“As the Obama administration spends tens of millions in taxpayer money on unconstitutional “public relations” contracts promoting its “ObamaCare” takeover of U.S. health care, lawmakers have been unsuccessfully demanding answers for months. If documents are not handed over soon, however, Congress may have to issue subpoenas.”
“Lawmakers first tried to get answers about the controversial schemes — critics say PR is just a nice term for propaganda gimmicks — back in May, sending a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.”
“Lawmakers concluded by telling Sebelius that if the request is not fulfilled by October 31, the committee would be forced to “consider issuing a subpoena” to compel HHS to provide answers.”
“The information and documents being sought include everything on the use of taxpayer dollars by HHS for ObamaCare “public relations” contracts, advertising, polling, “message testing,” and similar schemes. Estimates suggest somewhere around $50 million in public money – possibly much more – has already been spent on propaganda propping up the health-care scheme in the public arena.”
“”These efforts have included costly contracts for ‘a big guerrilla campaign splash,’ in the words of one Administration official, to drive Internet traffic to pro-Obamacare websites and produce television commercials promoting the Administration’s positions,” the two GOP lawmakers wrote. “Recent reports also suggest public funds were used to push prime-time television shows to add dialogue with ‘people talking about the health insurance thing,’ according to one former Administration official.””
“Among the television shows being targeted were Modern Family and Grey’s Anatomy. Also under consideration was a pro-ObamaCare “reality TV” show. Other elements of the highly controversial California propaganda blitz included advertisements in dozens of languages, according to news reports.”
“Perhaps even more alarming than the overt propaganda, though, was a “slush fund” set up under ObamaCare that was being used to distribute huge amounts of taxpayer dollars to news organizations. As The New American reported last year, the $5 billion fund was doling out public cash to the Washington Post, NBC, Reuters, newspaper giant Gannett, and CBS, and numerous other media firms – none of which disclosed the taxpayer funding while reporting on ObamaCare.”
Lawmakers Demand Answers on Tax-funded ObamaCare Propaganda
Written by Alex Newman
29 October 2012
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/health-care/item/13426-lawmakers-demand-answers-on-tax-funded-obamacare-propaganda