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WH wants you to share your shutdown sob story

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October 5, 2013

When Barack Obama is not busy staging a campaign-style event to excoriate the Republican-led House as “blackmailers” and “anarchists” (his actual words), he’s asking the public to come forward with examples of GOP perfidy. (If Mohammed won’t come to the mountain…)

Usually, his vehicle of choice for soliciting the public’s help in defaming the opposition party is the White House website. In the past, he has used this medium — which is financed with your tax dollars — to conscript snitches for his “Truth Team,” an Orwellian construct if ever there was one.

Twitchy notes that WhiteHouse.gov is back with its latest effort. Before you get to the business at hand, you are greeted with this melodramatic message, which appears at the top of each page:

Due to Congress’s failure to pass legislation to fund the government, the information on this web site may not be up to date. Some submissions may not be processed, and we may not be able to respond to your inquiries.

Information about government operating status and resumption of normal operations is available at USA.GOV.

It is not until you scroll down that you come to an invitation to share your tale of woe in the wake of the GOP’s refusal to “do its job.” Here is a screen grab.

When you click on the “Share Your Story” button, you are taken to a fresh page that asks for your name, email address, and ZIP code (all required fields). To understand what a fool’s errand going forward is, remember that you have been warned: “Some submissions may not be processed, and we may not be able to respond to your inquiries.” In other words, your anecdote may never see the light of day, but your personal info is guaranteed to make it into their database.

The Truth Team and its predecessor AttackWatch were both abandoned soon after their appearance, largely due to public apathy. But the invitation to rat out the bad guys is actually getting a response … on Twitter. The “anecdotes” being shared, however are fictitious and are meant to skewer the administration. Here are a few, all carrying the hashtag #shutdownsobstories:

Shawn Z @Shawn_Z_

I have no idea what the panda at the National Zoo is doing. #shutdownsobstories

Ute Bell @utebell

#shutdownsobstories I have no idea when to drink water or when to move

WarmingtoZero @warmingtozero

Who's going to mine my metadata? #ShutdownSobStories

BenghaziTangoFoxtrot @TFinn82

#ShutdownSobStories Wildlife in closed National parks are starving due to the lack of picnics.

The Morning Spew @TheMorningSpew

#ShutDownSobStories Feeling unsafe without the NSA watching over me.

Snarkasaurus @hollyR_J

Harry Reid hurt his finger while pushing his own elevator button. #ShutdownSobStories

Razor @hale_razor

#ShutDownSobStories Obama has to hold his own umbrella. #OrParasol

Frodo RinosBane @FrodoRinosBane

#ShutdownSobStories the White House will only host 2 concerts per month

M RANIERI HUSEMAN @momoishere

#shutdownsobstories Moochelle couldn't get dressed today, the 24 who help her dress are on furlough

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