Somebody Tell Mitch: Do NOT Fuck With the NFL

Contrary to what GOP leaders appear to think, major-league athletes are not stupid. Many of them are also, um, you know - (whispers) black. Like the President. Who owns Obamacare.

Senate Republican leaders have sent letters warning six professional sports leagues not to provide the Obama administration any assistance in promoting Obamacare.

The letters, dated June 27, warn the chiefs of the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Professional Golf Association and NASCAR that partnering with the administration to publicize the benefits of the health care law would damage their reputations.

“Given the divisiveness and persistent unpopularity of this bill, it is difficult to understand why an organization like yours would risk damaging its inclusive and apolitical brand by lending its name to its promotion,” wrote Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Minority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX).

The letters come days after Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said she’s spoken with the NFL about potentially partnering to let people know the benefits of the Affordable Care Act ahead of the implementation of its major components. (She said there was no deal yet.) The Republican senators rattled off a slew of conservative arguments against the law, stressing polls that signal its unpopularity with the public.

Yeah, about those polls. When you add the people who support Obamacare to the people who oppose it because it's not socialistic enough, you get a majority who want a public health insurance system.

Not that repugs are capable of telling the truth about anything.

NFL players, on the other hand, are trained to spot attempted fakes.