Who I’m Going to Report for Spreading Misinformation about Health Care Reform

I’m sure by now everyone has seen the White House’s call for reporting anyone who is spreading “misinformation” or anything “fishy” about Obama’s proposed health care reform to [email protected].

Already, folks and Reason Magazine and the National Taxpayers Union have decided to report themselves. However, I think Americans for Tax Reform has the right idea – reporting Barack Obama for spreading misinformation.

For instance:

• Obama claims that his health care reform bill would reduce federal spending, but the Congressional Budget Office estimates it would be a $2.7 trillion increase.
• Obama claims (in fact, the call to report misinformation itself states) that “you can keep your current insurance.” But the While House had to add the caveat that he “shouldn’t be taken literally” – your employer may drop your current coverage, or private plans may be crowded out, or your plan may not meet new federal mandates – only that you would not be forced to enroll in the government program.
• Obama’s infomercial on health care reform contained a lot of fluffy words – ‘choice,’ ‘freedom,’ ‘marketplace.’ But the actual legislation has few of those, and more words like ‘prohibit,’ ‘taxes,’ and ‘regulate.’
• Obama attacked John McCain during last year’s presidential campaign for proposing taxing employer-provided health care benefits as compensation, even though McCain also proposed a tax credit more than compensating for taxing employer benefits. Obama now supports a plan that would tax employer provided health care benefits – only without an offsetting tax credit.
• Obama said he would veto any tax on anyone making under $250,000 per year. The proposal he support would tax everyone who doesn’t have insurance – most of whom make under $250,000 per year.
• Obama said he would not raise tax rates above what they were under Bill Clinton. However, the health care “surtax” he supports would certainly do this.
• Obama claims countries with single-payer systems have better health care then the United States with a free market system. But the U.S. does not have a free market in health care and other countries rely on private care as well. And the quality of care in the U.S. is better.
• Obama claims his plan would reduce the cost of health care. It won’t. In fact, it will likely increase health care inflation.
• Obama denies his plan will “ration care”, but it would have to.
• Obama claims critics support the status quo and offer no alternative. We don’t endorse the status quo, and we do offer alternatives.

For those who want to get more information about the problems with ObamaCare and free market alternatives – and aren’t afraid of being put on the White House’s enemies list – the Patients First Bus Tour will hit Pennsylvania next week.