Fox News and the Obama Henhouse

President Obama knows the lesson of the fox and the henhouse. Don’t let the fox guard the henhouse . The fox, in this case Fox News , will then be in the position of exploiting its position and raiding the White House, pardon, the henhouse.

In his weeklong blitz to persuade the American people of his own position on health care, Obama appeared on 5 talk shows on Sunday and the David Letterman show on Monday, but not on Fox News. He was scornful of Fox News, but filled with charm, explanations, and definition in the other venues.

Our philologist-in-chief told George Stephanopoulus that the $3800 to be imposed on a family of four as a result of individual mandates was not a tax.

Opined Obama, “No, that’s not true, George For us to say that you’ve got to take responsibility to get health insurance is obviously not a tax increase. What it’s saying is, that we’re not going to have other people carrying your own burden for you anymore. This levy, don’t call it a tax, is for your own good.”

In other words, when you’re using your own money rather other People’s Money, it’s not a tax.

It’s probably a good thing, Obama didn’t invite Fox News into the henhouse. Fox might have feasted on these juicy hens.

• Why is the $35 billion Democrats propose to levy on insurers for “Cadillac health plans” not a tax?

• How do you plan to pay for the $800 billion cost (Baucus) to $1.6 trillion cost (OMB) without raising middle class taxes when you run out of rich people to tax?

• Why would a $1000 penalty on young people for not paying for health insurance not be considered a tax?

• Why are the penalties to be imposed on businesses who do not cover employees not a tax?

• Why do you think the $190 billion you propose to levy on hospitals, insurers, medical device makers, and drug manufacturers will not be passed on to consumers”? Are these levies not really disguised taxes?

• In your campaign, you promised not to tax the middle class to pay for health care. How are you going to honor that pledge if cost overruns occur to pay for your health plan?

• Millons of people showed up at tea parties, town hall meetings, and the march on Washington to protest your health care policies. What kind of people are these? What motivated them?

And so on. Maybe Letterman can pose these top ten questions to President Obama.

10. You are suffering from underexposure. Do you consider this appearance your final chance to say what you really think.

9. Explain why you regard Fox news, which regularly swamps it competitors in the ratings and has a vast audience, as simply right wing media tool?

8. Why are you here?

7. You are going to appear on ”Oprah” next week. That’s important because you and Oprah feel many Americans are hapless victims of American capitalism. Who are this week’s victims, and how do you and Oprah, as certified millionaires and billionaires as beneficiaries of American capitalism, plan to help them?

6. Why have your plans for health reform dropped to the low forties in terms of voter approval?

5. Why will your plans to cut $500 billion out of Medicare will not affect seniors?

4. Why does ACORN (American Community Organizers for Reform Now) have no connection with your activities as a Community Organizer? Don’t your share the same philosophies?

3. Will you please repeat your claim that, under your administration, the economic crisis is almost over even in the face of 10% unemployment?

2. Some cynics have said your new slogan is: "Yes, we can -- with enough taxpayer money." Why are they wrong?

And the No. 1 reason Obama should appear on David Letterman's "Late Show:"

Now, here tonight, you will finally get a little air-time to talk about health care reform, a little-noticed topic of your first few months in office and on which you have had too few opportunities to elaborate on his position. Tell us. What is the American people don’t understand?