This past week, we noted with much consternation that the federal government and specifically the Department of Health and Human Services were in contact with the NFL concerning "educating" the public about the federal health care law, aka ObamaCare. To what degree and extent was this contact? We'll let the head of the HHS explain:
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Monday she is in talks with the NFL to help promote new options under ObamaCare.
Sebelius said the football league has been "very actively and enthusiastically engaged" in discussions about a partnership to encourage people to enroll in newly available insurance plans.
"We're having active discussions right now with a variety of sports affiliates" about both paid advertising and partnerships to encourage enrollment, Sebelius told reporters.
Now, despite the fact, we imagined this push to come in the form of bland and benign PSAs on Sundays... and Mondays... and Thursdays... we were nevertheless disturbed by the potential of politicizing the holy day on the calendar week.
You can imagine our delight, then, when we found out yesterday the NFL declined this invitation to pimp this miserable piece of legislation.
From the NFL league offices via the Washington Examiner:
We have responded to the letters we received from members of Congress to inform them we currently have no plans to engage in this area and have had no substantive contact with the administration about PPACA’s implementation.
(italics, ours)
It is duly noted that this strikes an entirely different tone than Sebelius's "active and enthusiastic" description of goings-ons.
Needless to say, this was absolutely the right call by the NFL. Putting aside for a moment that we were glad the League did not roll over and play stoolie for the administration, say you were a liberal during a conservative president's push for privatizing social security? You would rightly despise PSAs on Sunday afternoon attempting to educate you on where you could go on-line to invest 10% of your Social Security account.
Much of the beauty of sports is that, for the most part, it leaves politics at the door. Yes, it is escapism from the day-to-day assault we now get from the state of modern politics.
Sunday is a day of worship and for asking God to grant peace and tranquility to our lives. It is also a day of fellowship where we gather around the grill and 52" set with family and friends. Politics doesn't have any part in any of the above and we thank the NFL for their help in maintaining that.
Exit observation(s): Curious if Sebelius essentially lying through her teeth had the NFL heading to the exits and wording their statement the way they did in that they were in no way shape or form going to be patsies for the administration. Probably should have dialed in back a notch or two, eh, Kathy?
It speaks to a combination of desperation and hubris that Team O thought they were going to get away with this.
Posts
4 comments:
This means I can continue watching the Browns and Chargers...
I guess that's a good thing. ;-)
O@H, this was a great victory for all NFL fans.
She probably had some Big O disciple in the NFL administration that thought it was a good idea. But sanity prevailed with the higher ups.
Ohioan, I think this just means that when you throw up during the game, you'll know it was because the Browns stink and you won't be wondering if it was Obamacare that put you over the edge.
Post a Comment