Lest anyone think that the attack on freedom of speech is just another one of those “lies” about the regime, consider the threats to free speech in the debate over the health “reform” legislation. An editorial in today’s WSJ is illuminating on the powers the feds have to prevent speech they don’t like.
Earlier this week, Douglas Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget Office, testified that the Baucus bill would cut $123 billion from the Medicare Advantage Plan, resulting in lower benefits for many and a complete loss of coverage for about 2.7 million.
I suspect that knives are being sharpened for Mr. Elmendorf, but the point here is that the regime wants to keep people from hearing what he had to say. Therefore, Jonathan Blum, a bureaucrat in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has, in the words of the editorial, “banned all Advantage contractors from telling their customers what Mr. Elmendorf has just told Congress.”
On the other hand, the Journal points out, AARP’s communications that cheerlead for the regime’s “reforms” continue without any political harassment, even though they are arguably just as “confusing and misleading” as those of Humana. Actually, more so.
This is just like Animal Farm.
