Obama vs. Veteran's Healthcare - the New Big Lie

She's at it again. The unnamed "army wife", so distraught at the "inhumane treatment" of her husband by the President, has another email circulating spreading falsehoods - no, correct that - she is LYING about what President Obama had to say regarding the Veteran's healthcare system and his proposals for improving it.

This particular email begins "I don't care what your political views are ... you must read this ... Another look at our president, unbelieveable!!!!" (note the flare for the dramatic complete with four exclamations)  It goes on to seemingly quote the president demanding that those unpatriotic veterans pony up to pay for their own healthcare. (Point of fact: a trial balloon was tested by the Whitehouse briefly in March 2009 and was quickly withdrawn - not a serious proposal)

After a simple google search I discovered that the speech the email is "quoting" is actually a satirical piece authored by the imfamous conservative humorist John Semmens. He had originally posted this piece in the online publication The Arizona Conservative on March 21, 2009.

But of course, "Sunshine Sue" didn't do her homework.  Or she deliberatley set out to deceive those that can be easily swayed by all things anti-Obama.  That the original post was published nearly a year ago barely registers on the minds of those so willing to believe in the "Obama is a cult" theory.  Or, yeah, I'll say it - they're just plain racist!!!! (Note my four exclamation points).

For many years now, the Republican party has subscribed to the Lee Atwater school of dirty politics: a handbook complete  with smear campaign tactics, underground disinformation papers and lies that turn the truth on its head (see 'Clean Water Act', 'No Child Left Behaind', 'the Patriot Act'... the list goes on, but you get the idea?)

In the modern age of the 'internet nation' the right wingnuts have become proficient at viral email (spreads through forwarding) of the ilk that we are talking about here.  It makes no difference to the author as to the truth or validity of the quotes or subject matter.  The real point is to appeal to the 'fear of the .....' (insert the wingnut fear of the day).  This particular email, and the Obama hate speech in general seems to blatently point to 'fear of the black man'. Sick isn't it? And kind of sad, really.

The Washington Post published the full text of the president's speech to the Veterans outlining his firm proposals.  You can read his real speech here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/09/AR2009040902581.html

If you care to check the facts for yourself, here are a couple more fact check sites I trust - even when they don't support my thoughts or theories:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/veteranshealth.asp
or
http://www.factcheck.org/2009/05/would-obama-have-soldiers-pay-for-own-war-injuries/


Oh, and just for grins, here is the press release from the Department of Defense on the actual Veterans Healthcare legislation signed by the president  on October 22, 2009.
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=56357

Its called 'The Veterans Healthcare Reform and Transparency Act'.  Though it won't mean much to his detractors, it means a great deal to me to know our president has kept his promise to respect and care for our nations heroes.

Its amazing that fully five months later the lies and distortions are still going strong. It really is true what they say: "You really can fool some of the people all of the time".

Thanks for reading.


"I will never be complacent again. Been there, done that, and we got Chimpy McFlightsuit (aka/GWB)."
-Terri Sherron
sherron4truth.blogspot.com