The Obama administration has decided to shut down the controversial Flag@whitehouse.gov email address amid controversy and criticism over its possible abuse.  Given the fact that it was set up so that American citizens could snitch about “fishy” health care emails that their friends and families were forwarding to them, one wonders what kind of activities Obama feels would constitute misuse. 

Regardless of presidential intent, last week thousands of people began receiving spam emails promoting the president’s health care reform plan.  The problem? Many of them never visited the site, never consented to put their email address on the government list, and didn’t want to receive the propaganda in the first place.

Shortly after the program began, history’s most inept White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, issued this statement:  “We’re not collecting names from those e-mails. … All we’re asking people to do is if they’re confused about what health care reform is going to mean to them, we’re happy to help clear that up for you. Nobody is keeping any body’s names.”

It’s an obvious lie because, according to the law, the White House is forced to collect and keep a list of those emails, just as it’s forced to compile a record of any correspondence it receives.

Gibbs’ denial led to the following confrontation with FoxNews correspondent Major Garrett.

Interesting that, while busily claiming there were no government email lists, Gibbs makes the argument that he’d have to check Garrett’s names against “the list.”  Hmmmmm…   The pattern of denial went on for about five days before crumbling.

Now, the white house does admit that they were sending the emails but have opted, of course,  to pass the blame to some nebulous, non-specific third parties.  According to the President’s staff, it seems these nameless groups were visiting the White House website and putting in all sorts of names, so that everyone would receive the official word on Obamacare.  Which third parties?  Well, depending on the day, they’re either left wing or right wing organizations determined to either hamper or aid passage of Obama’s reforms.  In a move that we can only assume is intended to protect their privacy, Obama’s team has chosen not to name them.

Don’t worry, though.  You can still rat out your friends.  Just because Obama has eliminated the flag@whitehouse.gov email address doesn’t mean he hasn’t given you any other McCarthey-esque options.  If someone is exercising their free speech in a way that frightens, confuses, or offends you, just go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck and put their name on the new non-existent list.  It’s a little more involved now, with a couple of easily-handled steps to ensure that those nasty third parties don’t abuse the system.  We promise, though, use the site properly and your friend’s names and email addresses will still wind up in government hands.

As Texas Senator John Cornyn wrote in a letter to President Obama: “I can only imagine the level of justifiable outrage had your predecessor asked Americans to forward emails critical of his policies to the White House.”

There goes crzazy ol’ John again, trying to bring logic to the Obama administration….  Put his name on “the list.”

- Robert Laurie