My great-grandmother was not one to mince words.  A dust bowl “Okkie” immigrant to California in the 1930s, she felt that she had survived enough life to tell it like it was.  One of her favorite things to say when someone complimented her on something she didn’t feel worthy of compliment was, “That lie sure does fall sweetly on my ears!”

She is gone now, but her memory was alive and strong last night as I watched President Obama’s speech on health-care.  The speech was wonderful.  President Obama is just trying to help me! He’s trying to protect me from the evil and greedy insurance companies that only care about making a profit!  He loves me and wants to buy me a teddy bear!  Or something like that.

Let’s take a look at all of that sweet talk and find the truth that is buried beneath it, shall we?

Seductive Lie #1 Obama has saved America! “We have pulled this economy back from the brink.”

The truth- Unemployment continues to rise. If the economy has been pulled back from the brink, why are people still losing their jobs and not finding new ones?

Seductive lie #2- It will be free! “[I] won’t sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits- now, or in the future. period.”

The truth-Someone please show me one time that a government program has not created a deficit.  Just one.  Hmm… never?  I rest my case.

Seductive lie #3- It’s bipartisan! “It’s a plan that incorporates ideas from senators and congressmen; from democrats and republicans.”

The truth- Actually, republicans have been shut out of meetings regarding health care reform for months now.

Seductive lie #4- You can keep your coverage! “First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance through your job, Medicare, Medicaid, or the VA, nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. Let me repeat this: nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.”

The truth- There is nothing in the bill that would require you or your employer to change your doctor or coverage.  But the bill will decimate the private health care industry.  Employers will be taxed and audited if they choose a private plan. Many employers and individuals will have to choose between accepting the public “option” or paying crippling taxes and fees.

Seductive lie #5- It will stop unfair practices! “It will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition.”

The truth- Why on Earth would anyone buy health insurance while they were still healthy, if they could get coverage after they became ill?  That’s like saying you only have to buy a lottery ticket if you have the winning numbers.  The money taken in by the healthy people is what pays for the sick people!  Just like the money taken in from the losing lottery tickets is what creates the payout for the winner.  Only in the case of insurance, you’re sort of a winner if you lose (as in, you stay fit and healthy enough to never need a huge payout for medical expenses).

Seductive lie #6- It will save us from potential financial ruin! “In the United States of America, no one should go broke because they get sick.”

The truth- And everyone should go to an Ivy League school, live in a mansion, work hard at a high-paying and secure job, have an intact family, and adopt a golden retriever puppy that never messes on the carpet.  The fact of life is that sometimes it sucks.  Sometimes it throws you a curve ball.  No one plans to get cancer or hit by a drunk driver.  A better way to prevent people from going broke because they get sick is to allow them to purchase catastrophic health insurance, and pay for routine visits out of pocket.  I even bet there are some super nice doctors out there that would be willing to work with you, so long as the government doesn’t stop them.

Seductive Lie #7- Mandatory routine check ups and tests will save us money! “Insurance companies will be required to cover… routine check ups and preventative care like mammograms and colonoscopies, because there’s no reason we shouldn’t be catching diseases… before they get worse. That makes sense, it saves money, and it saves lives.”

The truth- It doesn’t save money.  It not only doesn’t save money, but it costs more.  Read the Congressional Budget Office report if you don’t believe me.

Seductive Lie #8- It’s all about choice! “If you don’t currently have health insurance… this plan will finally offer you quality, affordable choices.”

The Truth- Did he say choices?  What choices?  He doesn’t even want to let us decide for ourselves if we even want health insurance!  Here’s the choice- accept government “insurance” or else.

Seductive lie #9- There’s no such thing as death panels. “Some of people’s concerns have grown out of bogus claims…the best example is the claim that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens…it is a lie- plain and simple.”

The truth- No bureaucrat is going to be putting “Death Panel Analyst” on his resume.  However, your application for medical treatment will end up on some bureaucrat’s desk, and they will decide whether to stamp it with “approve” or “deny.”  And you’ll have no way to contest it.  That sounds super scary to me.  And kind of like a death panel.

Seductive lie #10- It would not allow coverage to people that are in this country illegally. “There are also those who claim that our reform efforts would insure illegal immigrants. This too, is false!”

The Truth- Identification will not be required for services. So how would anyone know if the person needing/wanting treatment was in fact a citizen? Also, all family members of a citizen would be covered.  Sneak across the border to have your baby in a US hospital (because they’re not checking ID, you know), and bam! Health care for your baby, for you, for the baby’s daddy, and for the baby’s siblings. Don’t speak English? Not a problem, as the bill requires free translation services.

This morning, Representative Joe Wilson called the White House to apologize to the President for loudly yelling, “You lie!” during the speech last night.  Mr. President, I think you’re the one that owes us an apology for your seductive and beautiful lies.