LATIMES: Wanted: Obama healthcare reform volunteers willing to be paid $15 an hour

How dare they astroturf the health care debate!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/08/obama-healthcare-reform.html

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Wanted: Obama healthcare reform volunteers willing to be paid $15 an hour

August 13, 2009 | 5:18 am

It seems that, despite all the media attention lavished on e-mail appeals to his political supporters, not everyone pushing for President Obama's embattled healthcare reforms these warm August days is an idealistic volunteer in it for the sake of helping move the country forward and gaining medical attention for millions of uncovered Americans.

The website's large-type headline announces: "Work to Pass Obama's Healthcare Plan and Get Paid to Do it! $10-15 hr!"

It's a web ad on Craigslist: "You can work for change. Join motivated staff around the country working to make change happen. You can make great friends and money along the way. Earn $400-$600 a week."

So both sides appear to have paid lobbyists in this colossal summertime struggle for public opinion and control of the multi-billions flowing into the nation's burdened healthcare system.

The ad links to the Boston-based Fund for the Public Interest, an umbrella organization that rounds up people to round up support, money, signatures, for all kinds of campaigns, from healthcare reform to the environment.

It's currently hiring and assigning canvassers to work in at least 28 states, including California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Oregon, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New Jersey.

"Now is our chance to make health care work," says the ad to recruit recruiters of support for the president's proposals. "America’s health care system is broken. Health care costs are spiraling out of control, throwing families, businesses and government into financial crisis.

"Families are worried their health coverage won’t be there when they need it. Our country can’t afford to wait for health reform that keeps costs down and protects consumers..."

It sounds much like the president at one of his healthcare town halls; (next stops, Montana and Colorado). "We’re fighting for health care that will protect families’ financial health, lay out a clear path for all Americans to afford health care, and improve patient safety and quality care.

"Help make change happen," pleads the advertisement. "If you're good with people and feel passionately about the environment and human rights, you'll make money working for the Fund."

Sounds like an ideal kind of idealism, the profitable kind.

-- Andrew Malcolm

thats one way to create jobs...

thats one way to create jobs...

Gonna need a lot of help selling that BS;)

I wonder if they paid her astroturffing ass?

Roxana Mayer: I’m Not a Doctor But I Play One at Town Hall Meetings

http://patterico.com/2009/08/12/roxana-mayer-im-not-a-doctor-but-i-play-one-at-town-hall-meetings/

E x4: Further confirmation (as if it were needed!) from the Lone Star Times:

http://lonestartimes.com/2009/08/13/obama-camp-plants-fake-doc-che-fan-at-jackson-lee-forum/

Our own David Jennings secured a phone interview, in which Mayer admitted to impersonating a physician, saying — get this — she thought it would help her credibility. (It didn’t.)

Weird; her hero Barack Obama also thinks that lying enhances his credibility . . .

You really should read their entire post. The idea that this was all Mayer’s idea seems rather outlandish once you’ve taken it all in.

Don't have a problem with people paying for a service. I do have a problem with paying people a salary and then calling them volunteers... with the exception of our volunteer army, I suppose.

Don't have a problem with people paying for a service. I do have a problem with paying people a salary and then calling them volunteers... with the exception of our volunteer army, I suppose.

I dont even have a problem with paid "volunteers" to be honest.

The issue I have is the outright hypocracy of those who claim "astro turf" in regards to the porposal opposition, yet have no similar "outrage" over the support side organizing actual grassroots people for the town halls.

To be honest, I have a major problem with the "language" of this debate. It's why I framed the Palin thread as I did. People are trying to start riots and get groups to hate each other, rather than doing what's best, having a reasoned debate, or working together towards a successful compromise.

There's an incredible ugliness out there. There was and is no reason for a discussion of health care to be elevated to the level of Nazism. Hell, it's the opposite of Nazism. It's trying to make sure that all people receive care regardless of wealth, race, religion, or ethnicity. You can see the rhetoric begining to perculate in real violence slowly too. There are people so ready to hate and all they need is permission.

Just think, many of the people against health care reform are taking off from work and possibly losing money to express thier opinion if they don't have paid leave.

I pulled up to a traffic light in Hagerstown yesterday where there were protestors. There was one pro reform guy, he was holding a Obama sign and chanting Obama. I felt sorry for the guy because he looked like an idiot. Why is he cheering for a President that has already been elected while counter protesting a bill that hasn't even been passed by the Senate. wth

I pulled up to a traffic light in Hagerstown yesterday where there were protestors. There was one pro reform guy, he was holding a Obama sign and chanting Obama. I felt sorry for the guy because he looked like an idiot. Why is he cheering for a President that has already been elected while counter protesting a bill that hasn't even been passed by the Senate. wth

He's addicted to the kool-aid I guess

misleading claims made about healthcare reform.

• They will kill the old and disadvantaged.
  
• They want to send social workers into everybodies house to see how you raise your kids
  
• They will force you into a public plan
  
• Consumers will have fewer choices
  
• They have death pannels to determine if you are worthy of getting healthcare
  
• Obama is creating an enemies list
  
• Healthcare reform will harm Medicaid and Medicare
  
• The AARP isn't in favor of healthcare reform
  
• Healthcare reform will add a trillion dollars to the defiict
  
• Obama's Healthcare reform was a NAZI policy from prewar Germany
  
• Healthcare reform is socialism and will harm the "free marketplace".
  
• Obama is going to pay folks 15$ /hr to attend town hall meetings and astroturf the healthcare critics.
  

misleading claims made about healthcare reform.

• They will kill the old and disadvantaged.
  
• They want to send social workers into everybodies house to see how you raise your kids
  
• They will force you into a public plan
  
• Consumers will have fewer choices
  
• They have death pannels to determine if you are worthy of getting healthcare
  
• Obama is creating an enemies list
  
• Healthcare reform will harm Medicaid and Medicare
  
• The AARP isn't in favor of healthcare reform
  
• Healthcare reform will add a trillion dollars to the defiict
  
• Obama's Healthcare reform was a NAZI policy from prewar Germany
  
• Healthcare reform is socialism and will harm the "free marketplace".
  
• Obama is going to pay folks 15$ /hr to attend town hall meetings and astroturf the healthcare critics.
  

Ummm, doesnt the last point kind of prove that its not misleading based on the OP?

You got a link JMS?

Ummm, doesnt the last point kind of prove that its not misleading based on the OP?

It's totally misleading. There are many ways to "Work to Pass Obama's Healthcare Plan" which do not include astroturfing the town hall meetings.

Obama has created a contact center to field questions about healthcare reform. Anybody with an email can send a question in and have it answered. Somebody has to write those responses.

The insurance companies spent 100 million dollars defeating Hillary care in the 1990's. Figure they're spending at least that much this time around too. I don't knock Obama or Reform advocates for staffing up to handle some of the FUD responses or to communicate their message.

Big difference between informing people about whats in the bill and misinforming them. Big difference between educating folks about healthcare reform, and posting lists of times and dates for town hall meetings, publishing strategies on how to rattle the congressmen, and disrupt the meetings.

It's totally misleading. There are many ways to "Work to Pass Obama's Healthcare Plan" which do not include astroturfing the town hall meetings.

Obama has created a contact center to field questions about healthcare reform. Anybody with an email can send a question in and have it answered. Somebody has to write those responses.

The insurance companies spent 100 million dollars defeating hillary care in the 1990's. Figure they're spending at least that much this time around too. I don't knock obama or Reform advocates for staffing up to handle some of the FUD responses.

:doh:sigh..

Still throwing out random accusations of insurance company funding without a shred of evidence to support your position.

We spent too much time on that earlier this week so I prefer to not engage in that endless quagmire with you again.

I love the hypocracy you just showed though!

I'm on the health care's side, JMS. But I think you're playing semantics a little bit. I think the intent is to stop the flow of disinformation and that is a good thing, however, the effect is grassroots lobbying.

:doh:sigh..

Still throwing out random accusations of insurance company funding without a shred of evidence to support your position.

We spent too much time on that earlier this week so I prefer to not engage in that endless quagmire with you again.

I love the hypocracy you just showed though!

Yeah, you ignored all the evidence and even claimed it supports your position...

• Ignored statements from a former healthcare executive who said Health insures are behind the organizers of the wingnuts.
  
• Ignored the WSJ, Washington Post, CBS news, and Politico.com which supported or flat out repeated that accusation.
  
• Even ignored the link on the wingnut site which listed the town hall meettings and listed strategies of how to rattle the congressmen
  

Again you admit the HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY is organizing, coaching, and directing the town hall disruptions. You object only to the claim the Health Insurance companies are part of the Healthcare Industry doing such.

But my favorite is when you said all that evidence, actually supported your position.

Yeah, you ignored all the evidence and even claimed it supports your position...

• Ignored statements for former healthcare executive who said Health insures are behind the organizers of the wingnuts.
  
• Ignored the WSJ, Washington Post, CBS news, and Politico.com which supported or flat out repeated that accusation.
  
• Even ignored the link on the wingnut site which listed the town hall meettings and listed strategies of how to rattle the congressmen
  

But my favorite is when you said all that evidence, actually supported your position.

again, I refuse to engae you in this useless debate. Though I will leave you with the FACT that none of those is an insurance company. It doesnt matter what invisible lines you draw to connect them.

Go have fun in your fantasy land of supreme astroturf hypocracy. I'm not playing today.

Is there a link to back up those facts?

I'm on the health care's side, JMS. But I think you're playing semantics a little bit. I think the intent is to stop the flow of disinformation and that is a good thing, however, the effect is grassroots lobbying.

I don't have a problem with either side educating folks about the issues. Prefferable with actual truths about the issues, rather than FUD....

But I think their is a big difference between educational efforts on either side and directing folks to go to town hall meetings to disrupt those meetings based on FUD.

Again the Astroturf being orchestrated are assembling national lists of town hall meetings, handing them out to the wing nuts along with scripted techniques to disrupt and control the meetings. That's a big difference from going door to door and informing folks about the issues.

again, I refuse to engae you in this useless debate. Though I will leave you with the FACT that none of those is an insurance company. It doesnt matter what invisible lines you draw to connect them.

Exactly healthcare company, you admit.. Insurance company who's industry is actually the one being reformed, you refuse to admit, regardless of the evidence, regardless of the facts, regardless of the eye witness first hand testimony of a whistleblower because it's your figleaf for still having an argument in the discussion....

The INSURANCE COMPANY EXECUTIVE was the whistleblower who stated flat out the INSURANCE COMPANY WAS BEHIND AND FUNDING THE ENTIRE Town hall disruption effort.

Whistle-blower: Health care industry engaging in PR tactics

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/12/health.industry.whistleblower/index.html

MADDOW: The leader of America‘s Health Insurance Plans, the industry association, says that the health insurance industry is being unfairly blamed as the president and Congress try to reform the health care system.

Do you think it is unfair to single them out for blame?

POTTER: I think that she‘s doing what she‘s paid to do. I think that the health insurance industry deserves a great deal of the blame because they‘re very much behind the town hall disruptions that you see and a lot of the deception that‘s going on in terms of disinformation that many Americans apparently are believing.

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/rachel-maddow-show-wendell-potter-health-c

Exactly healthcare company, you admit.. Insurance company who's industry is actually the one being reform, you refuse to admit because it's your figleaf for still having an argument....

The INSURANCE COMPANY EXECUTIVE was the whistleblower who stated flat out the INSURANCE COMPANY WAS BEHIND AND FUNDING THE ENTIRE EFFORT.

its the only argument i ever made.

again, talk with someone else, I'm pretty much done with you on the topic.

its the only argument i ever made.

again, talk with someone else, I'm pretty much done with you on the topic.

The Whistle blower is the Former Vice President of Communications at CIGNA who was directly involved in the disinformation tactics for more than a decade from before the Hillary healthcare debate, through 2006.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/12/health.industry.whistleblower/index.html

Wendell Potter knows a little something about the health care industry's practices and is not afraid of to speak out as the health care reform debate heats up around the country.

Wendell Potter once was a vice president in the public relations department for insurance giant Cigna.

The former vice president of corporate communications at insurance giant Cigna, who left his post, says the industry is playing "dirty tricks" in an effort to manipulate public opinion

The Whistle blower is the Former Vice President of Communications at CIGNA who was directly involved in the disinformation tactics for more than a decade from before the Hillary healthcare debate, through 2006.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/12/health.industry.whistleblower/index.html

good to know about the past.

How about the present?

good to know about the past.

How about the present?

Again the selective reading problem you have is hindering the discussion. Didn't you catch the above article where the Insurance insider specifically stated the insurance companies were behind the town hall disruptions?

Yeah he left the healthcare industry where he orchestrated disinformation TWO YEARS AGO. He doesn't know where the bodies are burried, outdated information and all?

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/profile.html

Last month, testimony in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation by a former health insurance insider named Wendell Potter made news even before it occurred: CBS NEWS headlined: "Cigna Whistleblower to Testify." After Potter's testimony the industry scrambled to do damage control: "Insurers defend rescissions, take heat for lack of transparency."

In his first extended television interview since leaving the health insurance industry, Wendell Potter tells Bill Moyers why he left his successful career as the head of Public Relations for CIGNA, one of the nation's largest insurers, and decided to speak out against the industry. "I didn't intend to [speak out], until it became really clear to me that the industry is resorting to the same tactics they've used over the years, and particularly back in the early '90s, when they were leading the effort to kill the Clinton plan."

Potter began his trip from health care spokesperson to reform advocate while back home in Tennessee. Potter attended a "health care expedition," a makeshift health clinic set up at a fairgrounds, and he tells Bill Moyers, "It was absolutely stunning. When I walked through the fairground gates, I saw hundreds of people lined up, in the rain. It was raining that day. Lined up, waiting to get care, in animal stalls. Animal stalls." Looking back over his long career, Potter sees an industry corrupted by Wall Street expectations and greed. According to Potter, insurers have every incentive to deny coverage — every dollar they don't pay out to a claim is a dollar they can add to their profits, and Wall Street investors demand they pay out less every year. Under these conditions, Potter says, "You don't think about individual people. You think about the numbers, and whether or not you're going to meet Wall Street's expectations."

Yeah he left the healthcare industry where he orchestrated disinformation TWO YEARS AGO. He doesn't know where the bodies are burried, outdated information and all.

Still dont see where Mr. Potter is providing anything that relates to health insurers astro-turfing in the current town halls, he is a disgruntled, former Cigna employee that has "blown the whistle" on Cigna's questionable practices.

You realize he is a paid astroturfer by those that support the proposed reform, right?

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-balan/2009/07/02/cnn-bashes-conservative-ads-industry-insider-omits-his-far-left-affil

"since May, Potter has worked as a senior fellow on health care for the Center for Media and Democracy, the brainchild of John Stauber, the co-author of “Banana Republicans: How the Right Wing is Turning America Into a One-Party State,” and a unpaid advisor to the anti-war group Iraq Veterans Against the War . "

Student activist groups, unions, etc. from the left have been organizing and instructing individuals on how to shout down speakers on campuses and in town hall meetings for decades, so why all the "outrage" now? I'm reminded of the 80s anti-drug commercial: "I learned it form watching you!"