Shut Up They Explained. Leftist Union Tries To Stifle Health Care Debate

Officials from The Service Employees International Union are urging that the DC affiliate of NBC not run an ad opposing a single payer health care plan and a pro-reform group is darkly warning about the possible repercussions for the ad sponsors if they run it*.

The dears at the SEIU are worried that voters might be fooled by an ad they say “will be false, deceitful, and a distortion,”. One slight problem with that argument.

The SEIU has not seen the ad, but is drawing the conclusion from CPR’s record of running “demonstrably false” ads. The station has the duty to protect the public from misleading advertising, the letter argues.

If the ad is aired and does contain falsehoods, CPR could face a fine from the Federal Communications Commission, said Levana Layendecker, the online campaigns director for Health Care for America Now, a coalition pushing to create a public insurance plan.

Put aside the rank stupidity of characterizing something you haven't seen for a minute and consider the fact that a union whose members will benefit from increased government spending are trying to silence the opposition. Damn taxpayers, don't they know their only job is to work so the government can tax the hell out of them and "spread the wealth around" to union members? Silly proles, talking back isn't part of the deal.

As for the charges of inaccuracies SEIU can't back up and the threat for FCC action, I'm pretty sure this will qualify as a political ad and thus isn't subject to truth in advertising rules. This is simply an effort to silence political opposition.

Welcome to era of Hope and Change.

BTW, this isn't just any union but one that heavily supported Obama.

Might be fun if some enterprising reporter asked the President if agreed with the goon tactics of one of his biggest supporters.

Meanwhile you can see more from the anit-single payer group Conservatives for Patients' Rights at their website.

*I erred in the original post. The SEIU isn't warning the station about possible repercussions for running the ad, a pro-public insurance group is muttering about FCC repercussions for CPR.

Part of my confusion was I don't think the FCC can punish a non-license holder. The station has an FCC license but an advocacy group doesn't and as such is not subject to FCC jurisdiction. I believe truth in advertising regulations are enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. Any violations of campaign regulations would be handled by the Federal Elections Commission.

Still, I apologize for the mistake.

posted by DrewM. at 01:02 PM

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