White House is asking Americans to turn in critics of the proposed health care plan –Truth! But Shut Down by White House!
Summary of eRumor:
A forwarded email from Matt Staver of the Liberty Counsel that says the White House is monitoring emails for opposing views and asking citizens to report anything “FISHY” said about the proposed health care plan. The email includes a call to action.
The Truth:
According to an August 4, 2009 White House Blog entry by communications director for the White House’s Health Reform Office Linda Douglass, the White House is monitoring the Internet and said, “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.” Click for White House Blog.
The email address was shut down by the White House, according to an August 17, 2009 Politico news article saying that, “E-mails to that address now bounce back with the message: ‘The email address you just sent a message to is no longer in service. We are now accepting your feedback about health insurance reform via: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck.’” Click for article.
The blog includes a video of Douglass singling out and discussing a video sample of President Obama discussing Health Reform that was posted on the Drudge Report on Monday August 3, 2009.
The YouTube Video in question that was linked on Drudge Report 8/3/09
In her White House blog, Linda Douglass said, “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 flag@whitehouse.gov.”
A spokesperson for the Liberty Counsel told TruthorFiction.com that Founder and Chairman Mathew Staver sent out the email to alert his subscribers and call them into action with a grass roots campaign to fax and call the White House as well as elected representatives.
Reaction from critics of the Obama Administration was swift. On Thursday, August 6, 2009, the Dallas News reported that “Texas Sen. John Cornyn, accusing the White House of compiling an ‘enemies list,’ has asked President Barack Obama to stop an effort to collect ‘fishy’ information Americans see about a health care overhaul.” Click for article.
Fox News reported on August 5, 2009 that Republican Senator John Barasso of Wyoming said of this policy “People, I think all across America are going to say is this 1984? What is happening here? Is big brother watching?” The article also quoted Rush Limbaugh from his nationally syndicated radio program, “They’re looking for tattletales,” and “They’re looking for snitches. They’re looking for informants.” Click for article.
updated 08/17/09
A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:
Subject: White House wants “informants” to rat out critics
Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman Liberty Counsel
I am shocked and dismayed that Barack Obama’s White House is now monitoring email traffic nationwide if it opposes his government takeover of healthcare. See below and forward this to all your friends! — Mat
Barack Obama has turned his White House “Health Reform Office” into a Chicago-style political hack machine.
Right on the White House’s website, Obama’s team admits that it is openly monitoring web and email “disinformation” opposing Obama Care.
Linda Douglass, communications director for the White House Health Reform Office, is asking Americans to watch their personal emails — even “casual conversation” — in order to INFORM THE WHITE HOUSE OF ANYTHING “FISHY” being said about Obama Care!
Here’s the quote:
Since we can’t keep track of all of [the disinformation] 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 flag@whitehouse.gov.
What is happening in America? Now the White House wants everyone to rat out their friends and Internet contacts if they don’t happen to agree with everything the President says about the biggest socialist scheme in American history!
Meanwhile, the liberal elites in Congress are doing their best to undermine and discredit the building grassroots opposition to Obama Care. The White House must be pretty rattled if it is asking Americans to “inform” on personal e-friends and contacts!
And Nancy Pelosi just said that Congress was in for the battle of their lives when it takes up Obama Care in September. For once, I totally agree with the Speaker!
This new White House bullying is part of the Left’s strategy to stop the grassroots revolt that has overwhelmed Congress in recent weeks. And unless we act, their chilling new tactics may be successful.
+ + Send a “Fax Barrage” To Congress and the White House!
We simply must keep the pressure on Congress — and the White House — each and every day this month.
August is the key! If grassroots pressure dies down, then Obama and his political bullies will have won the day. But if we keep the pressure on, we can refute their tactics and send a message that we will not accept their government takeover of healthcare and its radical Abortion Mandate.
I’m asking you to join me in keeping the pressure on… all month… by scheduling faxes to both Congress and the White House.
Congress may officially be in “recess,” but believe me, Members are getting up-to-the-minute reports on citizen discontent about Obama Care from their staffs.
For obvious reasons, we have added the White House to our fax service! Go here to schedule your faxes and express your opposition to Obama Care and your outrage at their bullying tactics:
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=20706&CID=297&RID=18616313
+ + Devastating Details of Obama Care
While Members of Congress are complaining that the health care bill is far too long and too complex to grasp, grassroots Americans are beginning to read reviews of the bill and what they are discovering is stunning.
Our Washington, DC, office has carefully fact-checked a detailed analysis of Obama Care and what we are verifying is absolutely shocking. Obama Care contains…
..Healthcare rationing
..Mandated audits of the books of private companies
..A National Health ID card, complete with government access to your personal information and even your bank accounts.
..Government decisions about what healthcare benefits you can receive, even from your private employer.
..Employers required to auto-enroll all employees in Obama Care with no options.
And of course, the implicit and completely unacceptable Abortion Mandate. Our analysis of this bill consists of a 9-page list of its most outrageous provisions.
YOU CAN SEE THIS IMPORTANT 9-PAGE ANALYSIS ON YOUR FAX ORDER PAGE, SO PLEASE…
Go here to send your faxes to Congress and the White House, and also print out our analysis of Obama Care and its worst provisions:
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=20707&CID=297&RID=18616313
And please continue to let your voice be heard. Call your Representative and Senators today:
Rep. Mack 202-225-2536
Sen. Nelson 202-224-5274
Sen. Martinez 202-224-3041
And call the White House and tell them to STOP monitoring emails and websites that oppose their socialist takeover of healthcare!
WHITE HOUSE SWITCHBOARD: 202-456-1414
Thank you and God bless you!
Mathew Staver, Founder and ChairmanLiberty Counsel
P.S. Go here to see for yourself the outrageous White House website posting in which the Obama team admits to “tracking” web traffic and emails opposing its healthcare takeover:
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=20708&CID=297&RID=18616313
But you’d better look quickly, because it seems unlikely the President will leave this unbelievable posting on-line once
Americans realize they’re being asked to “inform” on their fellow citizens and their emails are being monitored. What a travesty!