It is time to stop the lies in their tracks. 

Death to lie-rants!

The following was sent to Sen. Kent Conrad:

Dear Senator Conrad,
As a person who believes strongly in health care reform, it is time the Senate started showing some spunk.
There are many of us who have to suffer under the lack of imagination and leadership (as well as downright selfishness and greed) of such senators as mine – Hutchison and Cornyn.
For us, we have to look outside for any hope of decency on a number of issues, rather than to our own “representatives” in Washington.
I am so sad to see the Senate caving to mob rule and letting the likes of “my” two senators be triumphant.
When they win, the country usually loses.
A copy of this will be forwarded to them.
I hope, in the end, I am not as ashamed of the whole senate as I am the two senators from Texas.

God help us all if they cave.

The good news is that proponents of health care are not letting themselves be bowled over by these lies, intimidation and hooliganism.

Here is  a good spot that will take on all points of the political compass (which works more like Capt. Jack Sparrow’s compass – guiding you to what you want, rather than true direction) – FactCheck.Org.  You also can find some fine non-partisan fact checking at the St. Petersburg Times PolitiFact website.

CNN’s Josh Levs has posted some links on Facebook, as well.

The White House has a website to fight the lies.  They call it Health Insurance Reform Reality Check.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has a pdf you can print out, fold up and carry with you.  Click here to download it.

So, you want to know the truth about “rationed” health care?  If you have insurance these days, you have rationed health care.

Finally, I am adding the video below as an answer to another Dark Side lie and a so-called “gotcha” video – pulled so totally out of context to make it a farcical lie (shocking, what?).

You’ll find this video and links to the unedited video here on the White House Blog.

In a letter to President Obama, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, expressed serious concern about the White House’s new program requesting Americans to forward email chains and other communications opposing the President’s health care policies.

Dear Sen. Cornyn,

I take it from your latest campaign statement that you support and defend the thuggery and hooliganism, as well as the racial eptithets, being brought forth by the lobby-funded teabaggers and disruptors of town hall meetings.
How sad.
Leaders used to stand for something decent.  You are standing with thuggery and violence and hatred.
I am ashamed of you  . . . again.

UPDATE: It should be noted that Cornyn had no problems at all giving Boy George Bush carte blanche to spy on U.S. citizens inside their own country.  Where was his concern for basic rights then?  The answer is that Cornyn is a professional panderer to the basest of the base of the deteriorating GOP.

Senator,
I received your reply to my correspondence supporting health care reform.
Apparently, you have no problem with executive bonuses depending on denial of health care to Americans, and are willing to allow bean counters and lawyers to determine what health care America gets.
I guess you guys still are planning on a low turnout for Texas come reelection.
This delaying tactic to kill health care reform is a sad reflection on the GOP. Such partisanship is beneath contempt.
However, as you were the main ball carrier for this nation’s worst president, I cannot expect anything less than the cheap, sad tricks you are using.
With any luck, I hope to have someone representing me in the Senate someday who actually cares about real problems real people face and not watching out for politicians and corporations.
In disgust . . .

Here’s what sparked the letter:

Thank you for contacting me about efforts to reform our nation’s healthcare system. The American healthcare system faces a myriad of complex challenges: rising medical and prescription drug costs, a lack of stable insurance coverage, and a medical bureaucracy that is increasingly difficult to navigate. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this important issue.

I am well acquainted with the frustration of many Americans struggling to meet their healthcare needs within the current cumbersome system, and I understand the urgency to implement sound revisions. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), spending on health care will account for nearly 17 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2009—totaling as much as $2.6 trillion. Health care costs have more than doubled over the last ten years and far outpaced wage growth, and I believe that meaningful health care reform is very important. However, I believe reform can be achieved by lowering the cost of health care without spending more money and without giving Washington more control over the decisions of doctors and patients.

Health care affects every American and I believe we need to take the time to listen to the patients, providers, families, and small businesses who will be significantly impacted. America has a highly complicated system and it is important to ensure that changes are thoroughly considered and not hastily passed by Congress. It may interest you to learn, that I am helping lead a Senate health reform working group that meets regularly to discuss the most pressing areas for reform in our nation’s healthcare system. It is important that Americans have access to affordable health insurance and therefore, I believe we must reform our healthcare system, emphasizing individual choice and trusting patients, their families, and their doctors—not lawyers or bureaucrats—to make health maintenance and treatment decisions. I am committed to improving access to quality, affordable health care, and you may be certain that I will keep your views in mind as I work my congressional colleagues, as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, to address this critical issue.

As Congress works to reform our healthcare system, I will adamantly oppose the creation of a Washington-run government health insurance plan, which I believe is unequivocally a gateway to a single-payer system. I believe that a new government-run health insurance plan will devastate private insurance markets by acting as a competitor, regulator, and funder. Independent estimates have found that such a plan could result in 118 million Americans losing their current health benefits, and leave 130 million Americans to rely on a government-run health care plan. Additionally, I cannot support punitive health benefit taxes on small businesses, which will hurt wages and jobs.

Successful health care reform will put patients in charge, and improve the insurance system so that providers will compete for their business by delivering high quality care at affordable prices. I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator