The White House Push for Citizen Informants

[Harshaw]

Can you imagine how the press would've reacted if Bush asked people to report "fishy" news stories and columns to the White House?

One of the points raised in the vid.

 

[UtahBill]

Aren't emails part of free speech? This makes people think twice about sending an email.

depends on the content of the email....I get a lot of anti-obama junk because my friends think I am as far right as they are.
Being a moderate, I see stupidity in one party as easily as the other.

Free speech shouldn't be used as an excuse to spread lies.

 

[UtahBill]

It is as likely or moreso than any other explanation. The White House knows they have to maintain records. They also have no reason to maintain some nefarious list. In point of fact, such a list would be politically dangerous.



The person who made the video is making the same types of speculations, and yet you consider his points good. It's almost as if you ignore any explanation but the one you like...

If you want to talk about the law, show me how her words cannot be interpreted any way but illegally.




"hey, I got this email which says this. Is it true?" How is that somehow "informing on others".



Alot of nutball objections are being passed around in relation to this. It's just good politics to counter them.

I agree, and would like to see more such informing, especially against law makers who become law breakers, and Wall Street money whores as well.
Any form of betrayal of the public trust should be reported immediately...

 

[mpg]

depends on the content of the email....I get a lot of anti-obama junk because my friends think I am as far right as they are.
Being a moderate, I see stupidity in one party as easily as the other.

Free speech shouldn't be used as an excuse to spread lies.

Noone is defending lying or even the content of these emails. This thread is about the actions of the White House. Your comment belongs in some other thread.

 

[UtahBill]

Noone is defending lying or even the content of these emails. This thread is about the actions of the White House. Your comment belongs in some other thread.

your opinion is noted and ignored....you brought up emails, I gave an example of how people misuse emails to spread lies....if you don't like it, feel free to ignore it, and me...

Telling lies is not free speech, and even the president has a right to defend himself from people who use the internet to spread lies.

 

[Harshaw]

Well, except in certain specific contexts, telling lies IS free speech -- and those contexts are QUITE narrow when it comes to public issues and public persons.

Now, that doesn't make it right, but it IS free speech.

 

[mpg]

your opinion is noted and ignored....you brought up emails, I gave an example of how people misuse emails to spread lies....if you don't like it, feel free to ignore it, and me...

Telling lies is not free speech, and even the president has a right to defend himself from people who use the internet to spread lies.

Post #31 aside, there's no guarantee that all of the emails forwarded to the White House will be lies. I sent an email to my brother with a link to a video where Obama said that the public option is a stepping stone to the single payer system. Is there any dishonesty there? When the White House said to forward emails, they gave as an example emails that "falsely" claimed that Obama favors a single payer system. Should my brother (a Democrat and an Obama supporter) turn me in like the White House said he should?

 

[UtahBill]

Post #31 aside, there's no guarantee that all of the emails forwarded to the White House will be lies. I sent an email to my brother with a link to a video where Obama said that the public option is a stepping stone to the single payer system. Is there any dishonesty there? When the White House said to forward emails, they gave as an example emails that "falsely" claimed that Obama favors a single payer system. Should my brother (a Democrat and an Obama supporter) turn me in like the White House said he should?

my brother would turn me in for a case of beer....:2razz:

Most of the jokes I get in my emails about Obama are funny, and as deserved as any other politicians, but SOME of the stuff I get are blatant lies and mean spirited and purposely trying to kill healthcare reform, which I think we need.
If any side can't argue its points on the issues up front and openly, without blatant lies, it should just shut the hell up.
Long run, those lies will hurt their cause. The American public isn't completely gullible, eventually, the truth will come out.
And the reason it shows up in emails instead of open debate in public meetings is because the politicians are afraid of being quoted next election cycle....so they are having their more gullible followers do their dirty deeds for them.

 

[mpg]

Bill,

Do you believe that the ends justify the means in this case? Is health insurance reform so necessary that it justifies such drastic measures? Should the government be deciding which issues are important enough to do something like this? Would it've bothered you if the Bush Administration had done the exact same thing?

 

[UtahBill]

Bill,

Do you believe that the ends justify the means in this case? Is health insurance reform so necessary that it justifies such drastic measures? Should the government be deciding which issues are important enough to do something like this? Would it've bothered you if the Bush Administration had done the exact same thing?

It bothers me that ordinary people, even with insurance, have to lose all they have to keep a child alive.
The average citizen should be responsible for their own preventative health care, and most illnesses/injuries up to a certain dollar amount a year and that should be deductible against income. That includes the cost of their required insurance.
After that, the govt should pick up the tab.
We have a grandchild with an inoperable brain tumor that is treated with chemo. During the process, she developed an operable tumor as well. If her parents hadn't opted to pay extra for the 100% coverage after the $1500 annual deductible per child, they would be bankrupt on just the 20% they would have had to pay, had they selected 80%. Chemo is not cheap. Neither is brain surgery.
People who choose to go without insurance are a big part of this problem. We are required to have insurance to drive a car, and a license to have a dog, but we are not required to have health insurance for our unlicensed children.
IF it takes drastic measures to force responsibility on people, so be it.

Which drastic measures (proposed at this point) are you concerned about?
Surely you don't believe the blatant lies that are being spread?

 

[mpg]

It bothers me that ordinary people, even with insurance, have to lose all they have to keep a child alive.
The average citizen should be responsible for their own preventative health care, and most illnesses/injuries up to a certain dollar amount a year and that should be deductible against income. That includes the cost of their required insurance.
After that, the govt should pick up the tab.
We have a grandchild with an inoperable brain tumor that is treated with chemo. During the process, she developed an operable tumor as well. If her parents hadn't opted to pay extra for the 100% coverage after the $1500 annual deductible per child, they would be bankrupt on just the 20% they would have had to pay, had they selected 80%. Chemo is not cheap. Neither is brain surgery.
People who choose to go without insurance are a big part of this problem. We are required to have insurance to drive a car, and a license to have a dog, but we are not required to have health insurance for our unlicensed children.
IF it takes drastic measures to force responsibility on people, so be it.

Which drastic measures (proposed at this point) are you concerned about?
Surely you don't believe the blatant lies that are being spread?

I thought it was obvious. When I said "drastic measures" I was referring to the White House's request to forward emails. Do you think that it's up to the government to decide whether or not health-insurance-reform is a big enough issue to resort such drastic measures?

 

[UtahBill]

I thought it was obvious. When I said "drastic measures" I was referring to the White House's request to forward emails. Do you think that it's up to the government to decide whether or not health-insurance-reform is a big enough issue to resort such drastic measures?

If the opposition goes drastic, why not go drastic yourself? You can't let a minority of rabble rousers decide for the rest of us...

 

[Harshaw]

If the opposition goes drastic, why not go drastic yourself? You can't let a minority of rabble rousers decide for the rest of us...

That line of thought could be used to justify a great many unsavory things, and they're particularly unsavory when it's the government doing them.

 

[UtahBill]

That line of thought could be used to justify a great many unsavory things, and they're particularly unsavory when it's the government doing them.

so who is behind the mob mentality that has been presented lately?
IF not the GOP, who?

 

[Harshaw]

so who is behind the mob mentality that has been presented lately?
IF not the GOP, who?

I don't see a grand design, if that's what you're saying.

But it any case, it doesn't matter to what I said.

 

[celticlord]

so who is behind the mob mentality that has been presented lately?
IF not the GOP, who?

That selfsame mob. As is usually the case.

 

[Harshaw]

Looks like the White House is ending the e-mail address:

White House disables e-tip box - Mike Allen - POLITICO.com

 

[formerroadie]

Post #31 aside, there's no guarantee that all of the emails forwarded to the White House will be lies. I sent an email to my brother with a link to a video where Obama said that the public option is a stepping stone to the single payer system. Is there any dishonesty there? When the White House said to forward emails, they gave as an example emails that "falsely" claimed that Obama favors a single payer system. Should my brother (a Democrat and an Obama supporter) turn me in like the White House said he should?

except they aren't asking to turn you in. God. The paranoia is insane.

 

[mpg]

except they aren't asking to turn you in. God. The paranoia is insane.

Is that what you said when you first heard about the warrantless wiretaps?

 

[UtahBill]

Is that what you said when you first heard about the warrantless wiretaps?

The govt can listen to my phone conversations anytime they want. They will find them incredibly boring.
If you aren't doing anything wrong, it doesn't matter who knows.

 

[mpg]

The govt can listen to my phone conversations anytime they want. They will find them incredibly boring.
If you aren't doing anything wrong, it doesn't matter who knows.

That's contrary to the libertarian philosophy that this country was founded on. Nothing is more American than mistrust of government.

 

[UtahBill]

That's contrary to the libertarian philosophy that this country was founded on. Nothing is more American than mistrust of government.

Wait up, cowboy....others tell me this country was founded on Christian principles. So what is it, libertarian philosophy or christian principles?:2razz:

 

[mpg]

Wait up, cowboy....others tell me this country was founded on Christian principles. So what is it, libertarian philosophy or christian principles?:2razz:

It can't be both? Plus other things too?

 

[UtahBill]

It can't be both? Plus other things too?

sounds like grounds for a good fight between libertarians and christians, but if you want to be boring about it.....:2razz:

 

[mpg]

sounds like grounds for a good fight between libertarians and christians, but if you want to be boring about it.....:2razz:

Regardless, you might not mind the government tapping your phone but when Bush tapped the phones of non-citizens, some people were so outraged that they were willing to sacrifice national security, yet they were conspicuously silent when Obama voted to do the same thing. Their silence on this is even more conspicuous.