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Congressman Adam Smith's phones rang so much on Monday that one of his aides called it a "siege." Almost all the calls were about health care, and most of his constituents' opinions were the same. "In my case, it's very one-sided," says Smith, a Washington State Democrat. "It's all been on the anti side...
...secret. National business groups have blanketed Tacoma television stations with a 30-sec. spot that features depressing images of discouraged workers and a voice-over warning that health care reform will bring billions in new taxes, mandates on businesses and higher health care costs. At the end, Smith's phone number flashes across the screen. "It's a pretty thorough buy," Smith admits, saying it has sometimes run three or four times on a single station in an hour. (See the top 10 health care reform...
...deluge is not limited to Smith's district. Across the country, groups on all sides of the health care reform debate have been targeting swing members of Congress with costly ad campaigns. Over the coming week, as the House gears up to take a final, deciding vote on reform, issue-ad spending by corporations, trade groups, unions and advocacy organizations may top $24 million, adding to the estimated $200 million that has already been spent on health care advocacy ads. "We are going to be at parity with the other guys in spending for the week," said a pro-reform...
...running in Smith's district, which was paid for by an offshoot of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is part of a 17-state campaign slated to cost between $4 million and $10 million. Another conservative group, the American Future Fund, is running ads in 18 House districts that compares health care reform to a pig wearing lipstick before flashing a phone number. America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry trade group, has its own television campaign. Another secretive group called the League of American Voters, which works with former Bill Clinton adviser Dick Morris, is running additional ads targeting...
...part, Smith says he is trying to put the barrage of industry-funded ads and the phone calls in perspective. "Their opinions are very valid," he says. But the ads are unlikely to make a difference in his vote. Having previously voted for the House version of the bill, Smith says he will wait to see the final language before making a decision. "I am leaning strongly in favor of the Senate bill," he says. Such firm pronouncements, however, are unlikely to stop the phone from ringing...