The Administration has responded to the You Tube videos that are currently making the rounds showing Obama in his days before the Presidency advocating a single-payer system. They have posted a video that puts the comments “in context.” Of course, the video is an hour long so nobody except the terminally bored will watch the entire thing. They then show a current video where Obama lies through his teeth about not wanting a single-payer system.
But what’s interesting here is this paragraph:
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.
Now, I’m reasonably sure that they don’t mean any harm here. They’re likely looking to collect the arguments against health care reform so that they can then spin out a rebuttal. But that paragraph looks an awful lot like they’re asking folks to drop a dime on people who send emails against health care reform, or who post things to web sites. Like bloggers. Like…gulp…me.
I can’t help but wonder what the outcry from the Left would have been if the Bush Administration had posted something on the White House web site asking people to email them if they heard “something fishy” from people opposed to the Iraq War. There would have been cries of “Enemies List!” and “McCarthyism!” The Kooky Kos Kids would have demanded an investigation and the immediate repeal of the Patriot Act. The nutjobs at Democratic Underground would have somehow tied it into the government conspiracy to bring down the World Trade Towers. Harry Reid would have taken to the floor of the Senate and told the world that he was “troubled.”
The Right, having more of a sense of humor than the Left, is taking a different tack. Michelle Malkin snitched on herself. I plan on doing so, also, letting them know that they won’t take me alive. Tevi Troy at The Corner on NRO advocates the same. Hot Air posts a list of questions for you to ask at the next Town Hall meeting. Allahpundit suggests sending messages like: “Barack Obama was once caught on video singing the praises of single-payer health care.”
This isn’t the first time the Obama administration has shown a certain ham-handedness on the Web. The Web site for the Cash For Clunkers program originally had this gem of legal-ese on it:
Any or all uses of this system, any or all uses of this system and all files on this system may be intercepted, monitored, recorded, copied, audited, inspected, and disclosed to authorized CARS, DOT, and law enforcement personnel as well as all authorized officials of other agencies, both domestic and foreign. By using this system, the user consents to such interception, monitoring, recording, copying, auditing, inspecting and disclosure at the discretion of CARS or the DOT personnel.
The paragraph has been removed from the Web site after Glenn Beck brought it to light, but what this paragraph clearly says is that by signing onto this Web site, the government is legally allowed to access anything and everything on your computer.
As with the snitch patrol advocated on the health care page, I doubt that this paragraph was written with any sort of devious intention. Most likely it was just some overheated lawyer trying to cover imaginary bases.
Here is the situation: either the Administration really does want total access to your computer and wants you to rat out your friend who’s opposed to health care reform, or they aren’t. If they aren’t, they should be more careful with what they write. If they are, we’ve got a whole other problem here.
UPDATE: Here’s the text of the email I sent to flag@whitehouse.gov:
There’s some crazy-ass blogger out there who posted a video wherein President Barack Obama seems to be advocating a single-payer system! You can find it here: https://blaknsam.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/who-will-you-believe-on-health-care-reform-barack-obama-or-your-own-lying-eyes/ He also posted a link to other videos here: https://blaknsam.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/more-videos-on-health-care-reform/. He even tried to OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT by providing alternative solutions to the health care crisis here: https://blaknsam.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/healthcare-problems-and-solutions/ and accuses President Barack Obama of using SCARE TACTICS here: https://blaknsam.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/the-obama-straw-man/
This guy should be arrested immediately, but a crazy guy like this won’t be taken alive!
Peace and love under Barack,
UPDATE II: Also, Brutally Honest has the details on Operation Go Flag Yourself.
The Clampdown 
So were you audited like the others?
Not yet, but I’m waiting.