Tag Archives: FactCheck.org

Random Thoughts

By MICHAEL S. JOHNSON

 Item One:  Unsavory Nature of Political Campaigns

 What I saw of the Iowa Republican Presidential primary debate, and it wasn’t much, brought to mind two unsavory aspects of American political campaigns that politicians, the press and the public ought to try to temper before we go full throttle into the 2012 races.

The first was incivility. The media carnival barkers and fire-breathing partisans were anxious for the candidates to brutalize one another, particularly fellow Minnesotans Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty.  From news reports of the debate—again, I missed some of the exchanges, they got some of what they wanted, but not much.  I am told the two Minnesotans went at it, dropping the Minnesota nice persona—isn’t that special—but they really did not beat the bejesus out of each other.

  Continue reading →

Andy Griffith a Government Huckster?

BY MICHAEL S. JOHNSON

I just heard for the first time the government-sponsored  commercial for Medicare starring Andy Griffith.  Remember him? Mayberry Sheriff Andy Taylor?

In the ad, Ole Andy harkens back 1965, when, he says, a lot of good things happened – like Medicare.   That’s not how I remember 1965, but I digress. 

Andy’s sitting in an easy chair petting a dog.  He says:  “This year, like always, we will have our guaranteed benefits and with the new law, more good things are coming, like free check ups, lower prescription costs and more ways to protect us and Medicare from fraud.”  That’s about it.  That’s the ad.

            Initial cost for this vignette: 700,000 of your tax dollars. 

Not only is the ad an egregious misuse of tax dollars, it is an injustice to and deception of American seniors, most of whom, according to the polls, don’t like Obamacare. 

Continue reading →