SEATTLE - The League of Women Voters says the name of one new political group is too close for comfort - and has asked the League of American Voters to stop using the similar name. The two groups are on completely different sides in the health care reform debate; the League of Women Voters supports a public insurance option, while the League of American Voters is running TV ads to "stop Obama Care."

The League of Women Voters calls the ads misleading and inflammatory, and Washington member Susan Eidenschink is concerned people are confusing the two groups.

"When they hear something, they'll kind-of attribute it to an organization that they're familiar with. When League members or others hear that the League of American Voters does not support that - they're confused."

The League of American Voters' ad says health care reform will "end Medicare as we know it," "limit life-saving medicines," and "hurt seniors." Leaders of the League of Women Voters of Washington have contacted the other group, which Eidenschink says does not intend to budge.

"They've basically said that what they have in the ad is perfectly fine. They don't see any reason they shouldn't continue to call themselves the 'League of American Voters.'"

Of course, a number of other groups also call themselves "voters' leagues" of one kind or another, but the League of Women Voters≤/em> says this one concerns them because its sources of funding are unclear. More information about the "Health Care Ad Wars" is online at www.lwv.org; see link to the National Journal article of Sept. 14, 2009.