What a vile waste of U.S. taxpayer money...

[Varth Dader]

Only an idiot would let gov. use the airwaves for propaganda like this.
I can't find the section in the Constitution about gov. having the authority to advertise about how wonderful it is forcing people into a contractual commitments with health insurers.

How thick did you want the Constitution to be?

 

[Mr. Shaman]

So it is OK if corporations control the airways with pure nonsense, but government is held to some absurd standard? One has to laugh at the source of this OP, and their 'about statement' (below). They call them conservative and then say they are non-partisan. Only a fool could write that oxymoron. Weird how conservatives are for a dog eat dog world, and then mention Medicare change - don't they hate that too. Hypocrite thy name is corporate conservative tool.

"Judicial Watch, Inc., a conservative, non-partisan educational foundation, promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law. Through its educational endeavors, Judicial Watch advocates high standards of ethics and morality in our nation's public life and seeks to ensure that political and judicial officials do not abuse the powers entrusted to them by the American people. Judicial Watch fulfills its educational mission through litigation, investigations, and public outreach."


"The 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy." Alex Carey

Only an idiot would let gov. use the airwaves for propaganda like this.
I can't find the section in the Constitution about gov. having the authority to advertise about how wonderful it is forcing people into a contractual commitments with health insurers.

Yeah....right.....DAMN those media/political-connections!!!!.....HUH??!!!

​

 

[kaz]

So it is OK if corporations control the airways with pure nonsense, but government is held to some absurd standard?

Hmm, how can companies spending their own money be OK when you're forced to pay for your own message? Government needs to shake someone down to pay for your message for you. Only in that way can they be allowed to pay for their own message because that would be "hypocrisy" and an "absurd standard." Good point there....

 

[Mr. Shaman]

So it is OK if corporations control the airways with pure nonsense, but government is held to some absurd standard? One has to laugh at the source of this OP, and their 'about statement' (below). They call them conservative and then say they are non-partisan. Only a fool could write that oxymoron. Weird how conservatives are for a dog eat dog world, and then mention Medicare change - don't they hate that too. Hypocrite thy name is corporate conservative tool.

"Judicial Watch, Inc., a conservative, non-partisan educational foundation, promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law. Through its educational endeavors, Judicial Watch advocates high standards of ethics and morality in our nation's public life and seeks to ensure that political and judicial officials do not abuse the powers entrusted to them by the American people. Judicial Watch fulfills its educational mission through litigation, investigations, and public outreach."


"The 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy." Alex Carey

Corporations aren't spending MY MONEY to promote a political agenda. The government IS spending MY MONEY to promote a political agenda.

Yeah....it's called "managed care"....and, pharmaceutical-companies are managing, JU$T GREAT!!!!!!!! ​

 

[Flopper]

(Washington, DC — December 1, 2010)- Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained documents from the Obama Department of Health and Human Services regarding a series of three Medicare television advertisements featuring actor Andy Griffith, which were deemed misleading by a number of press outlets, including the nonpartisan FactCheck.org. The Obama Administration spent $3,184,000 in taxpayer funds to produce and air the advertisements on national television in September and October of 2010 to educate “Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and family members about forthcoming changes to Medicare as a result of the Affordable Care Act.” According to the documents released to Judicial Watch:

“Mr. Griffith is featured in three Medicare television ads and provided his services to the government at no charge pursuant to a gratuitous services agreement. These three spots, ‘1965,’ ‘Music to My Ears,’ and ‘Cozy Chair,’ are only airing in September and October 2010. The production for the three advertisements cost $404,000; the total amount budgeted for the national media placement is $2.78 million, which breaks down per ad to $754,000 (‘1965’), $1,112,000 (‘Music to My Ears’), and $1,390,000 (‘Cozy Chair’).”
​

In press statements touting the new Griffith advertising program the Obama White House described its purpose: “The Affordable Care Act [Obamacare] will strengthen the health care system for all Americans, but senior citizens in particular stand to benefit from the new law. And the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is getting a little help delivering the good news from a well-known TV star: Andy Griffith.” However, according to FactCheck.org, a project of the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center, the advertisements intentionally misinform the American people:

“Would the sheriff of Mayberry mislead you about Medicare? Alas, yes. In a new TV spot from the Obama administration, actor Andy Griffith, famous for his 1960s portrayal of the top law enforcement official in the fictional town of Mayberry, N.C., touts benefits of the new health care law. Griffith tells his fellow senior citizens, ‘like always, we’ll have our guaranteed [Medicare] benefits.’ But the truth is that the new [Obamacare] law is guaranteed to result in benefit cuts for one class of Medicare beneficiaries — those in private Medicare Advantage plans.”
​

Keep reading…
​

Medicare started cutting Medicare Advantage Plans before the healthcare law took effect. Prior to Obama taking office, Congress made these plans very attractive to seniors enticing them away from the original Medicare by reimbursing the insurance companies with these plans at a higher amount than the original Medicare. If was very profitable for insurance companies and subscribers got a lot of benefits not offered by Medicare. These Medicare Advantage plans were suppose to be much better managed than Medicare resulting savings for taxpayers. Apparently it didn't work. Medicare reimbursements to the insurance companies was costing Medicare 14% more than original Medicare. Prior to the passage of the healthcare bill, the government decided to cut these reimbursements. So with or without the healthcare law, Medicare Advantage plans would have been cut.

 

[MaggieMae]

b. “The government's record-keeping was in such disarray 15 years ago that both parties agreed drastic steps were needed. Congress and two presidents took a series of actions from 1990 to 1996 that: Created the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board to establish accounting rules, a role similar to what the powerful Financial Accounting Standards Board does for corporations.” USATODAY.com - What's the real federal deficit?

With the DoD taking a third of the annual budget, it remains unauditable. Do the conservatives ever mention that little factoid? Of course not.

You love to list what accounts for uncontrolled spending, PC, but some of these numbers should be drilled into your memory box as well. Considering that David Walker, former GAO chief, has said many times that they have no idea what its assets are worth, nor what they waste in terms of dollars, all we have is what the Pentagon admits to, and that by itself is shocking:

Pentagon's Accounting a Shambles, Says Report

And nothing's changed. This report was released in July 2010. Was anyone concerned? Nah, we were too busy lambasting health care reform and financial reform as being too expensive. Uh huh...

Pentagon can't account for $8.7B in Iraqi funds

The Defense Department is unable to properly account for $8.7 billion of $9.1 billion in Iraqi oil revenue entrusted to it between 2004 and 2007, according to a newly released audit that underscores a pattern of poor record-keeping during the war.

Of that amount, the military failed to provide any records at all for $2.6 billion in purported reconstruction expenditure, says the report by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, which is responsible for monitoring U.S. spending in Iraq. The rest of the money was not properly deposited in special accounts, as required under Treasury Department rules -- making it difficult to trace how it was spent.

 

[MaggieMae]

But the truth is that the new [Obamacare] law is guaranteed to result in benefit cuts for one class of Medicare beneficiaries — those in private Medicare Advantage plans.

Medicare Advantage is SUBSIDIZED out of standard Medicare funding in order to pay off private insurers for increased coverage. In other words, a chunk of what the government pays 80% for my standard Medicare coverage goes to buy hearing aids or other extras for someone else's granny. I'm shocked that Judicial Watch doesn't know that. Shocked.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

So it is OK if corporations control the airways with pure nonsense, but government is held to some absurd standard? One has to laugh at the source of this OP, and their 'about statement' (below). They call them conservative and then say they are non-partisan. Only a fool could write that oxymoron. Weird how conservatives are for a dog eat dog world, and then mention Medicare change - don't they hate that too. Hypocrite thy name is corporate conservative tool.

"Judicial Watch, Inc., a conservative, non-partisan educational foundation, promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law. Through its educational endeavors, Judicial Watch advocates high standards of ethics and morality in our nation's public life and seeks to ensure that political and judicial officials do not abuse the powers entrusted to them by the American people. Judicial Watch fulfills its educational mission through litigation, investigations, and public outreach."


"The 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy." Alex Carey

Corporations aren't spending MY MONEY to promote a political agenda. The government IS spending MY MONEY to promote a political agenda.

Yeah....it's called "managed care"....and, pharmaceutical-companies are managing, JU$T GREAT!!!!!!!! ​

WTF does this have to do with anything Sheman?

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

Well, when Obama went on "The View", he brought some much needed estrogen to the set.

Seems you're quite a fan of The View.

No.. Watched it once... it was like a bunch of clucking chickens.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

But the truth is that the new [Obamacare] law is guaranteed to result in benefit cuts for one class of Medicare beneficiaries — those in private Medicare Advantage plans.

Medicare Advantage is SUBSIDIZED out of standard Medicare funding in order to pay off private insurers for increased coverage. In other words, a chunk of what the government pays 80% for my standard Medicare coverage goes to buy hearing aids or other extras for someone else's granny. I'm shocked that Judicial Watch doesn't know that. Shocked.

Whew!!!!

You dare question Judicial Watch's INTEGRITY??!!!!!



(...And, they always kept such good company.

)​

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

b. “The government's record-keeping was in such disarray 15 years ago that both parties agreed drastic steps were needed. Congress and two presidents took a series of actions from 1990 to 1996 that: Created the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board to establish accounting rules, a role similar to what the powerful Financial Accounting Standards Board does for corporations.” USATODAY.com - What's the real federal deficit?

With the DoD taking a third of the annual budget, it remains unauditable. Do the conservatives ever mention that little factoid? Of course not.

You love to list what accounts for uncontrolled spending, PC, but some of these numbers should be drilled into your memory box as well. Considering that David Walker, former GAO chief, has said many times that they have no idea what its assets are worth, nor what they waste in terms of dollars, all we have is what the Pentagon admits to, and that by itself is shocking:

Pentagon's Accounting a Shambles, Says Report

And nothing's changed. This report was released in July 2010. Was anyone concerned? Nah, we were too busy lambasting health care reform and financial reform as being too expensive. Uh huh...

Pentagon can't account for $8.7B in Iraqi funds

The Defense Department is unable to properly account for $8.7 billion of $9.1 billion in Iraqi oil revenue entrusted to it between 2004 and 2007, according to a newly released audit that underscores a pattern of poor record-keeping during the war.

Of that amount, the military failed to provide any records at all for $2.6 billion in purported reconstruction expenditure, says the report by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, which is responsible for monitoring U.S. spending in Iraq. The rest of the money was not properly deposited in special accounts, as required under Treasury Department rules -- making it difficult to trace how it was spent.

I bet Cheney and Bush stole it. Yeah... that's the ticket.

 

[California Girl]

If we had listened to the Republicans, we could have had their health care plan. "Die Quickly". Then we wouldn't need to worry about health care and medicare and social security and all that other nonsense.

We need to concentrate on tax breaks for people making over a million dollars a year.

Listen to Republicans. Those people have their priorities straight. They KNOW what is good for the country.

You're maybe not aware of one small fact.... The GOP never said 'Die Quickly'.... that was a Democrat, lying on the congressional floor. Interesting morals that Democrats have.

 

[PoliticalChic]

b. “The government's record-keeping was in such disarray 15 years ago that both parties agreed drastic steps were needed. Congress and two presidents took a series of actions from 1990 to 1996 that: Created the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board to establish accounting rules, a role similar to what the powerful Financial Accounting Standards Board does for corporations.” USATODAY.com - What's the real federal deficit?

With the DoD taking a third of the annual budget, it remains unauditable. Do the conservatives ever mention that little factoid? Of course not.

You love to list what accounts for uncontrolled spending, PC, but some of these numbers should be drilled into your memory box as well. Considering that David Walker, former GAO chief, has said many times that they have no idea what its assets are worth, nor what they waste in terms of dollars, all we have is what the Pentagon admits to, and that by itself is shocking:

Pentagon's Accounting a Shambles, Says Report

And nothing's changed. This report was released in July 2010. Was anyone concerned? Nah, we were too busy lambasting health care reform and financial reform as being too expensive. Uh huh...

Pentagon can't account for $8.7B in Iraqi funds

The Defense Department is unable to properly account for $8.7 billion of $9.1 billion in Iraqi oil revenue entrusted to it between 2004 and 2007, according to a newly released audit that underscores a pattern of poor record-keeping during the war.

Of that amount, the military failed to provide any records at all for $2.6 billion in purported reconstruction expenditure, says the report by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, which is responsible for monitoring U.S. spending in Iraq. The rest of the money was not properly deposited in special accounts, as required under Treasury Department rules -- making it difficult to trace how it was spent.

$663.7 billion (+12.7%) – Department of Defense
2010 United States federal budget - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Gadawg73]

What recent Republican has had the stones, as I applaud their past efforts in the far past, to state publicly that they favor sharp changes in Medicare and Social Security?
Would that man please stand up.
I dona't know where he has run to but his ass is GONE.

 

[The T]

If we had listened to the Republicans, we could have had their health care plan. "Die Quickly". Then we wouldn't need to worry about health care and medicare and social security and all that other nonsense.

We need to concentrate on tax breaks for people making over a million dollars a year.

Listen to Republicans. Those people have their priorities straight. They KNOW what is good for the country.

You're maybe not aware of one small fact.... The GOP never said 'Die Quickly'.... that was a Democrat, lying on the congressional floor. Interesting morals that Democrats have.

And that Democrat's name was Alan Grayson...and that thug had his ass beat.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-usmvYOPfco[/ame]

 

[The T]

If we had listened to the Republicans, we could have had their health care plan. "Die Quickly". Then we wouldn't need to worry about health care and medicare and social security and all that other nonsense.

We need to concentrate on tax breaks for people making over a million dollars a year.

Listen to Republicans. Those people have their priorities straight. They KNOW what is good for the country.

You're maybe not aware of one small fact.... The GOP never said 'Die Quickly'.... that was a Democrat, lying on the congressional floor. Interesting morals that Democrats have.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[jillian]

oh...i thought this thread was about darryl issa wanting to hold a hearing a day.




never mind.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Corporations aren't spending MY MONEY to promote a political agenda. The government IS spending MY MONEY to promote a political agenda.

Yeah....it's called "managed care"....and, pharmaceutical-companies are managing, JU$T GREAT!!!!!!!! ​

WTF does this have to do with anything Sheman?

Try to catch-up, Skippy...or, go play.....​

 

[MaggieMae]

b. “The government's record-keeping was in such disarray 15 years ago that both parties agreed drastic steps were needed. Congress and two presidents took a series of actions from 1990 to 1996 that: Created the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board to establish accounting rules, a role similar to what the powerful Financial Accounting Standards Board does for corporations.” USATODAY.com - What's the real federal deficit?

With the DoD taking a third of the annual budget, it remains unauditable. Do the conservatives ever mention that little factoid? Of course not.

You love to list what accounts for uncontrolled spending, PC, but some of these numbers should be drilled into your memory box as well. Considering that David Walker, former GAO chief, has said many times that they have no idea what its assets are worth, nor what they waste in terms of dollars, all we have is what the Pentagon admits to, and that by itself is shocking:

Pentagon's Accounting a Shambles, Says Report

And nothing's changed. This report was released in July 2010. Was anyone concerned? Nah, we were too busy lambasting health care reform and financial reform as being too expensive. Uh huh...

Pentagon can't account for $8.7B in Iraqi funds

The Defense Department is unable to properly account for $8.7 billion of $9.1 billion in Iraqi oil revenue entrusted to it between 2004 and 2007, according to a newly released audit that underscores a pattern of poor record-keeping during the war.

Of that amount, the military failed to provide any records at all for $2.6 billion in purported reconstruction expenditure, says the report by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, which is responsible for monitoring U.S. spending in Iraq. The rest of the money was not properly deposited in special accounts, as required under Treasury Department rules -- making it difficult to trace how it was spent.

I bet Cheney and Bush stole it. Yeah... that's the ticket.

You said it, not me. Although of course that would be a stupid conclusion, especially since it's spelled out for you that the DoD is at fault for their lax accounting practices. Ironically, Rumsfeld tried to fix it, and it wound up getting even more screwed up.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

oh...i thought this thread was about darryl issa wanting to hold a hearing a day.




never mind.

Or was it Hoyer who had hearings on the bank meltdowns? Funny girl.