Who’s behind the Internet Snitch Brigade
White House spokesman Bobby Gibbs says not to worry. The health care czar isn’t going to do anything nefarious with the info gathered by the Internet Snitch Brigade. Uh-huh. The Obama bully boys are just going to use it for a scrapbooking project. No biggie.
My column today gives you more reasons to worry.
***
Who’s behind the Internet Snitch Brigade
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2009
Czardom has its privileges. This week, President Obama’s health care overlord launched a taxpayer-funded initiative to recruit an Internet Snitch Brigade that will combat “disinformation about health insurance reform.” As the White House explained in a special online bulletin:
“These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.”
What will health care czar Nancy DeParle do with this information? Where will it be stored? Who has oversight of the czar’s powers, budget, and personnel? Concerned citizens, alas, will have a hard time tracking down the “Office of Health Care Reform” created by executive order in April. There is no central website for the office, no direct channel for transparency, and no congressional accountability.
At least one member of Congress has started asking questions. Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn sent a letter to President Obama demanding that he disband the Internet Snitch Brigade immediately: “By requesting citizens send ‘fishy’ emails to the White House, it is inevitable that the names, email, addresses, IP addresses and private speech of U.S. citizens will be reported to the White House,” Sen. Cornyn wrote. “You should not be surprised that these actions taken by your White House staff raise the specter of a data collection program.”
Taxpayers have the right to know what government agencies and third parties the health care czar may share that data with – and why. Take note: The White House Office of Health Care Reform is working in close quarters with an entirely separate Office of Health Reform created under the Department of Health and Human Services. That office is staffed with several Obama campaign operatives and former employees of the Center for American Progress, including special HHS assistant Michael Halle and HHS director Jeanne Lambrew, a former senior fellow at the Center for American Progress who worked on health policy in the Clinton Administration.
CAP is a lead organization in the Health Care Action Now coalition, the Astroturfed “grass-roots” lobbying group for Obama’s health care takeover legislation run out of 1825 K Street in Washington, D.C. with a $40 million budget. CAP is also the parent group of Think Progress, the far Left website leading the smear campaign against fiscal conservative activists protesting at congressional town halls.
Lawmakers must also dig far beyond the health care czar’s flagging operation. Last month, a Washington, D.C. citizen watchdog group filed suit to force the White House to disclose which health care lobbyists and executives it had met with this year to discuss the government health care takeover legislation. White House counsel Greg Craig refused to disclose which administration officials attended the meetings. But at least two of the industry visitors have ties to health care czar DeParle. William C. Weldon is chairman of Johnson & Johnson, which paid DeParle $7,500 for a recent speech. Wayne Smith is chief executive of Community Health Systems, which merged with Triad Hospitals – where DeParle served on the board of directors. DeParle’s options were converted to cash payments worth $1.05 million.
Despite Obama’s lip service to transparency, the public is in the dark about which assets DeParle has divested; how many times, if any, DeParle has recused herself from policy matters and meetings; and the exact nature of her conversations with health care executives. While White House press secretary Robert Gibbs lambastes the corporate health care ties of Republican opponents, he has shrugged off the corporate ties of the woman leading the Obamacare charge.
Alert the Internet Snitch Brigade: The fishiest odor is emanating from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
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For this not being Obama’s Waterloo, he is sure pulling out all the stops.
To answer your question Michelle, Barak Hussein Obama is responsible. Nothing occurs without the organizer in chiefs approval.
According to Judge Andrew Napolitano, the law states that any information that the WH collects can not be deleted.
He also said this violates the first amendment for several different reasons.
This administration is so bold.
They’re used to doing things the Chicago way and seem to think the entire country will roll over for them when they threaten us.
Have they not read history?
When Americans have been pushed and bullied in the past, they have risen up. They’re seeing a bit of it with the heath care protests and the Tea Parties.
Big Brother?!?!? Did someone say Big Brother????
Nawwww…not with this transparent administration. Everything is alright. Just go back to sleep.
Anyone see the irony between Flag@WhiteHouse.gov and the evil and/or stupid Demonrats portrayal of Bush as Hitler?
Watching some of the raw video from Gateway Pundit of the SEIU thugs at the Carnahan meeting, and while, in some respects, political philosphy wise, Obama is Stalin, not Hitler, he is clearly following the Nazi model and unleashing SA brownshirts to rough up and threaten those that won’t toe the party line.
I did my civic duty and reported a fishy video to flag@whitehouse.gov. Obama has gone on record as saying he does not support a single-payer health care system. Recently, there was a video from 2003 with Obama stating just the opposite. I thought that was pretty “fishy”. Hope his cronies enjoy watching the video proving what a liar he is.
Hail to the Liar-In-Chief!
Beach Mom …
More than that Judge Napolitano has also pointed out that post-Nixon-era there have been 2 separate laws passed that expressly forbid Congress and the President (one law for each group) from even collecting such information in the first place … both of those laws have been upheld by the U. S. Supreme Court according to the Judge … only thing he left out was the name of the law so I could look it up …
Obama is an unqualified, local community organizer, socialist theorist. with no appreciation for the Bill of Rights, an ego the size of Montana, a really thin skin, and a very sort fused bad temper.
He has only one playbook he has ever used. What he does is all he has.
Keep pressing, keep criticizing and HE WILL do stupid things. He will ignore sane counsel and go with the lap dog advisors who only want to curry favor.
The problem he has is he’s trying to operate against people who do not fear standing up and saying “Yes, I am a protester. Here’s my name address and phone number. Stop by any time.”
He is going to either have to retreat or press forward and see his Presidency destroyed by year end.
I was uncomfortable when there were warrantless wiretaps, and I am equally uncomfortable with this, as well.
Back then we were told if you aren’t doing anything wrong you have nothing to worry about. I suppose we will be told, that if you aren’t doing anything wrong, you should not worry.
Though it comes down to trust, I remain conflicted. I would have liked a better understanding then, and I would like a better understanding now.
Releasing a thug brigade to defend the White House policies will not make things better for the DC crowd. If our reps are ditching the town hall meetings, will they ditch campaigning and meeting the voters? If they go door to door greeting the voters and hear “you work for us” stuff, will they get it then?
The difference “Z” is tha the warrantless wiretaps were to find foreign terrorists who were plotting to kill you and me. These activities were and are under the oversight of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees.
The Internet collection effort is directed against U.S. citizens who are in opposition to White House policy. There is absolutely no oversight of the data being collected.
It certainly is and it is stretching from Maine to Hawai’i and likely much, much farther.
Trust THEM?…nothing nefarious with their lists…….Trust THEM…who CANNOT look you in the eye….that is really rich…….
Remember, the White House has declared the “War On Terror” over.
It is now the “War on Conservatives”
Michelle Malkin, I mean this in the best way. You need to prepare and exit plan from the country. Just in case. If this continues to get worse, they will come for you. In history, they always come for the loudest voices first. Right now you are it. I hope to god this doesn’t get worse but I highly recommend you prepare just in case.
What is disinformative about concerns with the BS that is in the Bill itself?
I guess they want snitches to tell on people who are getting the truth about this fiasco out there.
Report the CIC he is the one lying and giving misinformation, and he doesn’t even know what’s in this awful trillion dollar plus crap Bill.
Yep, he pulled out the big one today with the 9.4% unemployment figure.
IMO there was a meeting where it was decided to stop Obama’s falling poll numbers and give Obamacare a boost with “good” economic news.
The info babes on CNN were all smiles this morning for sure.
Give me my tin foil hat if you must, I trust nothing this adminstration says.
Yeah I saw that, The weekly figures go at the same rate but the percentage goes down???
Not buying it.
Hmmmm….Waterloo…fishy….see the connection? I am reporting you.
MM, I advise that because I have already prepared such a plan for my wife and kids…
I was thinking the same thing. And, I suggest that people like Michelle, Rush and Glenn NOT travel in the same airplane. The difference, however, is that we have their backs!!! If anything happens to any of them, there will be hell to pay, and the crapweasels know it. If they want to start a civil war, anything happening to our spokespeople will do the trick. All of this sounds so…fictional. I wouldn’t have believed it myself just a couple years ago. Personally, I am on my knees multiple times each day.
Hmmm, I wonder if they unwrapped their New York Times yet?
Rahm, what’s that pile of paper for in the corner of your office?
This will become a monstrous databank for fundraising. I am sure that I will start receiving DNC requests within a year.
Time to bring out the “New” Black Panther Party. They are more scary than the union people. Even Obama’s grandmother would be afraid.
Only way to save this presidency is for Michelle O. to get pregnant. Hope she hasn’t been fixed.
I found all 1017 pages of H.R.3200 and copied it into a Word Doc. Then I sent it to flag@whitehouse.gov suggesting that it was very “fishy”.
Next, I’m going to send the cap and tax bill; then the stimulus bill and finally the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and the details of the Cash 4 Clunkers program (if I can find the bible online, I’ll send that too).
In addition, I’m copying every Democrat congressman and senator in my state on each e-mail. Oh, and my Liberal governor, just for the heck of it.
That should chew-up a bit of their bandwidth. Maybe if we all do it, we can crash their site!
Allow me to help you out.
Warrentless wiretaps = Foriegn Intelligence gathering
Internet Snitch Brigade = Political Enemy Intelligence gathering
So, you just have to ask yourself who are you going to trust more and make a decision. There is no conflict here.
If you do, just send them a dead fish.
I hope you don’t mind….
I reported this fishy article to flag@whitehouse.gov.
Or, it could crash the entire internet. There is a lot of stuff going out there!
Why? They already read MM’s stuff. Religiously. Why would you do that? That is a strange comment.
I sent them this link about fishy medical websites.
The president being honest. He doesn’t want us to speak.
It’s not Constitutional, they are getting sloppy…sloppier.
SoK Happy – I’ve already reported myself, but maybe you’d better too, you can never be reported enough you know.
Dead fish heads anyone?
I doubt he has time for Michelle, he’s to busy boinking the entire nation.
This should not come as a shock to any of you: THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES IS A MEANINGLESS, UNENFORCEABLE DOCUMENT. Who will assert it? Democrats won’t, Republicans won’t, the Supreme Court won’t, the person masquerading as the President won’t…. YOU won’t.
There. Now you know why the Obama junta does whatever it wants.
Good one, Bob!!
Code Fink.
Over my dead body. And I mean that. There will be a war over this issue.
It’s astonishing that this massive corrupt apparatus of big money and bigger deceit has been constructed in just six months. While us ordinary citizens are going to work every day, raising kids, paying the mortgage, trying to make ends meet, occupied with the general business of everyday life, these people are daily plotting and scheming to destroy the American way of life. The Obama administration is by far the most dangerous to liberty in the history of this nation.
Scraper said,
I hope so… but – unlike previous American patriots – we risk dying in vain.
I have one question. Why isn’t OBAMA planning another prime time TV appearance to speak with his nation?
I encourage all of you to go down to your local libraries and email flag@whitehouse.gov all the fishy things you find on the internet. I’ve found thousands and thousands of fishy things on the internet and it’s our patriotic duty…
Bruce said:
There are 58K names on a wall in Washington DC that already have. Not to mention before that and right now.
I would rather die on my feet than live on knees.
We don’t need that kind of talk, Bruce. Please shut up.
Check out this video if you haven’t seen it yet. Hilarious! (Language warning, sort of.)
Hitler Rants About Obama Health Care and Opponents
AMEN, I will never bow to tyranny!!!!
jsr said:
Just watched it — this is funny as hell
National Guard looking to hire concentration camp guards
(See Pamela Geller’s blog)
Job Description
http://jobview.monster.com/getjob.aspx?JobID=82289270&brd=1&re=515,14&q=CORRECTIONS&cy=us&lid=316&AVSDM=2009-07-16+09:18:00&pg=1&seq=10&fseo=1&isjs=1&re=1000,
The U.S. Code prohibits the government from creating these kinds of lists for intimidation, and the law also prohibits the government from deleting or destroying communications it receives. So, either way, this administration is breaking the law that congress enacted.
The problem is twofold; Obama’s enforcers don’t see this as a violation of the law, or feel the ends justify the means, AND Obama’s Chief Prosecutor, Eric Holder, is not predisposed to investigate or declare as criminality, any action taken by anyone in his ideological circle.
These nephulim are not only untouchable, they are doing their master’s bidding…
prez allah (bbuh) and his chief enforcer twinkletoes emmanuel. nothing in this administration happens w/o their authority.
‘Nefarious’ things done with ‘Fishy’ report-info?
Depends on a couple of upcoming Bills…
“Fishy” spreading of “Disinformation” – well, that would be ‘suspicious’, wouldn’t it – and could someone decide that opposing Universal Healthcare is ‘Dangerous to human life’?
That could be problematic if HR 2159, granting the AG the discretion to make such determinations and keep the reasons/information secret, is passed into law.
And of course, if Alcee Hastings’ Amendment to Defense Authorization Bill HR 2647 slides through, the AG would also be given the latitude to determine whether a “Fishy” person is part of a ‘group espousing an expectation’ that the American people won’t put up with much more of this – whereafter he could designate them a ‘hate-group’ – wonder what they could do with that?
And once you’ve got that all nailed-down – really, wouldn’t a disruption/derailing of Universal Healthcare also be a matter of “Women, Minorities Hardest Hit”?
Then clearly the S. 909 Hate-Crime Bill would HAVE to be selectively applied, don’t you think?
Oh yeah – nothing to worry about here…
Slightly OT
It is official, Treasury Bond auctions are a sham, Fed printing money to buy Federal debt and trying to hide it.
IE, nobody is willing to get saddled with useless bonds to pay for Obama’s trillion dollar debts, so we are going all-out Zimbabwe now.
We getting it backwards, we have a National Socialist criminal leading the nation, and then we’re getting Weimar Republic hyperinflation…
What? NOT SSI? Interesting…another retirement type account that the congress can get their little grubbies on…..
I overlooked the tree of retirement benefits in the forest of Team Obama hiring concentration camp guards.
ACLU????
NYT???
Washington Post???
Television media????
Dem politicians???
Isn’t this an abridgement of individual liberties; a smoking-gun sign of a fascistic government and administration??
F**king corrupt hypocrites, all.
These are the units who run places like gitmo and pow camps. For your concentration camp types, look to the sieu.
maybe not that serious yet, but all of us should look forward to some kind of tax audit in the upcoming future.
Thats why you plan now. Plans are free, and can be discarded.
I added this too IT is dumb and not well thought out.
http://youhavetobethistalltogoonthisride.blogspot.com/2009/08/tgif-circus-life-remember-loose-lips.html
Wait until they enlist our children to snitch on their parents…
Why are we worried about socialism when we have these kind of communist tactics being employed?
I have done my duty and reported this blog entry. I feel so patriotic now and perhaps they will let live a couple of more years before yanking my health care.
I sent the following to flag@whitehouse.gov
To: flag@whitehouse.gov
I recently came across a fishy article discussing Obama’s health care plan. It is promoting a rather Orwellian program to report opposing viewpoints on health care to White House Truth Arbiters. The address is http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Facts-Are-Stubborn-Things/ I hope you’re able to do something about this.
Sincerely,
Kyle Harr, concerned citizen
Not sure if this has been raised, but there is actually a clear and direct statute against the White House collecting info like this.
I have been following all of the coverage on Fox News about the town halls. I was not surprised at all: elected reps do not now, and have not for many, many years, given a damn what average Americans think. ALL of them are no longer patriots and haven’t been for 50 years. Our elected poopies here in Colorado have not had a face-to-face townhall and I cannot find one being scheduled. So, they are not only liars, cheats, and criminals for taking bribes, they are cowards. ALL incumbents out!!