This week on Twitter, The Lucidicus Project posted highlights from Jason Mattera's book, Obama Zombies: How the Liberal Machine Brainwashed My Generation (Threshold Editions, 2010; 260 pp). The book documents the tactics used by the Obama campaign to garner a zombie-like following with the stereotypical iPod-listening, YouTubing, college crowd. Although I read the entire book—and the chapter on Jon Stewart was enjoyable—I posted highlights only from Mattera's chapter on healthcare, which is "Chapter 6: Health-Care Hypnosis."

Mattera shows from several angles how the Obama campaign created its legion of enthusiastic, if sometimes factually-challenged, followers. For example, he examines how the campaign capitalized on the global warming hysteria and the prevailing anti-war sentiment on campuses, and how it superbly used Facebook and social networking to bring supporters out of the woodwork. The push for universal health coverage was just one of several hot issues during the election, but it was certainly one of the most important. Mattera shows how the campaign was able to sell health reform to the Obama zombies on emotions and promises.

Here are the healthcare-related highlights we Tweeted. Note that these are mostly my re-formulations, not direct quotations.

• The 46 million "uninsured" figure was a hoax, even by Obama's own admission. (p109)
• 9m of the uninsured are not citizens; 12m are already eligible for benefits; 17m have household incomes of $50k+. (p110)
• Insurance coverage mandates are corporatism at its ugliest; they breed special interests. (p111)
• Why are Obama Zombies so receptive to the message of "shared sacrifice?" Because they don't need healthcare yet. (p113)
• Coverage for hairpieces and hearing aids is required in 7 states. And young people can't opt out. (p114)
• If you don't want to be responsible for your own snowboarding injury, don't go snowboarding! (p115)
• Obama's awful message to students at Northwestern: "Individual salvation depends on collective salvation." (p116)
• *Real* rights don't impose financial obligations on other people. (p118)
• About the only rational markets left in healthcare are in plastic surgery and Lasik eye correction. (p119)
• Are you young, healthy, and prefer to do something else with your money? That's freedom, not a problem. (p121)
• When the government controls costs, it must also allocate care. Don't the Obama Zombies learn this in Econ 101? (p125)

This is our second Twead. The next will begin on Monday, July 5th. Tune in to see which book (or chapter thereof) it will be.

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