Some political statements should be reported to the White House??

The following appears on the White House blog:

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

The Left are always claiming that certain things will have a "chilling" effect on free speech but this strikes me as a real-life example of it. If you email criticisms of Obamacare, you go on an official list of some kind. Lists vary, of course, but anybody who has lived under the former socialist governments of Eastern Europe will tell you that being on a socialist government's list can be very bad news.

Taranto covers the matter at some length and I like the following comment from him:

At the very least, it is obnoxious to imply that all opposition to ObamaCare is based on “disinformation.” This show of contempt for opposing views ought to make skeptics even more skeptical. And it is creepy for an agent of the government to ask citizens to inform on their neighbors.

There certainly is a whiff of old Eastern Europe about it all.

There are several quite sane, sober and factual articles about the "end of life" provisions of the draft health bill on SOCIALIZED MEDICINE. There is certainly much more than a "rumor" to it.

See here for the bromide that the White House has issued as a response to criticisms such as the above.

Posted by John Ray.