White House Unveils New Web Site

The White House has debuted a new website designed to "fight the smears" about health care reform. Somehow, I'm still not convinced. The site is supposed to work sort of like his Fight the Smears site did during the campaign; this one, however, relies mostly on Obama's own words as backup for the claims. This is ineffective to me because he lies, so I find his words unconvincing in the end.

For example, take a look at the examination of the claim Reality Check: You Can Keep Your Own Insurance. The site offers the same Linda Douglass video we saw last week, continues the request to send "fishy" claims to flag@whitehouse.gov, then offers two videos of Obama: one of his tele-town hall to AARP ,and one of his July press conference. None of that is substantial enough to change my mind that your private health care provider will fold up his tent and leave once the public option arrives, if not before.

Consider another "reality check" offered on the site: that Reform Will Benefit Small Business, Not Burden It. This one comes with a 3 minute video by Christina Romer, speaking like she's reading to the nursery group, in which she explains the benefits of a health insurance exchange. She explains the "pay or play" provision for businesses. In the three minute video, she offers about 30 seconds of actual fact and those facts still don't change the perception (or the fact) that Obamacare will stifle small business. The "Check" backs up this video with a report from the President's Council of Economic Advisors, again with facts that are dubious and biased.

You've heard the explanation that you "can't define a word with itself"? It does nothing to help explain what the word means. The new White House site is sort of like that. It's the same old treacle of Obama citing facts by citing himself. "I say it so it must be true." Part of the problem and possibly part of his falling poll numbers is the perception that he is not telling us the truth. When he says, "You can keep your health insurance" he leaves off the part "as long as they stay in business" because he knows they won't be in business very much longer. Intentionally deceptive.

The Reality Check site does nothing to dispel that.