Steele Repeats "Death Book" Lie on Fox & Friends

This morning, RNC Chairman Michael Steele continued his anti-health care reform media blitz with an appearance on Fox & Friends.  During the interview, Steele embraced the right wing's latest conspiracy theory -- the "death book" for veterans.  The government, Steele said, is "encouraging [veterans] to commit suicide." Watch it:

STEELE: If you want an example of bad public policy, just look at the situation with our veterans when you have a manual out there telling our veterans stuff like "are you really of value to your community?" You know, encouraging them to commit suicide.  I mean, this is crazy coming from the government, and this is exactly what concerns people and puts them in fear of what the government control of health care will look like.

Steele was referring to a guidebook called "Your Life, Your Choices," which helps veterans "understand issues relating to advance directives and living wills." It was put in the VHA handbook by a Bush administration directive in 2007.  The false rumors began with a Wall Street Journal column by Jim Towey, the former head of Bush's Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, who has been trying to sell his own competing guidebook to the government. 

The White House has issued a comprehensive rebuttal of the "death book" lie, which can be found here.