Richard Land misfires on HCR (again)

His Nazi libels and "death panels" prevarications failed to stop health reform, so Southern Baptist Convention ethics czar Richard Land found other ways to mislead.

In the key passage of last week's email begging Southern Baptists for telephone opposition, he said:

"If this bill passes, it will mean federal funding of abortion, a nearly half-trillion-dollar cut to Medicare, heavy taxes on individuals and businesses, higher premiums, and strong government control that will inevitably lead to a decline in patient care," Land said.

Taking his points in order ...

1. "None" is the amount of "federal funding for abortion" found in an expert assessment by Washington and Lee law professor Timothy Stoltzfus Jost, whom Mark Silk describes as "an ardent pro-lifer who's an expert on abortion and health care."
2. "Senior scare" is what FactCheck.org calls the alleged "half trillion dollar cut to medicare." Pulitzer Prize winning PolitiFact.com is no more complimentary.
3. "Backward" is how he got it in predicting "heavy taxes." Obama's plan "cuts government spending."
4. "Strong government control" like that imposed by the Republican-spawned Massachusetts plan -- RomneyCare, "implemented by former Republican Gov. Mitt Romney?"
5. "Decline in patient care" = more scare words and the opposite is what helped inspired Catholic Health Association President Sr. Carol Keehan, DC to say "it is time for health reform." As Jost explains, the Senate bill provides more care for those who need it worst. Not less.

Srsly, Brother Land.