Thank God for Texas' Sen Cornyn!

ardeagold

ardeagold

New member
Interesting "tidbit". The White House wants citizens to "send" (report) to them any emails they get, or conversations they see on the net, of dissenters to their Health Care Reform Bill?

There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.
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http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Facts-Are-Stubborn-Things/


At least one Senator "gets it" and isn't happy.

Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn is taking issue with a Tuesday posting on the official White House blog in which the Obama administration asks supporters to report back when they receive “an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy” to an official e-mail address: flag@whitehouse.gov.


Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. sent a letter to President Barack Obama on Wednesday questioning his administration’s request for supporters to report “fishy” behavior on health care to an official White House e-mail address.

Here's Sen Cornyn's site...with the story and his letter to Pres Obama

"Sen Cornyan Calls on White House to Immediately Stop Compiling Political Enemies List"

Dear President Obama,

I write to express my concern about a new White House program to monitor American citizens' speech opposing your health care policies, and to seek your assurances that this program is being carried out in a manner consistent with the First Amendment and America's tradition of free speech and public discourse.

Yesterday, in an official White House release entitled "Facts are Stubborn Things," the White House Director of New Media, Macon Phillips, asserted that there was "a lot of disinformation out there," and encouraged citizens to report "fishy" speech opposing your health care policies to the White House. Phillips specifically targeted private, unpublished, even casual speech, writing that "rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation." Phillips wrote "If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."

I am not aware of any precedent for a President asking American citizens to report their fellow citizens to the White House for pure political speech that is deemed "fishy" or otherwise inimical to the White House's political interests.

By requesting that citizens send "fishy" emails to the White House, it is inevitable that the names, email addresses, IP addresses, and private speech of U.S. citizens will be reported to the White House. You should not be surprised that these actions taken by your White House staff raise the specter of a data collection program. As Congress debates health care reform and other critical policy matters, citizen engagement must not be chilled by fear of government monitoring the exercise of free speech rights.

I can only imagine the level of justifiable outrage had your predecessor asked Americans to forward emails critical of his policies to the White House. I suspect that you would have been leading the charge in condemning such a program-and I would have been at your side denouncing such heavy-handed government action.

So I urge you to cease this program immediately. At the very least, I request that you detail to Congress and the public the protocols that your White House is following to purge the names, email addresses, IP addresses, and identities of citizens who are reported to have engaged in "fishy" speech. And I respectfully request an answer to the following:

* How do you intend to use the names, email addresses, IP addresses, and identities of citizens who are reported to have engaged in "fishy" speech?

* How do you intend to notify citizens who have been reported for "fishy" speech?

* What action do you intend to take against citizens who have been reported for engaging in "fishy" speech?

* Do your own past statements qualify as "disinformation"? For example, is it "disinformation" to note that in 2003 you said:"I happen to be a proponent of a single-payer universal health care plan"?

I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN

United States Senator

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Finance, Judiciary, Agriculture and Budget Committees. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee's Immigration, Refugees and Border Security subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.
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http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/inde...4-6ccf4c7a255c

Let's all write to him and thank him for standing up for our Constitutional Rights to Free Speech!

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NewfDad

NewfDad

Member
Honest I really tried on this one but I have no idea what you are getting at.

conversation..flows..ideas..percolate..thoughtfull ness..will-out.. ina n HB n Kesa
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On the topic, this is really, really scary. As an expert in large scale data warehousing it is frightening what you could do with those email trails.

ART
 
Windancer

Windancer

New member
..I am amazed to the point of speachlessness that some would pass this off as "post WW11 paranoia"......I also heard a commentator say that this opposition was nothing less than hatred for a blackman...What has happened to us and our sensibilities ? When in your lifetime has our government asked that it's citizens write in and report negative things being said about it's programs.? When has a whitehouse had it's own press corps ? When has a news media (CNN) owned by GE, strongly supported an administration, then been rewarded by being appointed to a high post, and given billions of bailout money...at the same time being convicted of fraud? and no one noticed.......and no one cared.....The whole thing is so upside down at this point....And all the people cheered........This has nothing to do with fear...or being fearfull, this has to do with seeing our country and way of life unravel before our eyes...
 
Windancer

Windancer

New member
Didn't think of that , Gitch !! wow..so..any dissent is mearly Republican dis information.... actually, at this point, we had better forget party. Lots of the dissenters are democrats who would not vote the same way again. or so they tell me....
 
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ina/puusty

ina/puusty

New member
What I was getting at..was the way that fury of reporting..arrives on the world stage..written to inflame their core groups..whatever those core groups are..from village to village..landmass to landmass. More thoughful types sit a bit further back..and watch and evaluate..they do not find any comfort in flailing. One can have..great emotion..without rabid-commentary. In 15, 30, 50 years..what is unfolding now..will have shown what each and every thread of the political spectrum..'was about'..how it functioned, where positive things arose..and where bitter bile..erroded some fairdecent wit. I lived through the McCarthy era..and..see the mindsets that are being exposed by ..say the birthers. We do have a certain percentage of chipped and cracked beverage mugs..in every shipment, so to ..are there people. We are not..all equal. Each of us..must find our personal strength and play to it. Some..will find formulations for Mars living pods..twill not be..me. Someone pay me enough..and then have a trauma/triage unit handy..and I could go out and find people in only about one week..who could be 'talked around'..to believing that the actual white house was a pneumatic device..meant to look like the original..but that inside..was a faux wall system..and honeycombed INSIDE that series of walls..was a liberal democratic cadre of zealots..who were never seen, never contacted by anyone except the president!! A hidden..private core of stealth workers..and that is being hidden by not letting the public go inside..and measure the walls..as to where they used to be. Yuppers.. I have run across too many people who look fairly functional..but have the depth of a gnat..when it comes to sorting out the truth. They could..but their ability to 'winnow'..just isn't there. Something they can memorise and repeat..is tolerated far better..in their genetic code. So then..That..is what that prev. comment..delt with. ina n HB n Kesa
 
Windancer

Windancer

New member
I think your best statement was "All people are not equal"... I have a friend who asked me "who is Nancy Pelosi? " The amount of unaware people is amazing.... I just hear you saying that 'everything will work out in the end..without comment from the people.' I just don't happen to believe that is true.....'The People' make up this great country...at least so far..any effort to silence them is criminal..so far....and to make light of opposition or refer to it as a 'mob'......We presently have free speach in this country...not to be reported to the government as 'fishy'....dangerous stuff. This should have nothing to do with political party....no party is true anymore anyhow. At this point the Republicans could not organize a childs birthday party....let alone a 'mob'.
 
Windancer

Windancer

New member
One thing everyone should remember is....This should be no suprise....Obama was very clear in his campeign,,,,This is exactly what he ran on...and was voted in for.
'Change'..specifically health care reform.....as one.....It is just that no one had the details..and I am not sure they do yet.. Do you know ANYONE that has read this bill ?
Anyone? Do you know who wrote it ? The devil is in the details....
 
gitchegumee

gitchegumee

New member
Windancer said:
Didn't think of that , Gitch !! wow..so..any dissent is mearly Republican dis information.... actually, at this point, we had better forget party. Lots of the dissenters are democrats who would not vote the same way again. or so they tell me....
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Depends on the topic and your prospective. Obviously, on this topic, your prospective is different than mine. Nothing anyone here says is going to change that. :)
 
KodysGrandma

KodysGrandma

New member
HWGA- while sometimes it is wise to wait a little while and see what happens, that is NOT always true. If I see a poisonous snake I am NOT going to wait and see if it strikes me, I am either going to kill it or get out of its way. Time is NOT always a friend, particularly is instances like this. Let this go on and WOW, we are ALL in big trouble.
 
Windancer

Windancer

New member
Gitchie....you have every right and I applaud you..perhaps you could teach me something if you know what is in the bill....
 
ardeagold

ardeagold

New member
Sounds like post WWII paranoia again
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Ronnie... History tends to be a good teacher, don't you think? It's a shame more people weren't a bit "paranoid" PRE- WWII. But no...charisma often wins out over common sense, and too many people are like sheep. (I think the current term is "sheeple").

But if the disinformation is stopped how will the Republicans get their message out?
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Gitchee ... maybe we can enlist ACORN?
 
gitchegumee

gitchegumee

New member
Windancer said:
Gitchie....you have every right and I applaud you..perhaps you could teach me something if you know what is in the bill....
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I believe that access to affordable healthcare is a fundamental right as a human being. As Jefferson so eloquently said: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Without your health you can enjoy none of these.

Most likely what is being proposed is not the "best" solution. But something needs to be done to address the escalating cost of healthcare and assist the millions of people who can not afford healthcare and/or insurance.

I believe the government (meaning the collective citizens) has a responsibility (duty) to take care of those unable to take care of themselves. If it costs me a few dollars more than so be it. I know that belief will puts me at odds with a lot of people.

For those complaining that this will hurt business, I disagree. The same arguments were made about Social Security and Unemployment Insurance, etc. Seems to me that business has done just fine over the long haul and those programs have helped make life better for millions and millions of people.

The last time I checked the Constitution reads: of the people, by the people and for the people. I do not recall an amendment replacing the words people with business.

I have no patience with those behind the scare tactics that have become all too prevalent in today's politics.

Just my two cents.
 
ina/puusty

ina/puusty

New member
Secessionist movements are always underway. It is a societal 'clotting' mechanism..and when a group feels so isolated from the main flow..they shut-down, and firm-up their particular 'numbers'..but then..like the mormon enclaves with many wives to one 'husband'..they lose traction with..the major flow of the countys citizens..and thus..are driven even further..underground. They injure themselves..and eventually..they and theirs..become..nonfunctional..as the system rejects them. Takes some years..sometimes genertions. ina n HB n Kesa
 
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