Taxpayer-Funded Government Propaganda Pushing Healthcare Reform (Takeover)

Most Ponderstorm readers already know that our taxpayer-funded federal government is abusing its power. What I share below is a blatant example of such abuse of taxpayer funds. In short, I’m about to show you an actual piece of propaganda by the United States government and funded by the American taxpayer. It shamelessly and openly pushes an issue that is a central feature in Barack Obama’s radical leftist (and even Marxist) agenda.

On the homepage of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website (www.hhs.gov) there is a button and link (screen capture shown on left; I added yellow highlighting for emphasis) pointing to another government-funded website named HealthReform.gov. This website clearly and prominently promotes the Obama Plan. Along with many misrepresentation of facts and abuses of government power, they even have the audacity to state their recognition within the “Innovations Gallery” that “celebrates the innovators and innovations who are championing the President’s vision of more effective and open government.” Who is behind the Innovations Gallery? Why, it’s WhiteHouse.gov! Shameless propaganda! And the reason given for this recognition is for “allowing Americans to take part personally in the health reform process.” Wait till you hear more about how HealthReform.gov is not about open government and citizen involvement for those who don’t want a government health care takeover.

So I clicked the “State Your Support” button to see what was up and couldn’t believe what I saw. Let me quote what this page read and also provide a clickable screen capture so you can see for yourself (again, I highlighted some of the very strong propaganda words used by our taxpayer-funded government to push a particular government-takeover agenda under the guise of “reform”). Let me quote the support letter American citizens are being asked to sign (there is no option to edit the message or offer anything but support):

Dear Mr. President,

We strongly support your commitment to comprehensive health reform.

This is not a luxury. The continuing, sharp escalation of health care costs for families, businesses, and government is unsustainable. Reform is imperative.

We believe that health reform must be enacted this year.

Reform is needed to help America’s families struggling with rising costs and those who are losing their insurance. At the same time, real health reform is crucial to keeping American businesses competitive in the world economy and for the country’s long-term economic viability. As our country faces economic challenges, the time for reform is now.

We support health reform that follows these principles:

• Protect families’ financial health
• Assure affordable, quality health coverage for all Americans
• Provide portability of coverage
• Guarantee choice of doctors
• Invest in prevention and wellness
• Improve patient safety and quality of care
• End barriers to coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions
• Reduce long-term growth of health costs for businesses and government

During these extraordinarily challenging times, we need to put aside past differences and address the health and economic crisis. Our shared interest must come before narrow interests so we can achieve a health system that is affordable and provides high quality for all Americans. We will support your budget with its reserve fund dedicated to achieving health care reform in a fiscally responsible manner. Each of us must be prepared to contribute to achieving this fundamental goal.

By signing this statement we affirm our commitment to work with you and our Congressional leaders to enact legislation this year which provides affordable, high quality coverage for all Americans.

Okay, let me get this straight: The government is spending our money to influence those in government to adopt “reforms” that will lead to more government control of our lives. There is no way for anyone to voice anything but support (reminds me of dictatorships who have “free and fair elections” with only one candidate on the ballot). I know this kind of thing happens all the time in communist China, Iran, Cuba, and North Korea, but I though it was illegal for the United States federal government to spend public money lobbying for a particular partisan effort and to shut out opposing viewpoints. At the bottom of every page on this government web site is the line “This is an official U.S. Government Web site managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.” This is un-American!

It is an extremely dangerous thing when the government can take our money under the force of law and then spend it to influence public policy decisions that will take even more of our freedoms away. This is nothing short of government propaganda and is wrong regardless of which party or person is in power! Wake up, Democrats, your freedoms are being lost also.

So what can we do about this? Well, I was hoping I could contact HealthReform.gov and voice my opposition to this abuse of power but the only online contact forms available there were very pro-government. Again, I quote these arrogant bureaucrats:

We want to hear what you think about health reform.

Share your story and send in ideas about why we need health reform this year

Show your support for President Obama’s commitment to health reform.

Clearly HHS doesn’t really want to hear what all Americans think about health reform. They only want to hear what pro-government takeover Americans think. So much for being a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

My recommendation is to contact HHS directly and strongly (yet respectfully) voice your views on this abuse of power and being forced to pay for government propaganda. You can do this via the HHS online contact form and as follows:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Telephone: 202-619-0257 (although listed on the web site, it is no longer in service)
Toll Free: 877-696-6775

I called the toll free number and the HHS comment line for the Office of the Secretary is 202-205-5445. You have to leave a message.

My recommendation is to fill out both the online contact form and to call them. You can read more about this propaganda and the efforts of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to investigate. You may wish to encourage Senator Grassley to put even more pressure on HHS to remove this propaganda immediately.