GOP Embraces Big Lie Theory

***

In Mein Kampf Hitler wrote that the best lie is the big lie – a lie so "colossal" that no one would believe that someone "could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously". As explained by the OSS (precursor to the CIA), “… people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it.”

That’s what the anti-health care people are doing – the big lies. Sarah Palin brought the “let’s kill Grandma” lie to a head with her “Obama death panels” imagery. That’s just one of the big lies, right along with socialism, bureaucrats not doctors making medical decisions, killing children, cutting VA benefits, paying for abortions, government taking over healthcare, etc. Why is this all happening? Because the Republican Party has no leaders. The Party has allowed the vacuum to be filled by its lunatic fringe like Limbaugh, Palin and Steele, supplemented by the healthcare industry lobbyists. The latter includes the folks who brought us the Kerry swiftboating – a healthcare industry which has contributed many millions to a myriad of senators and congressmen. The GOP lawmakers just mimic the lies and deceptions, going along with their default nut job leaders and healthcare donors like pathetic nay-saying sheep.

It’s disgusting what the Republican Party is doing to this country by ceding its leadership and voice to those eager to spread the big lies. The most popular of these is the elderly being brought before the “Obama death panel” which decides whether they will live or die. One healthcare industry person – yes, just one – manufactured this lie from one provision of proposed legislation: The government will pay for end of life counseling should a patient choose to seek such counseling. So, if a patient and his family choose to meet with counselors and doctors to discuss end of life plans the government will pay for such counseling. Simple as that.

Yet, the healthcare industry and its pawns have turned this provision on its head to spread fear among ordinary Americans. This is not a matter of interpreting a provision of proposed legislation; it is a matter of spreading a big lie to benefit those who have huge financial interests in killing a public option for healthcare in America.

Who started this fear-mongering lie? Betsy McCaughey, the director of a medical device company called Cantel Medical Corp., started and fomented its spread around the fringes of the far right. It is a big lie – claiming precisely the opposite of what the bill’s language states. And so it and its fear spread like wildfire not only among ordinary Americans but up to our lawmakers. Yes, senators are believing it or at least spouting it for political expediency. Take Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa who, at his town hall meeting responding to concerns evoked by the fear-mongering, stated as follows:

Senator Grassley: There is some fear because in the House bill, there's counseling for end-of-life.

[irrelevant comment from audience]

Senator Grassley: And from that standpoint, you have every right to fear. You shouldn't have counseling at the end of life. You ought to have counseling 20 years before you're going to die. And we should not have a government program that determines you're going to pull the plug on grandma.

Could the GOP stoop lower? Not only does it abdicate sensible debate in favor of hired gun, lie-spreading, fear-mongering public relations firms, but actively spreads the big lie to constituents. I believe that Senator Grassley knows exactly what the bill provides. No Senator could be that stupid and/or uninformed. Yet out of fear, pandering or both he chose to propagate the lies fomented by the lunatic fringe of the Party affectionately called the “Deathers”.

How can a miniscule minority of evil liars change policy? It just did. Reimbursement for end of life counseling originally sponsored by Republicans is now out of the bill and off the table.

It is past time for President Obama and his surrogates to take off the gloves and beat the shit out of the fear-mongering liars with nothing more than the truth. Maybe today’s town hall in Belgrade, Montana was the opening salvo. Montana Senator Max Baucus chairs the committee which will generate the bill the President supports. Today the President assailed the insurance companies for seeking to torpedo healthcare reform “by funding in opposition”.

See http://aboutnothing-doug.blogspot.com/2009/08/real-fear-factor-in-healthcare-reform.html

The Obama administration never saw the liars coming. Our president is a quick learner and it’s only August 14. President Obama must use his political skills to win a public option.

***