Democrats Seek to Advance Agenda Via Lies

Mark Noonan

Which isn’t anything new, but this is rather brazen:

Perhaps the most widely repeated Democratic talking point in advance of tomorrow’s health-care summit is that the Republicans have yet to offer an alternative plan of their own…

Yesterday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that if the Republicans posted an alternative to Obama’s plan, he’d be happy to post it on the White House web site:

“The president posted ideas of his on the White House website today. We hope Republicans will post their ideas either on their website, or we’d be happy to post them on ours, so that the American people could come to one location and find out the parameters of what will largely be discussed on Thursday,” Gibbs said.

But as Politico quickly discovered, Gibbs “may need to read the White House website more closely.”

Turns out the House Republicans’ plan has been online since October and already has its own link on the White House website. The White House encourages readers to “read more about House and Senate ideas from both parties on their websites.” The link sends readers to a House GOP website that includes a one-page summary sheet and the legislative text of their proposals.

Congressional Republicans were also quick to answer with a post of their own: “Where is the Republican health-care plan? Right here, CBO scored.” …

Why are Democrats advancing this lie? Because they know they’ve got a dog of a bill on their hands and may not be able to pass it – so the program now revolves around an attempt to run against a “do nothing”, Republican Congress which won’t even put up its own plan. The level of absurdity here is astounding – with massive majorities, Democrats are planning on running as if they were in the minority and if only the people will put Democrats in charge, progress can be made. Look for ads joining House and Senate GOP candidates to George Bush to complete this effort.

For Democrats, it is forever 2006-08.

Will it work? It will with the Democrat rank-and file, but I think that Independents are eyes open on all this sort of thing. It might have worked back in the pre-New Media days, but it won’t work, now.