CNN

[...] a 12 million dollar prpoganda campaign, that's a lot of perfume to put on a pig if you ask me http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...-the-airwaves/ [...]

[...] glimmer of hope that economic prosperity may not be linked to an inexorable decline in fertility. A $12 million health care campaign hits the airwaves – politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com 08/13/2009 WASHINGTON (CNN) – A new $12 million targeted [...]

Hey republicans I have a deal for you: Cover everyone or no one!!(No more Medicad, Medicare or SSI) I'm generation X aka the forgotten ones. If old people don't want to help then they can help themselves.

Sorry Mr. President, but it is time to dance with the one's who brung ya! These lying conservative hypocrits obviously have no interest in bipartisanship. Their only interest is doing anything they can to destroy this presidency. They are clearly willing to ignore the good of the american people in their grab for power.

Sir, a majority of voters in this country know the GOP is owned by big businesses like the health insurance co's. They oppose any change. The majority of the american people want a government option as part of the change they voted for. Please, forget trying to please the gop and run over them!! Show some courage and whip the blue dog turncoats into line and git er' done!!!

Respectfully

Charles K.

Those Democrats sure can whine but they can't sell healthcare. Even with the mainstream TV and print media lapping at their feet they can't get it done. Mommy dearest as a gradmother Pelosi and the Permanent Campaigner turning critics into enemies isn't going to work either.

Hey People: Did you read the whole story. Look who is paying for the ad before you accuse the government of spending more of your hard earned money. It sickens me when people on this blog twist the truth.
If you really care about all Americans you will push for healthcare reform. If you don't, you are a very selfish person.

Where were the Town Halls when the republicans were in reign?

CNN all day runs ads for erectile dysfunction, pharmaceutical drugs, and insurance companies. So now we know why they have an interest in "creating news" and reporting lies from the Republicans as if it was the truth....

Medicare and Social Security are funded not just with taxes, but with 'special' taxes taken out of paychecks. I just love looking at the amounts every two weeks knowing that I'll never see that money again.

Stick to the basics – cover kids' shots and physicals, no illegal immigrants (which means tighten the border, deport people and no safe haven cities) and take care of veterans. Then, once the government has shown they can do that, then expand it to include college students. Incremental might not make everyone happy, but it has less chance of getting messed up.
Oh, and get the whole Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security mess straightened up. The government's had 60+ years on those.

This healthcare scam is about fat, greedy crooks on the PHARMACEUTICAL gravy train stealing away the insurance industries’ gravy train, too.

You get nothing – except, perhaps, less than ever.

You don't hear much news about the pharmaceutical industry in the debate, now do ya?

Who spends more on TV advertising, the pharmaceutical industry or the health insurance industry?

Go figure.

More of my tax money being used without my permission.

Take the 12 MM dollars and insure thousands of homeless jobless people. You use the unfortunate for political preaching reasons but not helping them really! What we need is egnach (reverse change)!

It IS about the health insurance company robber barons
Wake up, America: the health insurance lobbyists and their minions in the g.o.p. are stealing you blind.

Hey RATpublicans you can't handle the fact that you don't have total control.
HASN'T YOUR GRAND OLE PARTY DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE?
Just shut up and deal with the fact that Health Care Reform will happen.

This is more money wasted at a time when the country is headining for financial ruin.
If this plan is as good as they say , it should be able to stand on it's own merits.
It certainly would also help if even one politician could explain the reform bill in detail.
As of now , there are 1000 pages nobody has read nor understands.
Who wrote them anyway..???

I know a young disabled guy on Medicaid. He gets $674 per month to live on (he lives in serious poverty). BIG PHARMA, on the other hand, gets $2,500 per month for the pills he needs. For-profit insurance is NOT involved at all.

This healthcare scam is about fat, greedy crooks on the PHARMACEUTICAL gravy train stealing away the insurance industries’ gravy train, too.

You get nothing – except, perhaps, less than ever.

The issue of health care in America is very unfortunate. If people don't support the health that is in the senate floor, what is the alternate solution. These people are used to critise everything in the world including improved health cares in Europe and Canada. Some third word health care programs are far better than the American's. Just take a close example of the canadian system, it is far better than the u.s. health care system. if you dispute it take a look on the recent WHO stastics on life expectancy of both countries. It is time for Americans to grow UP.

Its not about health care

its about the fat middle man known as insurance!

How much do you pay in taxes? how much in insurance? (add it up)

one is an investment, one is agamble......look behind the curtain folks

Robber barons are taking your hard earned money and then doing everything they can not to pay out......

This epic discussion is only proving that insurance is a failure.....burn your money instead.

Insurance , like the stock market, is gambling. But the insurance company's have funded laws that make you pay.

Look behind the curtain folks, its not about health care, its about the high profit business of insurance.

I keep hearing the phrase "crammed down our throats" over and over again by those opposed to the health care reform bills. If you don't want something crammed down your throat, don't open your mouth.

12 million dollars. What a waste of money. This 12 million could be used in ways that would help so many. Once again, Democrats show how easy it is for them to waste money.

When you have to sell something like this and spend this kind of money, anyone in their right mind knows it's dangerous!

Come on Dems, pass the bill. You don't need us. Go for it. Don't be such cowards! Pass it now so you have no one to blame but yourselves when it fails.

for 8 years Republicans did NOTHING, NADA, ZERO concerning health care for Americans. Now they are the morons that are making all the noise on the town halls.
Have you seen them? all are WHITE, FAT AND VERY UNHEALTHY!
Bet you they are on the DOUGH, UNEMPLOYED, and FIRST IN LINE at the ALL YO CAN EAT restaurants!
UNBELIEVABLE!!!

I think nationalized health care would be great as long as it is the same as the one our elected officials have in Washington. This would eliminate the bother of writing a new bill, debates, compromises and the expense of holding town meetings, or don't the taxpayers who pay the salaries of those in Washington deserve it?

Very good and factual ads. Good to see they are placing the lies and deception being pushed forward by the less then educated party.

Another good ad campaign is to visit the graves of all people who have died due to their health insurance company. Then another campaign for those people out there being denied or recently dropped by them.

If all the people that the Health Insurance companies have slaughtered were still alive to vote. This would pass in a landslide.

You can't be denied of a pre-existing condition.

But you can be denied treatment or the type of treatment you get and you will have no legal basis to challenge or sue to get the treatment you desire. Read up on the Healthcare Commissioner in the legislation. Find out what kind of powers this faceless bureaucrat will wield over you.

The President and the democrats in the House and Senate cannot even answer questions about the bill why trust them?

I don’t mind spending 12 millions to save Billions

If you don't want a govt run health care plan, don't sign up for it.

Two groups will get rich off health care reform: lawyers (as always) – I've read parts of the House bill and it is so full of legalese, the average person would have no clue what it is saying. Second are the pharmaceutical companies because there will be tens of millions more potential customers for their products. So, guess what lobbies are in favor of the bill and will spend millions buying off our leaders to get it passed?

Congress and Senate, remember the KISS rule. Re-write the bill in plain English so that anyone with a high school education can understand it. If you can't do that, you're making it too complicated.

Where were the townhalls when bush and cheyney were ramming their illegal agenda down our throats on the war, patriot act, tarp, deregulation....
Btw, if anyone has heard of a republican health care plan i'd be glad to hear it.

So what special interest are the democrats working for? The Unions, Chamber of Commerce, Big Business who want to get rid of benefit cost, Lawyers who want to get their hands deeper into the taxpayers pockets. When Congress, the President, and Civil Service are on the government plan, then will I support a Government ran health care program. The democrats under Clinton already messed with my military retiree benefits by putting the Armed Forces on an HMO system which retirees have to pay an annual fee for.

Well... I don't think this would be necessary if the insurance industry wasn't pouring bajillions of dollars into their side. However, if both sides are going to break out the heavy artillary, (which they shouldn't have), there's no reason to hold back.

Ah... The sweet smell of propaganda.

we had war crammed down our throats. and were called unpatriot if we even thought to question the george bush group. the democrats are said to be cramming health care down the throats of americans. hmm which is better WAR – HEALTHCARE AVAILABLE TO ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS. hmmm let me think a minute. hmmmmm

Where is the money coming from for these ads?

I thought once the Savior was in office, all war would stop, and health care would just happen, and flowers would fall from the sky.

Messiah meets Reality.

How about this? If you voted for Obama, your taxes increase to cover paying for other people's health care. If you voted for McCain, your taxes stay as is.

It would be interesting to see what the polls reflect when these policies are no longer playing with other peoples money.

The Democrats have plenty of cash, the mainstream media in entirety, and almost all print media to sell & explain their message and still can't get it done. There are plenty of IT companies selling very complicated ideas & projects & the Democrats can't sell healthcare. There are no protesters disrupting the Democratically controlled nightly news & the likes of the New York Times or Obama's choreographed healthcare meetings. Quit whining.

Really, I dont know what the problem is. Everyone is blaming republicians, if this program is so great it will pass easily. The democrats hold the filibuster proof majority, they dont need the republicians. Just pass the bill!

On another front, there are some democratic representatives that are asking for picture identification to enter the townhall meetings. I am a little surprised at this considering that the democrats kept pushing back on legislation that required photo id to vote. At that time it was unfair to minorities and the poor, so why is it ok now? Goes to show both sides are full of it.

Republicans are totally missing out on a valid point, atleast the Dems are holding town halls and listening to your points of views. Where were the town halls when bush and cheyney were cramming their illegal agendas down our throats????

More cash for the propaganda mill!

Expect a whole lot of feel-good ads with low to negative factual content–and what factual content there is will avoid the slightest trace of anything negative. There won't be a word about the trillions Obamacare will cost. The "public option" won't be mentioned or, if it is, nothing will be said about the fact that a lot of Libs see it as a stealth killer of the private insurance 80% of the American public have now and are reasonably happy with.

As of this morning, Rasmussen says that only 42% of Americans still support Obamacare–the third straight week support has fallen–and 53% are opposed to it. You'd think, this being a putative Democracy, that the Democrats would quit trying to cram their socialised medicine down the throats of an American public that's choking on it. But democracy hasn't been a strong point of American politicians for a long time–they all know better than we do what we want, what we need, and what we must be required to pay for.

If you're going to get anything other than the stupid vote, you're going to have to stop singing his praises and explain why President Obama's new Special Advisor for Health Policy, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, wrote,

"services provided to individuals who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens are not basic and should not be guaranteed. An obvious example is not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia."

... and that's going to cost you a lot more than $12 million.

I was watching in CNN in the morning that GOP buddies are spending 138 million dollars on advertisements opposing this needed reform in the nation...I wonder why don't they donate to fed. govt....and pass this health care reform...greed, greed, greed...we need to pass this health care reform in the nation,.....dire need is now...god bless....pres. obama...

Not surprising that Democrats are in the pocket of Big Pharma. No telling what other large heatlhcare groups Obama has made deals with to ram this PIG through.

12 million dollars ad!.................Do you have any idea what I could do with that kind of money right now?

OK, so what is the one major group involved in health care that is missing from this list. The one group that does NOTHING to make people healthier, that sucks off profits for doing nothing but being a middle man with way too much power. Telling patiets and doctors alike what they can and can not do. The INSURANCE COMPANIES!!!!
The doctors want reform, the nurses want reform, hospitals, drug companies and medical appliance companies. All groups who make a profit, as they should but because they actually perform important services. These protesters that are against reform, are obviously too partisan to even think for themselves. They are easy prey to those who want t keep the staus quo and those who want to stop reform to "break Obama." We are going to get reform and those red neck yokels are the ones who will benefit the most.

I wonder what would happen if we don't reform health care. One of us on this board losses their job and has no health care. Who will you blame? Will you cry foul or suck it up and die?

"No wonder we can't get a straight answer. The sellers are not even sure what their selling. Business 101: KNOW YOUR PRODUCT!"

Can't get a straight answer because the answers are being drowned out by ignorant morons who have already made up their minds and don't want anyone to hear the truth...they're drowing out the answers while simultaneously claiming that the lack of information is their biggest concern...isn't that cute? As for knowing your product and what you're selling, you've gotta hand it to the GOP: when it comes time to sell fear, smear and misinformation in high gear, they're the masters.

I for one am not against Health Care Reform. Nor do care about the color of our presidents skin. I'am against this Health Care Reform Bill though. Why does that make me an idiot, or a racist in LIberals eyes?
Also, why was my last post deleted? Must be a Democrat who moderates this thing.

Who IS paying for more of what amounts to government advertising? And why do I care about covering the sorry behinds of these Congressmen? Give me a break!

Question to anyone that knows. Why is it that someone has to be fined for not having health care under these different proposals? I don't understand this at all. Why should rich people pay more than anyone else. There is a much better solution to this problem. Why should businesses pay fines for this? This is crazy. I want reform but that doesn't mean we need to fine anyone.

We've spent, what, a trillion dollars or more in Iraq over the past five years with nothing to show but coffins coming home? Where are the protesters? We have nothing to show for this and spent billions. And here we are talking about something that would benefit every American and everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame saying they don't want a plan ... any plan!! And then there're the IDIOTS out there screaming SOCIALISM!! So what is medicare and medicaid? Protest that stupid!!

As a Democrates – we've had a lot of crap ram down our throats for the last 8 yrs....Now is payback. And to have more choices for healthcare...how can that be a bad ideal???

Sounds wasteful and silly since there is no real bill, it is still a draft and will most certainly be changed. The Senate version has not even been written. So what, exactly are the liberals trying to sell? No wonder we can't get a straight answer. The sellers are not even sure what their selling. Business 101: KNOW YOUR PRODUCT!

Funny, Obama makes the insurance companies how to be demons, but no where does he address the demons of trial lawyers.

No mention of reform to control escalating LAWSUITS which have been proven to be a MAJOR factor in the costs of Health Care. But no, Obama (a lawyer) and his buddies sure don't want the GOVT controlling their profits.

As for the TV Advertisements, take the boat load of money and donate it to Health Clinics, but quit trying to spend my money.

as an outsider I find it amazing that you are even having this conversation..you are supposedly the richest most powerful country in the world setting an example for all others to follow and look up to! Yet you cannot even claim to give your citizens even the basic guaranteed health care.I really feel ashamed for you. That health fair in California should put shame in all your pockets.Everything is better in the USA?......I don't think so..not in this most basic of cases. Health care if not a basic right it is certainly a basic human right. Get with it USA

This is all about governing from the middle. In order to reform health care, the biggest players should be brought to the table, then you NEGOTIATE. There is no other way to make it work. Instead of trying to de-rail this, Republicans should be on board. But it is just like their ridiculous foreign policy. Instead of finishing the job in Afghanistan, they exploit the post-9/11 public sentiment and twist it to invade Iraq (which they did not even know how to win!), setting Iran lose on the Middle East and allowing North Korea to get further in their nuclear goals than under Reagan, Bush (the smart one) and Clinton combined. As for health insurance, all they did was add a very expensive Medicare RX benefit, completely UNPAID for, to an already financially rocky program. What planet are these wacky protesters from? Let the smart guy fix this, we absolutely nned to do this.

Isn't amazing how all these libs are so intelligent and enlightened that they know that any opposition to this 'plan' is nothing but redneck, hate mongering nazis who don't like a black president?

No, it's pathetic. The libs are playing the race card from the bottom of the deck. Anyone who disagrees with anything Obama has to say is a racist. These libs who claim to be about peace and equality spew nothing but hate at intelligent, informed people who know that this sham that Obama and Pelosi are trying to force upon us is in no way reform, and in fact is an enormous step BACK in terms of healthcare.

Nope the libs are showing their true selves on this one: Self-centered, hate filled, communists/socialists.

The day cannot come soon enough when these libs are voted out of office.

I watched the ad it didn't have any detail. It used the term affordable which I hope is not a code word for single payer plan which would be a government insurance monopoly that would drive private insurance plans bankrupt. It said reform but all the talk so far has not addressed medical malpractice reform. I guess the trail lawyers come before us taxpayers.

People keep saying this is being crammed down their throats.

First of all, healthcare reform has been in the making for over 60 years, and the things needed to reform it haven't changed. Neither has the viciousness of the opposition or the stupidity of our nation's blind sheep that fall for anything.

Second of all, Pres. Obama could wait a year, two years, and the same people opposing it now will not only oppose this two years from now, but they will oppose everything and anything he proposes.

Example? The end of life counseling was added in by a Republican, and Palin supported it two years ago. That was then, though. Now they see how they can make bigger fools out of their constituents, so they'll backtrack.

Talk about wasteful spending, $12m to promote this plan. How can it be good?

Thanks to PHARMA supporting socialize medicine of Obambi, they have $150 milion for campaign ads. Good for PHARMA they've made a deal with Obambi right in the Whitehouse while the American people are treated as thugs, goons, nazi, mobs etc etc by this administration because they have enough sense to stand up for their rights guaranteed under the constitution.

Who pays for this and why do politicians need "cover?" You know this bill is rotten by how much money is going into defending it. If I was a Democrat legislator right now, I'd want to be a hundred miles away from this stinking bill.

Our clinic's doctors sent the AMA an email this morning voicing their extreme disappointment in AMA's participation in this ad. We do not support the bills being presented to the American people.

That's a drop in the bucket compared to the insurance companies/republican war chest. They have already spent more on fooling the typical boob than the ENTIRE presidential election campaign of 2004.

This is a life and death struggle to keep the insurance companies stranglehold on our economy and our lives as they seek to delay so they can milk every last dollar from people struggling to have health coverage.

Obama's idea is the closest we'd come to reform in half a century, but we really could use more along the lines of removing prfit out of the equation of our health. England has a better system,

Yeah you sure would not want to mention those lawmakers by name. Obama has paid off those healthcare companies/groups for support and look at that they are financing this commerial. So much for the myth that the GOP are instruments of the big healthcare companies. More lies and half truths from Obama and his minions – SURPRISE.

More smoke and mirrors to try to confuse the issue. The left intends to cram this down the people's throat, regardless of what the people say. Just like the stimulus, and the cap and tax boondoggle, the government knows what's best for you and your money. But come election time, the people may know best whose service is finished.

When I read about the "Health Fair" in California which drew 1500 people on the first day, too poor to have health care and obliged to stand in line for hours for this I felt ashamed of this country !
I thought I would see this in the Congo or in another third-World country, not the richest country on the earth.
Shame, shame, shame. Health care is a RIGHT and should be for ALL. Public option NOW !

Will the campaign explain why President Obama even let the new Special Advisor for Health Policy into the White House?

Will the campaign explain why this quack said, "services provided to individuals who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens are not basic and should not be guaranteed. An obvious example is not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia."

Also, will the campaign explain what's up with the "Independent Medicare Advisory Council" (IMAC)? The White House proposes that, under the IMAC umbrella, President Obama will hand-pick five bureaucrats to decide what will and will not be covered by our Medicare of the future.

Will the campaign disclose if President Obama will appoint this Special Advisor guy to be the first Chairman of the IMAC?

Well, if it doesn’t, you can look it up for yourself. You can start at the White House’s website!

And where does this money come from?

Oh, I forgot - by the way I am one of those middle aged white people, but fortunately I figured out a long time ago what the right wingers are really all about. HATE!!!!!

I wish the progressives and the White House well in their fight for health care for all. Unfortunately, it seems like the other side (and the middle aged white people who so blindly follow them) have no regard whatsoever for the facts. They are only interested in derailing the President because of the color of his skin. Pure and simple. Racism and hate continue unabated in this country, and anyone who follows the right wing bandwagon on this issue or any other should be totally ashamed of themselves and their incredible stupid and immoral behavior. Wake up, people. They had EIGHT YEARS to improve the health care situation. Why do you think they will actually do anything positive about it now?????????????????????

Cover? Why do you need cover if it is so great?

Support? You have both houses of congress and the White House – how much more support do you need?

HEY DUMOCRAPS! PASS A BILL! Barry will sign it, for sure! Why the watery stool? Why the chattering teeth? Something wrong here?