If you need a sure way to identify that a proposed law or regulation is bad news, perhaps the fact that it has to be presented by movie stars and professional athletes to make it palatable could be a clue.
The White House is apparently getting celebrity endorsements to help sway the public opinion on Obamacare.
After all, if that NFL superstar thinks it’s a good idea, all the wannabe jocks will think it’s a good idea. If that beautiful, compassionate starlet thinks that Obamacare is indicative of the Second Coming, then it must be true. And then there is that comedian, you know, the liberal one that wears the funny glasses – you can tell he’s brilliant by just listening to him use big words to make fun of liberty-minded folks – he thinks Obamacare is great too!
The White House is working to recruit Hollywood celebrities to help promote ObamaCare, a top celebrity political adviser told The Hill.
Trevor Neilson, a veteran of the Clinton White House, said he’s in talks with the Obama administration and that his clients are “looking at ways to be involved.”
“I think the White House is very wise to identify partners to help market the Affordable Care Act,” Neilson said Tuesday. “Just like any good product, when people are aware of the many benefits it provides, there will be increased demand.” The Obama administration is working on ways to sell its signature healthcare law to the public over the next six months. (source)
And this is how socialism is going to be rolled out – on a star-studded red carpet.
If this tactic sounds familiar, you need only look back at the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, when NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg assembled a group of celebrities to seriously stare into the camera and shill for gun control. (See that video HERE)
It’s all advertising. Millions of dollars are spent on celebrity endorsements of products every year because it is a marketing scheme that works, particularly in today’s star-struck, reality-TV-loving society. Young people and people of a lower IQ are particularly likely to be influenced by celebrity endorsements.
Another name for this is “testimonial propaganda”:
This is the celebrity endorsement of a philosophy, movement or candidate. In advertising, for example, athletes are often paid millions of dollars to promote sports shoes, equipment and fast food. In political circles, movie stars, television stars, rock stars and athletes lend a great deal of credibility and power to a political cause or candidate.Just a photograph of a movie star at political rally can generate more interest in that issue/candidate or cause thousands, sometimes millions, of people to become supporters. (source)
There is a reason that celebrity endorsement is a billion dollar industry. According to Bloomberg, last year just in social media endorsements, advertisers spent $4.8 billion. That amount is expected to increase to a whopping $9.8 billion by 2016. Many stars get paid to “tweet” about a product they’re endorsing, or to talk about it on Facebook. It is a direct way into the consumer’s phone or computer, and because it seems to be unscripted and coming right from the famous individual, people are more likely to pay attention than an advertisement on TV that will just reach them passively.
What does this mean for the rest of us?
By rolling out the movie stars and athletes, the Obama administration is taking their propaganda to the next level. They are attempting to divert discussion about their unconstitutional behavior and about their descent into a nanny state by steering the masses toward acceptance.
This manipulation makes it far more difficult to have a realistic debate about the topic. While one side is presenting facts (like the one that the Affordable Care Act could cost some families as much as $20,000 per year) the other side is presenting glossy movie stars in $2000 red-soled Louboutin pumps.
If an administration must use propaganda, and manipulation to get citizens on board with a legislation, that legislation must be looked at with the utmost suspicion. Coating fecal matter with a sparkly layer of sugar might make it prettier, but it’s still a turd underneath.
If you know how to work the system legally this is still the land of the free. Free healthcare…free food…free money…free cable…gas and electric. Stop complaining and start living like the government because, it is the land of the free.
Daisy, another great article. Not only is it outrageous to spend so much on propaganda like this, it provides no useful information. Such as the fact that 3014 subsidies for those who can’t afford these plans are based on 2012 wages, and if you were unemployed for part of 2012, and end up gainfully employed in 2014, you will OWE the IRS a return of part (or all) of the subsidy, which they can collect by reducing any refund. To me, the problem is NOT with the nanny state, per se (it works well in many european nations, who stand by the idea that access to health services is an essential human need/right), but that THIS plan that was passed has no benefit to people, is reducing the coverage some have through employers, is preventing across-state competition that would actually lower insurance costs, etc., etc., etc. … it is just BAD all around. So the people paying for the “bronze” (basic) coverage will not ever be able to see a doctor or go to ER even when needed because the deductibles are so high, and they’ve spent all their $’s on buying the damn plan (most don’t realize it is cheaper, much cheaper, to pay the penalty for NOT having coverage) because this plan is designed to further beat down the poor. Hardly the nanny I’d hire, lol 🙂 Buyers beware: if you apply for an exchange, or (now) medicaid, your information will be culled together from multiple databases which previously were not allowed, by law, to combine such data, and the government will have a record of every health service item, every detail in your medical records (which from what I gather is NOT going to be so easy to do if you are NOT in an exchange) … so in addition to owing IRS for any “excess” subsidy, you will also be giving them carte blanche access to your stats, income, health records, etc. You know, if it was an altruistic nanny, who really provided something to us (like in an imaginary nation that spent $’s on education and health instead of weapons), it would almost be a decent compromise. Instead, it is expensive, will decrease the number of doctors willing to practice (or willing to go through med school), and will prevent us from having extra $’s to buy herbs, see a naturpathic doc, etc. Sounds like a win-win for insurance companies, AMA, and snooping government, lose-lose for people (especially those who … god forbid … want to see a doctor). By the way, I noticed in the last 3 months that two doctors asked about ethnicity. This is new, never asked before, and clearly they are putting THIS into a federal database. And seriously, I let them guess. They stumbled around, you could tell the staff was unsure how to ask. When I didn’t answer immediately (on the phone), they asked, “are you latino or have latino origins?” (both said basically that same thing!). “No,” i relied. They then ventured a guess based on my voice “Ahh, should I put caucasion?” they both asked (entirely different practices, mind you), to which I replied, sure, if you want. Lol, makes me really worried that they are considering ethnicity based viruses. Note I did not say race (they used the word ethnicity, but of course they offered up racial categories such as latino or caucasion). There is, technically, no such thing as race, so the fact that they are collecting this is chilling.
My doctor already refuses to accept any form of insurance, so why should i buy insurance? Not going to go to a different doctor, the feds can go to hell
Excuse me, but I need to mention a couple of things here. First, OsamaCare(R) is illegal bilge. Nobody can force you to purchase ANY insurance, much less “tax” you for not buying it. The concept is so absurd that nobody should have to talk or write about it. Or even THINK about it.
Second, if this is supposed to be a “law,” and not a “product,” then why does it need to be “marketed” or “sold?”
Then again, if you can get away with the biggest, most blatant robbery of all time, in broad daylight, by calling it a “bailout,” you can probably get away with anything.
Exactally Big..A few states have begun to ignore the fed.
Demand A Plan To Tell Fascist Celebrity Snobs To Go Screw Themselves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS9RgIbAEp4
I dont make much $
I ABSOLUTELY DONT WANT ANY HANDOUTS!
I also will not buy health insurance just because im told to do so. Further more why should i have to spend 600-900 per month on health insurance when i never go yo the doctor? I like my lifestyle thanks and wont change it just because!
2013, last year TR is legit,
2014, bring it on assholes! If you think you can get blood from this turnip go ahead and try!