We cats weren't planning to write about what's going on at the Supreme Court this week. First, the justices aren't going to be swayed by all those people demonstrating on their front steps. Second, we can't vote the Court out of office if we don't like their decision. We can only hope that the lawyers representing our side of things do a good job.
But we do want to say one thing: The "I Like Obamacare Because..." campaign that Obama for America has rolled out is stupid.
It's stupid because who can finish that sentence? Practically nobody except devoted supporters and policy wonks, because the White House hasn't told the American people why healthcare reform is good! You can tell we cats are still pretty spitting mad about that.
It's also stupid because it attempts to embrace the loathsome "O-care" term. Although we're sure that Plouffe, Axelrod & Company are valiantly trying to co-opt a teabagger cudgel, we cats fail to understand why it pays to play into phraseology favored by hateful Republicans, lazy journalists and struggling headline writers. (We feel the same way about "Romneycare," by the way. And don't even get us started on the idiocy of Tim Pawlenty.)
The words you use matter. If you call the Affordable Care Act what it is — healthcare reform — and explain it, people might start to like it, you know? (On the bright side, this week's arguments to the Supreme Court might help educate a few folks in that direction.)
Meanwhile, we suggest that we all follow the example of our Canadian friends and call sweatshirts with hoods "bunny hugs." Maybe fewer people would get shot.
(IMAGE: www.spreadshirt.com)
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