Can you imagine a wealthy potential donor be pitched a television advertising commercial targeting Mitt Romney as being “Detached” and “Out of Touch” based on his June 8th statement that we don’t need “more firemen, more policemen, more teachers.”

Hmmm … what would that script be ?

MAN’S VOICE: As a fireman, I do everything I can to guard life and property at all hours, everyday, regardless of personal home life responsibilities … I endure endless exhausting hours training and am expected to be always ready to act. I go to local schools to preach fire safety … yet despite all my efforts I know that not all fires will be prevented. My neighbors bought houses in our community because they knew I would be there… but now I hear that Mitt Romney doesn’t think we need more firemen. Mitt Romney is talking about reducing government workers by 10% and using his own words “It’s time for us to cut back on government and help the American people.” This is bad. What if there is a fire at your home ? I know the consequences — delayed response times and lost lives. I don’t want anything to come between my community and me – especially Mitt Romney.

OK … it’s a pitch … and it may exaggerate Mitt Romney’s position (although his economic plan does include reducing federal government workers by 10% however he has not identified how many would be reduced from FEMA’s US Fire Department … that commercial may never air.

But a 60-second $6 million in TV advertisement under the sponsorship of the Concerned Women for America criticizing the federal health care law began airing yesterday.
According to its website, Concerned Women for America is a conservative public policy organization with a 30-year history of bringing “Biblical principles into all levels of public policy.”

The “Care” advertisement features Dr. Ami Siems, a family practitioner, who explains why she doesn’t like the Affordable Care Act.

WOMAN’S VOICE: As a doctor, I do everything I can to make sure my patients get the very best care. But look at our health care system. Everyone agreed we needed reforms, but this new health care law, it just isn’t fixing things. President Obama promised my patients that they could keep me. But what if because of this new health care law. I can’t keep them? I’ve looked at this law. I know the consequences: delayed care and worse yet: denied care. Studies show the president’s health care law is projected to add hundreds of billions to our deficit, and increase spending by more than a trillion dollars. And the truth is, we still don’t know how much this law will eventually cost. I don’t want anything to come between my patients and me – especially Washington bureaucrats. We need real reform that improves care, and the president’s health care law just isn’t it. It just isn’t worth it. This is where health care decisions should be made. Not in Washington.

Ah, it’s a great commercial … carefully scripted … using words like “what if ” and then presuming the worst case scenario … it serves its purpose to excite, invoke fear and demonize President Obama … all without out saying anything about the alternatives or the other candidate’s position.
Yes, the script is accurate … we do not know how much this will cost but as reported by CBS News :

(CBS/AP) Congressional economists are estimating somewhat lower costs for covering the uninsured under President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul law, as well as slightly fewer people gaining coverage.
Assuming the Supreme Court does not overturn the law, the Congressional Budget Office would reduce the number of uninsured by 30 million in 2016, or 2 million fewer people than estimated last year. Total costs from 2012-2021 are about $50 billion lower than estimated last year. That’s due to a combination of factors, including overall health care costs rising more slowly than in the recent past.

Yep, they got their monies worth … but viewers do not know who paid for the commercial … although Dr. Siems was featured in October 2009 in a health care advertisement funded by the Koch Brothers’ Americans for Prosperity “educational“ organization.

It’s not a surprise that this ad is running in battleground states like Iowa and Virginia … but it’s also being shown here in Minnesota … at least according to the Concerned Women for America spokeswoman Alice Stewart.

Does the name Alice Stewart sound familiar ?
Remember the name of spokeswoman for Michelle Bachmann ?
Yep, Alice Stewart.

Ah, that may explain the expenditure in our state … a little payback for wanna-be Presidentress Michelle Bachmann constant bashing of ObamaCare.
Yep … WMD … in this instance, the Weapon is a Medical Doctor.
A MD delivering the Bachmann message to Minnesotans … and as a bonus, the argument made in this ad will no doubt be cited by Raymond Cravaack and John Kline campaigns ( Erik Paulsen has a different WMD … his Weapons are Medical Devices).

The CARE commercial may be one of the first this political season, but expect to see more … especially targeting Congressional races where the need to ensure Republicans control the House is paramount to the future of the Republican Party. A commercial like this swamping the airways in late October can sway an election.

Somehow the timing of this commercial is also interesting. For a group that promotes “Biblical principles into all levels of public policy”, it fails to acknowledge that the Bible speaks to our individual duty to love and help the needy, as well as calling health providers and businesses to examine their financial and ethical responses to the problem. That message is currently being promoted by another of group of Concerned Women … who currently are on a on a nine-state bus tour … called Nuns On The Bus, these Catholic Sisters are speaking out against the current House Republican budget, authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).
NETWORK’s Executive Director, Sister Simone Campbell, said in a recent media interview that Catholic Sisters “know the real-life struggles of real-life Americans.” It is this knowledge that impelled us to organize this bus trip. When the federal government cuts funding to programs that serve people in poverty, we see the effects in our daily work. Simply put, real people suffer. That is immoral.

Dr. Ami Siems got the television time but the real message was delivered by Sister Simone Campbell and her fellow travellers.