Every time I think this administration had grasped the modern vernacular, they say something that is so utterly tone deaf I can't hope to believe it's true except that it was probably said on national television.
This time, though, Joe Biden isn't accidentlaly referrring to every Dunkin Donuts employee as being from the Asian subcontinent. This time, Kathleen Sebelius is scaring the shit out of America with the promise of re-education should you find yourself opposed to your new healthcare overlords.
"Unfortunately, there still is a great deal of confusion about what is in [the reform law] and what isn't," Sebelius told ABC News Radio in an interview Monday.
With several vulnerable House Democrats touting their votes against the bill, and Republicans running on repeal, Sebelius said "misinformation given on a 24/7 basis" has led to the enduring opposition nearly six months after the lengthy debate ended in Congress.
"So, we have a lot of reeducation to do," Sebelius said.
The administration is particularly concerned about the views of senior citizens - who "have been a target of a lot of the misinformation," according to the health secretary.
You know, following a weekend like the last weekend, where thousands of people gathered to hear Glenn Beck preach from a pulpit about vauge notions of Americanism or something, the last thing the administration really needed in this public relations war was a statement that makes them sound like they're planning to execute martial law and move everyone into those creepy booths they had for Stormtroopers in Clone Wars where the hose attaches to your forehead and you suddenly remember how bad life was under the Jedi. I mean, how stupid do you have to be? Especially to use the term in connection with a program that's already threateningly bureaucratic and kind of creepy in the mid-40s propaganda film strip sort of way.
The worst part is, if they're actually planning on doing any kind of re-education, grainy instructional videos in public schools or otherwise, they've got a really tall order: support for the program took a nosedive in August - ironically after some of the programs consumer protection provisions set in.
Hopefully they'll set up a nice schedule so that we can all do our day jobs on the side.
Also, Kathleen Sebelius kind of looks like Grand Moff Tarkin. We all need to be afraid.
Filed under: National Politics
Tags: Democratic Party, Democrats, Healthcare, Kathleen Sebelius, Obama Administration, Obamacare
