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Memo: Get Ready For the Great ‘Obamacare’ PR Campaign

Last week, a study released by the journal “American Politics Research” found that The Affordable Health Care for America Act (i.e. “Obamacare”) cost Democrats their House majority during the November 2010 midterm elections.

Memo: Get Ready For the Great Obamacare PR CampaignHeartache.

The Washington Post’s Aaron Blak explains:

The study, by five professors from institutions across the country, looks at the health care bill alongside other contentious votes in the 111th Congress and determines that, more so than the stimulus or the cap-and-trade energy bill, it cost Democrats seats. In fact, they lost almost exactly the number of seats that decided the majority.

The study ran 10,000 simulations of a scenario in which all vulnerable Democrats voted against the health care bill and found that the rejections would have saved Democrats an average of 25 seats, which would have made the House parties close to a tie. (Republicans won 63 seats overall, but the study suggests around 25 of them would have been salvaged.)

“[W]e show that the roll-call effect on vote share was driven by healthcare reform. Democratic incumbents who voted yes performed significantly worse than those who did not,” study co-author Brendan Nyhan of Dartmouth College writes on his blog.

“We then provide simulation evidence suggesting that Democrats would win approximately 25 more seats if those in competitive districts had voted no, which accounts for the gap between the academic forecasts and the observed outcomes,” he adds.

Simply put, the November “Red Wave,” in which conservatives running for public office made unprecedented gains, was the result of voter opposition to “Obamacare.”

Even House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) admitted that “Obamacare” hurt his party when he told reporters: “It was clearly a liability in the last election in terms of the public’s fear.”

Therefore, perhaps in silent recognition of the report’s findings, the Obama administration has decided to mount a major public-relations campaign to promote the benefits of “Obamacare” and once again remind Americans why it’s such a great idea.

“The White House and its liberal allies are planning a comprehensive public-relations campaign for the second anniversary of Obamacare and the Supreme Court oral arguments that will take place later this month,” writes The Heritage Foundation’s Rob Bluey.

Bluey continues:

The memo…includes a day-by-day breakdown of how the White House and liberal advocacy organizations want to frame the debate. The New York Times first reported on the Obama administration’s coordination efforts, including a White House meeting last week with more than 100 people present. The Center for American Progress, Families USA, Health Care for America Now, and Protect Your Care are among the groups mentioned on the memo.

So as we fast approach the two-year anniversary of the president’s greatest year-to-date achievement, the aforementioned memo stresses two key points (via Heritage):

“Remind people that the law is already benefiting millions of Americans by providing health care coverage, reducing costs and providing access to healthcare coverage. This message will include the ideas that these are benefits that politicans/the Court art (sic) are trying to take away from average Americans.”

“Frame the Supreme Court oral arguments in terms of real people and real benefits that would be lost if the law were overturned. While lawyers will be talking about the individual responsibility piece of the law and the legal precdedence, organizations on the ground should continue to focus on these more tangible results of the law.”

Are there any other actions planned for the “Obamacare” PR campaign? You bet there are.

“During the three days of oral arguments, the groups plan to provide space for a media filing center as well as radio and TV broadcasts at the United Methodist Building, adjacent the U.S. Supreme Court. The court will begin hearing arguments on March 26 and conclude on March 28,” Bluey reports.

But don’t worry. “Obamacare” advocates aren’t the only ones who plan to commemorate its two-year anniversary with public displays. In fact, the conservative group Americans for Prosperity plans to hold a “Hands Off My Health Care Rally” in Washington, D.C., on March 27, the second day of arguments at the Supreme Court.

Here’s the memo (via Heritage):
ACA Anniversary & Supreme Court Oral Arguments Memo for Healthcare Advocacy Groups


Comments (77)

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  • BarackStalin
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 8:33pm

    No amount of propaganda will change the fact that obamacare forces people against their will to purchase a product from a private corporation that exists solely for the purpose of profiting billions of dollars every year.

    Dennis Kucinich even called it “a give-away to the insurance companies” and voted against it. Then Obama personally transported Kucinich back to Cleveland on Air Force One and Kucinich changed his vote and his tune the very next day.

    I wonder what happened on that plane.

    Regardless, if the government can force us all to buy insurance, then they can force us all to buy broccoli, gym memberships, electric cars, windmills for our yards, etc. ad infinitum.

    obamacare is a modern form of SLAVERY…and you cannot fault people for resisting TYRANNY.

    Report Post » BarackStalin  
    • martinez012577
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:23pm

      You know who cannot attack it? MITT ROMNEY!!!!!

      Report Post » martinez012577  
    • soybomb315
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:35pm

      obamacare = romneycare

      Report Post » soybomb315  
    • CLG 4
      Posted on March 14, 2012 at 9:56am

      The socialist platform of the democratic party passed the new US constitution (the health bill). If this bill stands every thing will be decided in accordance with this bill not the original US Constitution.

      Report Post »  
    • jujubeebee
      Posted on March 14, 2012 at 10:01am

      He changed Kucinich by explaining to him what obamacare is going to lead to and that is government run healthcare. By making the penalty for not covering employees attractive they will drop coverage and push more into the government plan.
      The mandate forcing people to buy is not the worst part of Obamacare. It is everything else inside the bill. Forcing people to buy that we are paying for anyway is not the worst part of the bill. What is going to happen with other aspects of the bill should be more important to Americans. Freedom will be taken away in bits and pieces as we are seeing with the religious freedom being taken away in the mandate to cover contraception. This is one tiny piece of the mandates coming to us in bits and pieces. The rationing and the priority of who and what is covered and what we need to do to comply and making one plan be the same for the land with the exclusion of those actually voting to push this on us is what people need to look at and think about. If you are a Marxist Communist then you will love Obamacare. If you are not then you need to read the specifics of the plan. This is more than a mandate to buy insurance. This is a plan to ease us into a government run country. Those grasping a free carrot that is put in front of them better think twice about trusting the hand offering the carrot!

      Report Post »  
    • jujubeebee
      Posted on March 14, 2012 at 10:12am

      Everything with Obama has been showbiz politics, marketing strategies, word games……..using soundbites for those Americans who spend all day working and come home and listen to 5 minutes of news and just hear the soundbite. He is using perception instead of truth and media matters. How appropriate a title~media matters. It is almost like he is taunting us with his slogans…hope and change?…….winning the future………… well winning the future….WTF? They take what the polls say and then make comments to try to counter perception if it is against their viewpoint. They change the wording of things. They change the focus. Their marketing strategist is counting on Americans too busy to care to look beyond the rhetoric. This is why it is so important that each one of us that knows and sees what is going on explain it to others and keep at it with emails to friends and personal counterattacks to those in our personal circles. From the ground up we need to attack back because the media is not on our side and there is alot of showbiz going on with Obama and the media. It is like they are putting on a show for all of us. If he gets another 4 years they will be the worst in the history of the USA!

      Report Post »  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on March 14, 2012 at 6:17pm

      So is the individual mandate a tax or not? In front of the SCOTUS, Obama‘s minions are saying it’s a tax but infront of congress and TV cameras, they‘re saying it’s not a tax. They’re doing this because the only way they have any chance before the SCOTUS is to call it a tax and tack it onto the commerce clause. But by saying it’s a tax publicly Obama is breaking his promise..again. Once the SCOTUS finds it unconstitutional all this propgandizing by Obama’s white house will be for nothing.

      Report Post »  
  • Stopit
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 8:28pm

    …and raising home mortgage costs for the next 30 years!

    Report Post »  
  • Ann
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 8:03pm

    If their campaign trying to sell this thing works as well as their passage of it angering a majority of Americans, I’m all for their lame propaganda machine.
    All we have to do is show Pelosi saying ,” we have to pass it to see what’s in it.” We play that over and over and over. The comment along with Pelosi’s face day in and day out will lose It for them. We’ll win the election on that disgusting image alone. Also, the cost estimate has now doubled. That sure will help their campaign telling us how great it sis.

    Report Post »  
    • jujubeebee
      Posted on March 14, 2012 at 10:31am

      Ann,
      Obamacare does need to be the MAIN issue and our candidate has to bring it all back to why obamacare needs to be repealed. This is a winner for our side and not their side no matter what propaganda they put out there. But our side needs to be smart, needs to anticipate the lies and needs to know how to form counter attacks without media support. The truth will win if people know the truth. They won’t go for the phony sales pitch when they know they are being used. Women didn’t fall for the sandra fluke contraceptive access propaganda from what the polls are showing. They could see right through it to the real issue of religious freedom. There is more in that healthcare bill having to do with freedom that has nothing to do with religion and you will be able to turn those non-religious votes against Obama too.

      Report Post »  
  • zoro51
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 8:00pm

    the socialist EVITA OBAMA TAX N SPEECH WEAK LEADERSHIP FAULIRE of the green jobs act.. can PR his butt for all i care AMERICA ID NOT SOCIALIST SOCIALIZED MEDICINE DOESNT WORK! forced buying will be a REVOLT against whom ever tries this.. OBAMA CARES NOT FOR AMERICA hates the us constitution and wantd to make the presidency office a DICTQATORSHIP IMPEACH THIS BASTARD NOW

    Report Post » zoro51  
  • SpeckledPup
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:47pm

    obamacare closely rivals the T4 Program in who will be able to get medical help…. and who must “forget about having that lifesaving surgery, and just take a pill” (refers to what obama spat at America) — obama wants to weed out the ”useless eaters” in America.

    only the obamacommunist state drones ages 16-45 will be worthy of receiving medical care. if your child under about 10 years old gets sick, obama has a plan for it: ‘post birth abortion’.

    Report Post »  
  • youdidthis
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:44pm

    Exclusive: O’Keefe Video Exposes Voter Fraud-Friendly Policies in Vermont
    http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2012/03/13/EXCLUSIVE%20OKeefes%20Project%20Veritas%20Exposes%20Voter%20Fraud%20In%20

    Report Post »  
  • SpeckledPup
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:42pm

    we LOST our company health insurance due to its escalating costs, so we were all told if we are able to, get on Medicare right away, and find an insurance company who will take us on. we also lost our pharmacy plan.

     
  • IMCHRISTIAN
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:26pm

    Benefiting millions of people heh. Well how many are paying and how many are getting a free ride. Insurance premiums have already gone up and benefits not as good. So many unions (contributors to elections I am pretty sure) and others get exemptions. If this is not stopped we will have less doctors, less nurses, longer waits and will have to make appointments way in advance. I know of someone in another country that had to wait for a seven month appointment and then it will be another 4 months to get results. We had the best insurance programs in the world and no one can afford to pay everybody else’s Premiums and expenses. How do we know those millions of people have already got insured and that they are paying their own premiums and we won’t be. We have been lied to so much that I trust no one. Government has no business in telling us what kind of choice or service we should have. This should be between my doctor and me. More taxes which means still higher premiums and we know we don‘t want a one payer system when they can’t even keep the SS and Medicare accounts straight and solvent. No one that I know of ever was turned down for a procedure as there is always a hospital that works to service the tough cases.There are catastrophe policies, other kinds of insurance a person could have bought during their life time but don’t. IF IT IS SO GOOD WHY ARE THE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS NOT HAVING SAME PLAN.

    Report Post »  
  • thestargazer
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:25pm

    IF OBAMA CARE WAS SO GREAT, THEN EVERYBODY WOULD BE ON IT, NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!!!! Also the obummer care plan has a PANEL who will be reviewing your chart, to determine how cost effective you and those you love are. This smacks of the PANEL that was in effect in Germany in the mid 30′s – mid 40′s.

    Report Post »  
  • Catfish
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:23pm

    Someone tell me the e mail address to the Supreme Court, we all need to start to work on the Court to kill this bill before it kills us, and have all of you seen the article put out by the Arizona Sheriff about obamas birth certificate and all his forged papers, it needs to go nation wide every body help

    Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:54pm

    I do care if ObamaCare… would Save my Life… or give me Utopia — I do not want any part of this Socialist Agenda!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • Caballosinnombre
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:48pm

    The propaganda used for Obummercare comes straight from the Obamarxist handbook.

    Report Post »  
  • OriMai
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:48pm

    Please allow the users to create polls Blaze ;) We’ll see how many folks even know one person who is positively effected by obamacare.

    Report Post »  
    • guntotinsquaw
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:46pm

      Well, I know they are correct in one account..it will drive down medical costs… my deductible went from $200 per person to $500 per person…for a family of 6….no more doctors for us…kinda reminds me of the Karma green car that doesn’t run..can’t get any greener than that!

      Report Post » guntotinsquaw  
  • Living In NYC
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:46pm

    Oh Prez Re-Run do you ever say anything you haven’t already said. Remember last time Barry, when you went on the Obamacare tour..your approval ratings tanked.

    So why don’t you, Meeshell and the kids hang at the Whitehouse; eat some grass, do the “I’m gonna eat like Meeshell dance”, Barry can prepare for his new career..entertainment for DNC fundraisers, Barry can make a few phone calls to your friends that are looking for “free stuff” from the taxpayer and get in some hoop time with the family!

    Report Post » Living In NYC  
  • semby
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:44pm

    CBO: Obamacare to cost $1.76 trillion over 10 yrs — http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/cbo-obamacare-cost-176-trillion-over-10-yrs/425831

    Report Post »  
  • BeingThere
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:40pm

    Obama and every one of those un-American SOBs that voted for the unconstitutional Obamacare should lose their citizenship and be thrown in Gitmo.

    BTW: Thanks to Obama being in office I can now type “unconstitutional” really really fast!!

    Report Post » BeingThere  
  • Mikev5
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:35pm

    What ****** me off it’s all about the party the party the party NOT what is good for the people and what is constitutional.

    Report Post » Mikev5  
    • DividedWeFail
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:11pm

      RomneyCare ObamaCare Medicare Medicaid – ALL NOT Constitutional.

      The government should NOT be in the health care business. Mission creep of the feds led from Medicare to MediCaid to RomneyCare to ObamaCare.

      Report Post »  
  • cuinsong
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:29pm

    If you fall for NObamas’ crap again you deserve the consequences their of and this song is for you!
    “What’s Wrong With This Song” http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_9134749

    Report Post » cuinsong  
    • kaydeebeau
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:23pm

      I respectfully disagree, I am and have been doing everything to counter-act BHO – I do not deserve him. WE have to stand strong and speak out where ever we are – no excpetions – no worry about what others will think of us. The stakes are too high to be concerned about personal comfort

      Report Post » kaydeebeau  
  • welovetheUSA
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:20pm

    Pelosis backroom …in the dark of night where the **** roaches came up with a plan to destroy Americas heathcare system…where AARP jumped on Obamas band wagon…where as this is the worst President in American history…the evil congress……no………we are done with Obamas term…….11 more months folks………VOTE

    Report Post » welovetheUSA  
  • momprayn
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:17pm

    Well, I think I had enough of that when it was being hotly debated and lied about before it was passed – so we could find out what was in it.
    Sigh — hopefully, by now enough of us have now been educated about it and seeing for themselves the harm it is doing (doctors leaving, medical practices ending, rationing, higher ins. costs, etc.) and the out and out lies they told – all that we “Nobamacare” people already knew and was trying to warn about but only got ignored and criticized. Think their lying PR strategy will backfire as all their other old strategies have been. For all who love traditional America…..pray so!

    Report Post »  
    • soybomb315
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:27pm

      The PR will work unless we have a candidate who can honestly discuss these issues and provide sound reasoning of why obamacare wont work. By my reasoning, that leaves romney out because they will easily label him as a hypocrite

      Report Post » soybomb315  
  • doomytram
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:12pm

    A good PR Campaign would be to show pictures of Pelosi, Reid, and Oblamer, then show all of the lies, lies, lies.

    A failed disastrous presidency in Oblamer and Reid and Pelosi are nightmarish. Even those dinosaurs that still call themselves somewhat a democrap hate, hate, hate Pelosi, Reid, and Oblamer. On account of how ridiculous they are…..Only Obotic fools will defend Pelosi, Reid, and Oblamer.

    Report Post » doomytram  
  • Mike N
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:11pm

    “Remind people that the law is already benefiting millions of Americans by providing health care coverage, reducing costs and providing access to healthcare coverage” . . . .

    Yeah, at the expense of inordinately high premiums for the hundreds of millions of others who have had their insurance companies pass along their newly increased costs.

    Thanks alot Barrack . . . your indifference to the masses in favor of those who refuse to help themselves is counterproductive. Your inability to focus on the big picture instead of your progressive vision is hurting us all.

    Report Post »  
  • soybomb315
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:09pm

    Memo: get ready to support the republican candidate who endorsed the individual mandate in 2009

    Report Post » soybomb315  
    • npbreakthrough
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:41pm

      right.

      we dont need Mitt “ill help manage the decline” Botney….
      we dont want Rick “conservative seems like a good slogan” Sanitorium

      GINGRICH 2012!

      Report Post » npbreakthrough  
    • soybomb315
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:52pm

      i prefer to call him ‘manchurian mitt’

      Report Post » soybomb315  
    • DividedWeFail
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:12pm

      I am not voting for Romney Or Obama both of who believe in the INDIVIDUAL MANDATE.

      Report Post »  
    • npbreakthrough
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 8:33pm

      Manchurian mitt……catchy.

      turns out he may not win miss and bama tonight; and probably not the nomination ,but to me the most important thing is a leader that knows how to wield power……Obama couldn’t, with all his super-majorities and media whores he simply sub-contracted out his agenda to his closest liberal friends,….he is only good at deflecting the heat,…Romney will simply do whatever the rhinos of the republican party that blanketed his campaign want him to do…..Santorum will do just like Obama but mirrored……newt has actually held the third most important post in our government under a democratic president and balanced the budget, president Obama himself is attacking newts statements showing that newt is controlling the narrative, just as he had and would in debates, newt poses as a conservative, as the other candidates are, but he has the ability to govern from the middle…i don’t think the extreme left of Obama should be countered by extreme right ,….i simply think its time for a thinker, not a robot,…..cant stand politicians,….when they talk, you can tell they practiced all day in the mirror for that question, ………newt can think on the fly , rare in politics today.

      sucks the American electorate is so gullible.
      have fun with 4 more years of Obama

      Report Post » npbreakthrough  
  • Mark0331
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:08pm

    Barrys’ PR campaign…lie, then lie some more, then lie a little bit more, then deflect, Blame Bush, then lie, deflect….just go away Barry, the country is so tired of you…only the uneducated and idiotic are still going to vote for you…

    Report Post » Mark0331  
  • NO_MORE_OBAMA
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:05pm

    LIES LIES LIES ……..

    You republicans better de-fund Obama care or we are going to throw you out. You have been warned.

    Report Post » NO_MORE_OBAMA  
    • Mark0331
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:12pm

      Absolutely…politicians of all stripes need to take notice, no one is ‘safe’.

      Report Post » Mark0331  
    • soybomb315
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:18pm

      then you better be ready to vote 3rd party or liberal

      Report Post » soybomb315  
    • Mark0331
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:26pm

      Vote Liberal? You mean Democrat, Soybomb315…maybe you meant Libertarian…the trick is to hold what they say accountable to their actions regardless of who they are, its tough though, they all seem to lie and flip flop so much…The new CBO numbers state 1.76 trillion over ten years to fund Barrycare?!?!..

      Report Post » Mark0331  
    • soybomb315
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:31pm

      mark
      indeed. we also need to identify the republicans that are about to let us down. based on your last comment, i presume you are not supporting romney in the primary?

      Report Post » soybomb315  
    • possom
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:06pm

      Tar and feather’s 2021!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Report Post » possom  
    • DividedWeFail
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:09pm

      Romney advisor: Come on, ObamaCare won’t ever be repealed in its entirety
      posted at 2:30 pm on January 25, 2012 by Ed Morrissey
      http://hotair.com/archives/2012/01/25/romney-advisor-come-on-obamacare-wont-ever-be-repealed-in-its-entirety/

      Report Post »  
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