White House Rumor Debunking Adds Spanish Prong
BY Nancy Scola | Monday, August 17 2009
A bit more on the White House's "Reality Check" offensive against health care rumors, viral emails, and myths. The debunking operation has gone multi-lingual. Well, bi-lingual, at least. A new Spanish-language version of the push is tailored to Hispanic Americans, offering la verdad sobre la reforma del seguro médico.
An estimated 45 million Americans speak Spanish, creating a desirably sizable audience for the White House's outreach. Add to that that nearly a third of Hispanic Americans are uninsured. What you have there, goes the hope, is a ready audience for the White House's new messaging about "stability and security." The approach is heavy on aspiration. The argument goes that health reform is all about creating a reliable bedrock upon which to build prosperous lives in these United States. Or, as they say in Spanish:
Tenga o no seguro médico en este momento, las reformas que estamos procurando le darán la estabilidad y seguridad que no tiene hoy en día. No es cuestión de política. Se trata de la vida de la gente. Se trata de sus empresas. Se trata de nuestro futuro.
Signed Presidente Barack Obama.