to know how many deals are in the pipeline.
Also worried about inventories.Chrysler dealer today told me inventory low,& we could be pushing his customers to foreign if we extend.
Will push tomorrow for GM, Chrysler,& Ford available inventory,and if we extnd can progrm be closed down without penalizing dealer/consumer?
Of course the cash for clunkers program is popular, we're giving away money. My concerns are first, that we... http://tumblr.com/xbx2kx50y
The junior senator linked to the aforementioned blog post, saying "I realize all car sales, both foreign and domestic, are good for the economy, but I hate the idea that there may not be a level playing field for the next few weeks because of inventory issues."
Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said that the upper chamber will extend the "Cash for Clunkers" program before recess commences over the weekend. Reid made his remarks after the Senate Democratic Caucus lunched with President Barack Obama.
National Democrats are sending in the reinforcements for members of Congress who supported their agenda but who face tough reelection battles in 2010.
Organizing for America (OFA), the field arm for the Democratic National Committee, will air a series of radio ads promoting the decisions of vulnerable members of Congress who endorsed healthcare reform legislation and the stimulus package.
Some House Democrats supportive of President Obama's agenda, especially those who hail from swing districts, have faced hostile crowds at town hall meetings since August recess began.
"Thanks to the support of these members and others like them - we will reform the health insurance system in this country and make other critical policy changes to get our economy back on track," OFA director Mitch Stewart said in the release.
In a release issued on Tuesday, the DNC announced it will place health insurance reform ads in the districts of 19 House Democrats:
Rep. Steve Driehaus (Ohio)
Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (Pa.)
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (Ariz.)
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (Ariz.)
Rep. Jerry McNerney (Calif.)
Rep. Ed Perlmutter (Colo.)
Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (Fla.)
Rep. Alan Grayson (Fla.)
Rep. Tim Walz (Minn.)
Rep. Martin Heinrich (N.M.)
Rep. Dina Titus (Nev.)
Rep. Dan Maffei (N.Y.)
Rep. Eric Massa (N.Y.)
Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (Ohio)
Rep. John Boccieri (Ohio)
Rep. Zack Space (Ohio)
Rep. Charlie Wilson (Ohio)
Rep. Glenn Nye (Va.)
Rep. Steve Kagen (Wisc.)
Of the 19 members, 15 appeared on the National Republican Congressional Committee's (NRCC) list of 70 targeted districts in the 2010 House elections. The only exceptions are Giffords, Perlmutter, Walz, and Wilson.
The featured ads are entitled "Standing Up" and tout the congressmen and women's support for President Obama's healthcare agenda and their vote allowing the renewal of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
OFA also cut a series of ads called "To the Rescue" which will run in the districts of four congressmen who backed the stimulus package: Reps. Allen Boyd (Fla.), Travis Childers (Miss.), Ben Chandler (Ky.), and Earl Pomeroy. All but Boyd were included on the NRCC target list.
The White House on Tuesday took to Twitter to issue a warning regarding "disinformation" promoted by web videos, websites, and chain e-mails that rail against healthcare reform.
Their message: "Don't believe everything you see."
The tweet links to a blog post written by White House new media director Macon Phillips that says, "opponents of health insurance reform may find the truth a little inconvenient, but as our second president famously said, 'facts are stubborn things.'"
In the video featured on the post, Director of Communications for the White House Office of Health Reform Linda Douglass uses a link featured on the Drudge Report entitled "Uncovered Video: Obama Explains How is Health Care Plan Will 'Eliminate' Private Insurance."
Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) slammed GOP "scare tactics" on healthcare reform.
As the August recess begins, both sides are ramping up the rhetoric on healthcare reform in an effort to win the argument heading back to Washington.
Remarks made Sunday by two of President Obama's top economic advisers saying that the middle class may face a tax increase were no gaffe said a Republican member of Congress.
"That notion that there may be a tax increase coming was planted," Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Tex.) told Fox News on Monday.
Yesterday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers both left the door open for tax increases on middle class families in order to raise funds to close the federal deficit and pay for healthcare reform.
"Nothing happens in Washington by accident...that's the one thing I have learned over the short time that I have been there" the fourth-term congressman added.
Burgess is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which narrowly passed its version of healthcare reform legislation just before recess commenced on Friday.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) warned other members of Congress against antagonistic audience members at healthcare town hall events who may be funded by industry interest groups.
"I hope my colleagues won't fall for a sucker punch like this," Durbin told the liberal blog ThinkProgress.
"These health insurance companies and people like them are trying to load these town meetings for visual impact on television," he added.
Liberal news sources have recently featured items about conservative and interest groups efforts to pack lawmakers' town hall meetings with brash, vocal participants.
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius were faced with a hostile crowd at a town hall meeting in Philadelphia on Sunday.
Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Friday said that it "makes little differenc" when the chamber decides to vote on healthcare legislation.
Grassley, who has been a key player in the healthcare debate, tweeted:
Little disingenuous for pres obama to say "hurry up" pass healthCare. Wk here wk there makes little differenc considerin startup is 2013
President Obama and Democratic leaders have been anxious to bring a version of the bill to a vote, but when that will happen is still a matter of speculation.
Many observers consider the Senate Finance Committee's version of the bill to serve as an important indicator of the final form of the legislation. Negotiations in the committee continue. Look for Grassley's statement to have a big impact on the Hill.
At least one Rust Belt lawmaker will not back an extension of the bankrupt "Cash for Clunkers" program in light of Congress' efforts to fast track an extension and additional funding for the auto voucher service.
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who is a centrist Democrat, tweeted her opposition to the program's renewal on Thursday:
I will vote no on any extension of Cash for Clunkers program.
The junior senator did not state any reasons for her decision as of this post.
The House this morning introduced stand alone legislation that would allocate $2 billion from the stimulus package toward funding an extending "Cash for Clunkers."
After only six days of operation, the program burned through $1 billion of vouchers given to potential car buyers who seek to trade in their low mileage vehicles for more fuel efficient ones.
UPDATED [1:53pm]: McCaskill offered an explanation for her stance, tweetingFriday:
We simply cannot afford any more taxpayr $ to extend cash for clunkers. Idea was to prime the pump, not subsidize auto purchases forever.
We put a billion $$ in cash for clunker program.That's 250,000 cars. We weren't sure how long it would last,but a billion of your $ is alot.
The Congressional Health Care Caucus, a group of house Republicans working on the health bill, said that a "new deal" with Blue Dogs had been formed that unified the Democratic caucus.
Rep. John Culberson (R-Tex.) accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) of silencing his opposition to Democratic legislation. The Texan ran through a litany of incidents on Twitter on Thursday night, suggesting that Pelosi regularly turns off the microphone on the House floor and changed wording in his newsletter.
He even goaded Pelosi into censoring him on "social media."
Culberson also framed debate between Republicans and Democrats as "sunlight/freedom" versus "liberalism."
Most Viewed RSS Feed »
