Fish For This............

Last week in response to Matt Drudge posting videos exposing President Obama's real intentions for health care reform, the White House responded by exhorting Americans to send any emails or "casual conversations" that might differ from their views ("sound fishy") in the health care debate to "flag@whitehouse.org".

The White House responded by saying their not "collecting" names.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/07/white-house-collect-fishy-info-health-reform-illegal-critics-say/

"The White House Thursday denied that it was playing "Big Brother."

"Nobody is collecting names," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said."

Well, if not, exactly what are they doing with them?? The e-mail addresses?? The information they receive???

And imagine the howls of those Patriot Act opponents and the left wing media had this occurred on the Bush administration's watch

This extremely disturbing news brings to mind the current controversy involving the continued drip-drip leakage of names of the Major League Baseball players who tested positive for whatever in '03.

In 2003, MLB and the player's union agreed to test their members to gauge steroid use and any possible actions to combat it. The players were promised by MLB and the union that all results would be kept secret.

First off, I question the intelligence of anyone who believed that.

Two, the more people who know the list, the more opportunity for leaks.

Which is what happened when the government (the Justice Dept.) confiscated the list.
Players were paraded before Congress and compelled to testify in the now memorable liar's brigade that ensued.

Now let me be clear that I in no way, shape or form endorse steroid or human growth hormone use. I believe it's devastating to kids and their families who look to these players as role models. They're telling kids this is what you have to do to win.

But I also believe the player's confidentiality in this matter should mean something. And as sure as death and taxes, if you want everybody to know something, tell the government and tell them to keep it a secret.

It should surprise no one regardless of party affliation, that some government bureaucrat is leaking these names. (See Joe Wilson. He was sent to Niger by his wife and the CIA to investigate Saddam Hussein's actions in trying to acquire yellowcake uranium, came back and went straight to the New York Times)

I think it's important to remember when the administration tells you your personal health care information collected as a part of the health care reform package (which it will be. That's why Jeffrey Immelt is currently a White House consultant on the matter. His future and that of his company, GE, depends on getting the government contract to manage that information. This is the same GE, under Immelt's watch, who was doing business with Iran while they were training terrorists to kill our soldiers in Iraq until Bill O'Reilly of Fox News exposed him)

I think it's also important to remember this when the White House tells you they're NOT collecting names or e-mail addresses sent to them by their operatives and supporters.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0809/25891.html

“If you get hit, we will punch back twice as hard,” Messina said, according to an official who attended the meeting."

Word.(s)(Just)