Obama Admin Blasted for Asking for Snitches on Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 6, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The Obama administration is coming under heavy criticism for asking for people to become tattletales on groups and people who oppose the pro-abruption health care bills in Congress. One member of the Senate says Obama could use the information to create an "enemies list," which the White House denies.
In a White House blog post that has generated nationwide controversy, Obama’s staff are asking for people to turn in anyone who says anything "fishy" about the pro-abortion health plan.
Today, Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, has asked Obama to get his administration to stop the effort, saying that free expression on the health care bills could be "chilled."
"As Congress debates health care reform and other critical policy matters, citizen engagement must not be chilled by fear of government monitoring the exercise of free speech right," he wrote in a letter to Obama.
"I am not aware of any precedent for a President asking American citizens to report their fellow citizens to the White House for pure political speech that is deemed ‘fishy’ or otherwise inimical to the White House’s political interests," Cornyn went on to say.
"I can only imagine the level of justifiable outrage had your predecessor asked Americans to forward e-mails critical of his policies to the White House," Cornyn wrote.
In his letter, Cornyn asked that the information effort cease immediately and that no lists or sources of information or opponents be compiled.
A White House spokesman denied that the Obama administration is producing an "enemies list" on the health care bill, which requires abortion funding and insurance mandates for abortions.
"We want to be sure people have the facts about health insurance reform that will lower costs, protect consumers from insurance regulations that deny them coverage and assure quality and affordable health care for all Americans," said Adam Abrams.
In a post titled "Facts Are Stubborn Things," the Obama administration said, "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 e-mails 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 e-mail or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to [email protected]," the Obama web site says.
The post is reminding some of an incident earlier this year, that saw the Department of Homeland Security produce a report saying "opponents of abortion" are likely to engage in extremism or terrorism.
In the new document, the Department of Homeland Security warned law officials about a supposed rise in "rightwing extremist activity," saying the poor economy and presence of a black president could spark problems.
A footnote attached to the nine-page report from the Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis said the activities of pro-life advocates is included in "rightwing extremism in the United States.”
"It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single-issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration," the warning said.
The Obama administration sent the document to police and sheriff’s departments across the country on April 7 under the headline, "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment."
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