The right-wing is at it again, fighting health-insurance reform with a fake robocall designed to dissuade support for President Obama's plan. Health insurance reform is too important for the American people, and we can't let this happen. Luckily, there's something that each of us can do to help.
Here's the story. Last night while making phone calls at the Organizing for America office here in Austin, a volunteer spoke with an area citizen who had received an erroneous robocall against Barack Obama's health insurance reform plan. First, the call asked if the respondent was a registered voter, then if the respondent was pro-life. The call then went on to state that Barack Obama's health plan would spend federal money on abortion. (This is not true: debunked below.)
The person receiving the call was understandably so disgusted they hung up before the end of it, so he didn't have an attribution. Legally, the call must contain the name of the caller or payer, and contact information. If you or someone you know heard a call like this and have more information, please contact me at the email address in my profile and I'll pass it along.
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Fight Back Against Right-Wing Anti-Reform Smears
While this is the first report of an anti-Obama robocall on health insurance reform here in Texas, there are plenty of folks out there spreading untruths in order to derail progress. Keep these links handy in case you need to set the record straight:
- From The White House, the Health Insurance Reform Reality Check debunks common untruths straight from the source. It's a "Fight The Smears" for health care. Short version: no death panels, no more insurance discrimination, and you can keep your insurance if you have and like it.
- From the Annenberg Public Policy Center, FactCheck.org is dedicated to debunking political spin, erroneous emails, and misleading media. They're also good about responding to questionable emails or TV and radio ads, and a good resource on a number of issues.
As for the lying robocall in question, currently Medicare funding for abortions is prohibited by the horrible Hyde Amendment. It is highly, highly unlikely that Congress will try to override the Hyde Amendment in the bill. In reality, it would probably cause all of health care reform to derail. According to FactCheck.org, one reform bill specifically says abortion will not be covered.
Feministing has more, and while they share my frustration about the terrible Henry Hyde and his misogynistic amendment, they make it clear that President Obama is not going to just stomp on the law and overturn it. (Unlike, say, the previous guy in the White House.) So the robocall is false, even if many progressives would like to see the Hyde Amendment overturned.
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How You Can Fight The Right Wing And Achieve Health Insurance Reform
There's plenty you can do to help fight this kind of misinformation. We need to set the record straight, and make sure that Americans get real health insurance reform. Some of it you can do right now from your computer, other stuff you can do over the next few weeks as the Congressional summer district work period wraps up and our Representatives head back to D.C.
Call Your Neighbors. I've been making calls with OFA for about a week now, first at the Netroots Nation phonebank and now back home in Austin. After making these calls, I can't stress enough how important this is. Supporters of Obama are still confused about the bill, their relatives are freaked out about death panels, and they're becoming disillusioned. Your calls will set the record straight, and enable other folks to do the same. Make calls today!
Write A Letter To The Editor. Make sure your local papers are hearing the truth straight from the people who need real reform! Write a letter stressing the need for a public option for all Americans. Or, share a story about your experiences with our current insurance system. The more letters a paper receives in support of an issue, the more likely they are to publish one or two. Add your voice to the chorus!
Stand With President Obama. Sign the declaration of support for Obama's three reform principles. The people are on our side, so help show how many more folks support real reform by signing the declaration. We outnumber the Town Hall shriekers in numbers (and brain cells) so let's make that clear.
There's plenty more to do at OFA's Organizing for Healthcare Portal, from calling your Congressperson to Tweeting your Senator.
If you're here in Austin, you can head over to the OFA-Austin headquarters to make calls at 505 W. 12th Street, Suite 200. Next weekend, join supporters at Congressman Doggett's next town hall meeting here in Austin, Saturday August 29 at 3:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 1202 Lavaca. Show that more of us support reform than want to shout down debate.
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FIGHT BACK!
As President Obama said on the night he was elected, this is our chance to make change. Now, we all need to pitch in and make sure real health insurance reform passes, with a public option and a real consumer's bill of rights. The private insurers may have more money and a lazy media on their side, but we've got the ability to organize, and we need to use it!
So, what are you doing to help push back against misinformation?