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David Axelrod, The White House on Health Care Print
Written by Erik Stone   
Friday, 14 August 2009 17:46

Hi Everyone,

This is the beginning of the email sent to me by the White House.

 

 

"Dear Friend,


This is probably one of the longest emails I’ve ever sent, but it could be the most important.


Across the country we are seeing vigorous debate about health insurance reform. Unfortunately, some of the old tactics we know so well are back — even the viral emails that fly unchecked and under the radar, spreading all sorts of lies and distortions.


As President Obama said at the town hall in New Hampshire, “where we do disagree, let's disagree over things that are real, not these wild misrepresentations that bear no resemblance to anything that's actually been proposed.”


So let’s start a chain email of our own. At the end of my email, you’ll find a lot of information about health insurance reform, distilled into 8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage, 8 common myths about reform and 8 reasons we need health insurance reform now.


Right now, someone you know probably has a question about reform that could be answered by what’s below. So what are you waiting for? Forward this email.


Thanks,

David


David Axelrod

Senior Adviser to the President"

 

 

 

 

 

The email goes on to tell what Obama and David thinks ObamaCare will and won't do.  They list some great thinks they think it will do, and they thing that other think aren't so great as "myths."  Obama thinks that I am lying and distorting the truth, so I wanted to personally address these attacks, directly.  These supposed "Myths" were sent to me by the White House.  I've bulleted my personal response to each one.

 

 

 

1.  Reform will stop "rationing" - not increase it: It’s a myth that reform will mean a "government takeover" of health care or lead to "rationing." To the contrary, reform will forbid many forms of rationing that are currently being used by insurance companies.

 

  • Obama thinks that Reform will "stop rationing."  For those people unfamiliar with basic economics, rationing always occurs in any economy, and cannot be destroyed.  It is and always will be a fact that resources are limited.  How those resources are distributed, would be considered "rationing."  The question of rationing, is who will be rationing the limited resource of Health Care?  The individual (that's you ), the government (that's the guys in Washington), or God (for you religious people).  Would you like to ration your own Heath Care, or trust the guys in Washington D.C. to do it for you?
  • I'm not even going to argue what "government takeover" means, since it's more of an opinion that something that can be proven.
  • True that ObamaCare may "forbid many forms of rationing" but that can only be balanced by other forms of rationing, since rationing cannot be destroyed.  Mostly, ObamaCare will forbid individual forms of rationing, and convert it to forms of government rationing, which is the natural direction of government in any case.  ObamaCare also tries to demonize insurance companies, as the "bad guy" instead of current government regulations of those insurance companies as well as regulations of hospitals, doctors, nurses, and medical practice, in general.  The medical industry is one of the most regulated industries out there, oh wait, I guess practically every industry is now. . . Then again, it probably wouldn't be such a good thing for government to point out how many mistakes it's made and problems it's caused, when it's trying to grow, and convince people that it's the solution, not the problem.  What can you say, Scapegoats just plain work, especially for governments, and government folk.

 

2.  We can’t afford reform: It's the status quo we can't afford. It’s a myth that reform will bust the budget. To the contrary, the President has identified ways to pay for the vast majority of the up-front costs by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within existing government health programs; ending big subsidies to insurance companies; and increasing efficiency with such steps as coordinating care and streamlining paperwork. In the long term, reform can help bring down costs that will otherwise lead to a fiscal crisis.

 

 

 

3.  Reform would encourage "euthanasia": It does not. It’s a malicious myth that reform would encourage or even require euthanasia for seniors. For seniors who want to consult with their family and physicians about end-of life decisions, reform will help to cover these voluntary, private consultations for those who want help with these personal and difficult family decisions.

 

 

4.  Vets' health care is safe and sound: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will affect veterans' access to the care they get now. To the contrary, the President's budget significantly expands coverage under the VA, extending care to 500,000 more veterans who were previously excluded. The VA Healthcare system will continue to be available for all eligible veterans.

 

 

5.  Reform will benefit small business - not burden it: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, reform will ease the burdens on small businesses, provide tax credits to help them pay for employee coverage and help level the playing field with big firms who pay much less to cover their employees on average.

 

 

6.  Your Medicare is safe, and stronger with reform: It’s myth that Health Insurance Reform would be financed by cutting Medicare benefits. To the contrary, reform will improve the long-term financial health of Medicare, ensure better coordination, eliminate waste and unnecessary subsidies to insurance companies, and help to close the Medicare "doughnut" hole to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors.

 

 

7.  You can keep your own insurance: It’s myth that reform will force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors. To the contrary, reform will expand your choices, not eliminate them.

 

 

8.  No, government will not do anything with your bank account: It is an absurd myth that government will be in charge of your bank accounts.  Health insurance reform will simplify administration, making it easier and more convenient for you to pay bills in a method that you choose.  Just like paying a phone bill or a utility bill, you can pay by traditional check, or by a direct electronic payment. And forms will be standardized so they will be easier to understand. The choice is up to you – and the same rules of privacy will apply as they do for all other electronic payments that people make.

 

 
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