OBAMA Administration invokes GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP -- ANTI-FIRST AMENDMENT
The Obama Administration has taken official steps to curtail insurance companies offering Medicare Advantage from offering information to their customers about the Obamacare legislation proposed in Congress.
|
A health insurance plans trade group assailed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services today after the agency ordered Medicare Advantage providers to suspend what it says are misleading mailings about health care and insurance reform. America’s Health Insurance Plans decried what it called a “gag order.” Jonathan Blum, acting director of CMS’ Center for Drug and Health Plan Choices, noted mailings by the Humana group that stated that if health care reform legislation as currently drafted, goes through, the Medicare Advantage program may be eliminated. <Source> |
If any commercial entity made false and misleading statements, then it is the job of the Federal Trade Commission – not the CMS – to investigate misleading statements.
THIS IS A DIRECT ASSAULT ON YOUR FREE SPEECH RIGHTS.
WE NEED TO PUSH BACK NOW OR LOSE MORE OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS.
|
‘Is this what we believe as a Senate — that this body should debate a trillion-dollar health care bill that affects every American while using the powerful arm of government to shut down speech? Is this how citizens and companies can expect to be treated if health reform passes? That any health provider that disagrees with a powerful Senator will be subject to an investigation and a gag order?’ U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday regarding free speech in the health care debate: “I rise to call my colleagues’ attention to a disturbing development in the health care debate. A colleague of ours has called for an investigation into a major health care company because this company informed its customers of its concerns about health care legislation that this colleague of ours introduced. As a result, the federal government has now told all companies that provide Medicare Advantage to seniors to stop communicating with their clients about the effects of that legislation — even telling them what they can and cannot post on their websites. This gag order, enforced through an agency of the federal government at the request of a Senator, is wrong. It started when a company based in my hometown of Louisville — Humana — had the temerity, in the eyes of some of our colleagues, to explain to its customers that if Medicare Advantage is cut, as the chairman’s mark requires, it may have to reduce benefits, which, of course, is a common sense conclusion. Mr. President, this is America: Citizens, either as individuals or grouped together in companies, have a fundamental right to talk about legislation they favor or oppose. That is the core of the First Amendment’s protections on speech. Unfortunately, this is part of a troubling trend of efforts to dismiss the concerns raised by the American people over the past few months. Over the summer, we saw American citizens who raised concerns about the health care proposals before Congress dismissed as ‘un-American’ by leaders in Congress. That’s bad enough, but using the full weight of the federal government’s enforcement powers to stifle free speech should trouble all Americans — and all of us — even more. We cannot allow government officials to target individuals or companies because they do not like what they have to say. This latest effort to squelch free speech raises several serious questions: Is this what we have come to as a country — that an individual or company can no longer factually advocate their position on an incredibly important public policy issue? Shouldn’t customers have a right to know the potential impact of a Congressional action? Is this what we believe as a Senate — that this body should debate a trillion-dollar health care bill that affects every American while using the powerful arm of government to shut down speech? Is this how citizens and companies can expect to be treated if health reform passes? That any health provider that disagrees with a powerful Senator will be subject to an investigation and a gag order? How is this any different than what the Washington Post and New York Times have done in lobbying for a reporter shield law? Would we stand by if the Judiciary Committee asked the FBI to investigate the media for taking positions on pending legislation we don’t agree with? Of course not. Humana is headquartered in my hometown of Louisville, and yes, I care deeply about its 8,000 employees in Kentucky. But this gag order now applies to all Medicare Advantage providers. I would remind my colleagues that I have spent my career defending the First Amendment rights of people to criticize their elected officials, including me. I would make the same argument if this were a company based in San Francisco or Helena or Chicago. The right to free speech is at the core of our democracy. Free citizens have a First Amendment right to petition their government for a redress of grievances. This gag order on companies like Humana and those in all our states, in my view, is a clear violation of that right. It’s wrong. Employers that warn their customers about the effects of legislation aren’t the ones who should be getting warnings here. Senators who threaten Americans’ First Amendment rights are. <Source> |
CONTACT YOUR ELECTED SENATORS AND TELL THEM THAT THIS CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO STAND …
This is non-negotiable – it is an assault on our freedom and our ability to know what our government is doing in our name.
-- steve
_______________________________________________
OneCitizenSpeaking: Saying out loud what you may be thinking …
“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw
“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”
“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS "The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius “A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell “Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar “Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS
