White House Rolls Out New Medicare Ads

[dusty64]

This is VERY interesting in light of the networks refusal to air the MoveOn ads. I thought political advocacy wasn't allowed, yet this blatant attempt at brainwashing the public with lies and misinformation looks like it is OK. What BS.

Tue Feb 3, 6:24 PM ET Add White House - AP to My Yahoo!


By MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration launched a $9.5 million television advertising campaign Tuesday to rebut criticism of the new Medicare law.



The ad is to run on network and cable television through March, clustered around soap operas, game shows and news programs. Its theme is "Same Medicare. More Benefits."


The administration is spending another $3.1 million for a newspaper, radio and Internet effort in both English and Spanish.


The 30-second ad addresses some of the major criticism of the law, including assertions that it will force seniors out of traditional Medicare and into managed care plans and that savings will be paltry from drug discount cards and prescription drug insurance starting in 2006.


The administration said last week that the new law, signed by President Bush (news - web sites) in December, would cost $534 billion over 10 years, a third more than estimates made public before Congress narrowly approved the legislation.


Health and Human Services (news - web sites) Secretary Tommy Thompson played the commercial Tuesday for reporters.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040203/ap_on_go_pr_wh/medicare_ads_2

[saigon68]

1. Tommy Thompson is a shill

Maybe someone here can "enlighten" us on Tommy's background and "commitment" to "family values"

[remfan]

2. That's $12.6 million taxpayer dollars going to ADVERTISING

and frankly, if it's a GOOD bill, then WHY the need to PR the public to the tune of $12.6 million?

:puke:

[dusty64]

3. Good question and it

is all lies. Just last week the networks claim they can NOT air political advocacy ads, yet that is exactly what this is. The best part is that you and I got the pleasure of PAYING for this propaganda.

[remfan]

4. Not only that, but we indirectly paid for the lobbying that got

the bill passed!

My biggest pet peeve is public relations campaigns disguised as public policy & PR agents disguised as reporters, and when I read things like this it really pisses me off.

[0007]

5. This crap has got to stop!