George Bush has just gone on another one of his drunken-sailor binges of giving money to corporations. Justice department attorneys have unilaterally lowered the award they were seeking from Big Tobacco from $130 billion to $10 billion.
READ THE STORY
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/07/AR2005060702019.html
June 08, 2005
Corporate Double Talk
According to the AFL-CIO's Working Families site, "The investment firm Charles Schwab is a member of the major proponent of privatizing Social Security: the Alliance for Worker Retirement Security. The firm also has funded the Cato Institute, the think tank that has been the godfather of the scheme to privatize Social Security. Privatization will mean huge benefit cuts for working families—but may mean millions of new customers for Charles Schwab."
CEO Chuck Schwab has claimed publicly: "Our corporation does not take positions on political issues." (San Francisco Chronicle, 5/1/05)
GO TO THE SITE TO TAKE ACTION
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/TellSchwab
By the way, the Alliance for Worker Retirement Security is one of those Orwellian-named front groups for Bush's corporate giveaway Social Security plan. Just look at the links on the Alliance's site, which includes corporate thinktanks American Enterprise Institute, Cato Institute, Heritage Foundation, and the Concord Coalition.
KNOW THINE ENEMY
http://www.retiresecure.org/links.php
CEO Chuck Schwab has claimed publicly: "Our corporation does not take positions on political issues." (San Francisco Chronicle, 5/1/05)
GO TO THE SITE TO TAKE ACTION
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/TellSchwab
By the way, the Alliance for Worker Retirement Security is one of those Orwellian-named front groups for Bush's corporate giveaway Social Security plan. Just look at the links on the Alliance's site, which includes corporate thinktanks American Enterprise Institute, Cato Institute, Heritage Foundation, and the Concord Coalition.
KNOW THINE ENEMY
http://www.retiresecure.org/links.php
June 07, 2005
A Gaggle of Geese
On May 1, 2005, the Times of London released the Downing Street Memo. Since then, while it is true that the White House has been "mum" about this revealing memo, it is also true, and much more disturbing, that the White House press corps has been all-but silent.
Outside of the question about whether President Bush would respond to the Congressional letter signed by 89 House Democrats which asked the President to explain himself in light of the Downing Street Memo (the answer was an emphatic "no"), only one (1) question on the Downing Street memo was asked at any White House Press briefing and that was on May 23, 2005.
Q Scott, last week you said that claims in the leaked Downing Street memo that intelligence was being fixed to support the Iraq War as early as July 2002 are flat-out wrong. According to the memo which was dated July 23, 2002, and whose authenticity has not been disputed by the British Government, both Foreign Minister Jack Straw and British Intelligence Chief Sir Richard Dearlove said that the President had already made up his mind to invade Iraq. Dearlove added that intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. Do you think these two very senior officials of our closest ally were flat-out wrong? And if so, how could they have been so misinformed after their conversations with George Tenet and Condoleezza Rice?
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me correct you on the -- let me correct you on the characterization of the quote you attributed to me. I'm referring to some of the allegations that were made referring to a report. In terms of the intelligence, the -- if anyone wants to know how the intelligence was used by the administration, all they have to do is go back and look at all the public comments over the course of the lead-up to the war in Iraq, and that's all very public information. Everybody who was there could see how we used that intelligence.
And in terms of the intelligence, it was wrong, and we are taking steps to correct that and make sure that in the future we have the best possible intelligence, because it's critical in this post-September 11th age, that the executive branch has the best intelligence possible.
6 questions were asked about Saddam Hussein's underwear photo at the May 20, 2005 White House Press Briefing.
109 questions were asked (at the May 11, 2005 White House press briefing) about the plane incident in which a Cessna came within 10 miles of the White House. One intrepid reporter wanted to know whether there was a bathroom in the secure place that White House spokesman Scott McClellan was taken.
So, since May 1, 2005, when this story was broken in the UK, the White House Press has asked a sum total of two (2) questions about this issue at White House Press Briefings and Press Gaggles. Yes, that's the actual word used by the White House to describe officially what are, presumably, a step down from a Briefing. A gaggle is defined as a flock of geese -- how fitting. Notice how when geese get together they all sound the same?
Outside of the question about whether President Bush would respond to the Congressional letter signed by 89 House Democrats which asked the President to explain himself in light of the Downing Street Memo (the answer was an emphatic "no"), only one (1) question on the Downing Street memo was asked at any White House Press briefing and that was on May 23, 2005.
Q Scott, last week you said that claims in the leaked Downing Street memo that intelligence was being fixed to support the Iraq War as early as July 2002 are flat-out wrong. According to the memo which was dated July 23, 2002, and whose authenticity has not been disputed by the British Government, both Foreign Minister Jack Straw and British Intelligence Chief Sir Richard Dearlove said that the President had already made up his mind to invade Iraq. Dearlove added that intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. Do you think these two very senior officials of our closest ally were flat-out wrong? And if so, how could they have been so misinformed after their conversations with George Tenet and Condoleezza Rice?
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me correct you on the -- let me correct you on the characterization of the quote you attributed to me. I'm referring to some of the allegations that were made referring to a report. In terms of the intelligence, the -- if anyone wants to know how the intelligence was used by the administration, all they have to do is go back and look at all the public comments over the course of the lead-up to the war in Iraq, and that's all very public information. Everybody who was there could see how we used that intelligence.
And in terms of the intelligence, it was wrong, and we are taking steps to correct that and make sure that in the future we have the best possible intelligence, because it's critical in this post-September 11th age, that the executive branch has the best intelligence possible.
6 questions were asked about Saddam Hussein's underwear photo at the May 20, 2005 White House Press Briefing.
109 questions were asked (at the May 11, 2005 White House press briefing) about the plane incident in which a Cessna came within 10 miles of the White House. One intrepid reporter wanted to know whether there was a bathroom in the secure place that White House spokesman Scott McClellan was taken.
So, since May 1, 2005, when this story was broken in the UK, the White House Press has asked a sum total of two (2) questions about this issue at White House Press Briefings and Press Gaggles. Yes, that's the actual word used by the White House to describe officially what are, presumably, a step down from a Briefing. A gaggle is defined as a flock of geese -- how fitting. Notice how when geese get together they all sound the same?
June 06, 2005
And Then They Came for Me
With apologies to Martin Niemoller.
http://www.liv-coll.ac.uk/pa09/europetrip/brussels/neimoller.htm
First they came for the trade unions, and I did not speak out, because I was not a trade unionist -- Since the 1950s, trade union ranks have shrunk by two-thirds and they are targeted for extinction
And then they came for the gays and lesbians and I did not speak out, because I was not a gay man -- The religious right is waging a fervent war on gay rights and gay people with the intent of making them extinct.
Then they came for the lawyers, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a lawyer. -- The rightwing views plaintiff's attorneys as "the Devil's spawn," and lawsuits against corporations, jury awards, and bankruptcies are targeted for extinction.
Then they came for the judges, and I did not speak out, because I was not a judge. Responsible judges and independent courts are anathema to the right and are targets for extinction.
Then they came for the Congress, and I did not speak out, because I did not vote. A free and independent Congress has been buried in a mountain of money and corruption, and is already close to extinction.
Then they came for the media, and I did not speak out, because I don't read much. A free, independent, questioning press is bought and paid for. Extinct.
And then they came for me, and I didn't notice because I was watching reality TV and eating a Big Mac.
http://www.liv-coll.ac.uk/pa09/europetrip/brussels/neimoller.htm
First they came for the trade unions, and I did not speak out, because I was not a trade unionist -- Since the 1950s, trade union ranks have shrunk by two-thirds and they are targeted for extinction
And then they came for the gays and lesbians and I did not speak out, because I was not a gay man -- The religious right is waging a fervent war on gay rights and gay people with the intent of making them extinct.
Then they came for the lawyers, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a lawyer. -- The rightwing views plaintiff's attorneys as "the Devil's spawn," and lawsuits against corporations, jury awards, and bankruptcies are targeted for extinction.
Then they came for the judges, and I did not speak out, because I was not a judge. Responsible judges and independent courts are anathema to the right and are targets for extinction.
Then they came for the Congress, and I did not speak out, because I did not vote. A free and independent Congress has been buried in a mountain of money and corruption, and is already close to extinction.
Then they came for the media, and I did not speak out, because I don't read much. A free, independent, questioning press is bought and paid for. Extinct.
And then they came for me, and I didn't notice because I was watching reality TV and eating a Big Mac.
The "Mugging" of America
The eloquent voice of Bill Moyers speaks for itself. Here he is on June 3, 2005 in Washington DC.
http://www.alternet.org/story/22163/
http://www.alternet.org/story/22163/
The Church is the State
It bears repeating, again and again, that a large part of the corporatocracy which has taken control in this country is also suffused with a radical religious view that insists that America is a Christian nation, and should be ruled by narrow Christian dogma. The combination of these two forces with the current enabling government is an extremely dangerous force that must be defeated. This force is preying on the ignorant, the uneducated, the down-and-out, the angry have-nots, the middle and lower middle classes who are being robbed blind and don't see it. Millions of vulnerable Americans are seeking some kind of mystical guidance, an answer, a solution that satifies. What easier solution than the simple one put forward by the delusional forces of right-wing Christianity. America is a Christian nation and must be ruled by Christian ideology promulgated by Christian men, Christian laws, Christian media, Christian businesses, and the Bible. Give in to the force, people.
Harvey Wasserman, author of an elucidating and fascinating history of the United States (see it here http://harveywasserman.com/ ) writes about the fundamentalist attack on the separation of church and state.
READ IT HERE
http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/7/2005/1141
Harvey Wasserman, author of an elucidating and fascinating history of the United States (see it here http://harveywasserman.com/ ) writes about the fundamentalist attack on the separation of church and state.
READ IT HERE
http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/7/2005/1141
June 05, 2005
Spreading Truth
Here is a specific and practical way that a citizen of the USA can help to spread the word about the Downing Street memo. If you don't know what that is, go to the site below and read about it. Then you can take various actions which are listed right on the home page of the website.
GO HERE
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/
GO HERE
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/
The Corporation is a Person
"Since 1953, the percentage of union workers has declined from 26 percent to less than 14 percent.
Yet, given the choice of joining a union or not, 48 percent of workers in this country would join.
So, why isn't the number of unionized workers higher?
According to Peter Kellman, a member of the Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy, getting a corporation to recognize a union is neither a right nor a protected activity.
If it were, the 48 percent of the workforce would become union members, elect officers and start negotiating in a heartbeat, Kellman says.
Americans have the right to strike, true.
But under a little known 1938 Supreme Court decision (NLRB v. Mackay), corporations have the right to permanently replace those workers.
So, what right do workers have?
They have the right to quit.
The right to quit?
Well, remember slavery?
Slaves didn't have the right to quit. We do. So, it's a step up from slavery, Kellman says.
Americans have little understanding of labor history, about the Knights of Labor, about Norris-LaGuardia (labor's Magna Carta), about the "labor amendment to the Constitution" (the 13th), about how the 14th Amendment has been used to protect corporations far more than to protect African Americans.
Hoping to remedy this problem, Kellman and POCLAD have published a booklet -- Building Unions, Past, Present and Future. "
Here is the full interview with Kellman
http://www.poclad.org/articles/kellman-interview.html
HERE IS THE POCLAD SITE
http://www.poclad.org/index.cfm
HERE IS THE CORPORATE CRIME REPORTER SITE
http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/
Yet, given the choice of joining a union or not, 48 percent of workers in this country would join.
So, why isn't the number of unionized workers higher?
According to Peter Kellman, a member of the Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy, getting a corporation to recognize a union is neither a right nor a protected activity.
If it were, the 48 percent of the workforce would become union members, elect officers and start negotiating in a heartbeat, Kellman says.
Americans have the right to strike, true.
But under a little known 1938 Supreme Court decision (NLRB v. Mackay), corporations have the right to permanently replace those workers.
So, what right do workers have?
They have the right to quit.
The right to quit?
Well, remember slavery?
Slaves didn't have the right to quit. We do. So, it's a step up from slavery, Kellman says.
Americans have little understanding of labor history, about the Knights of Labor, about Norris-LaGuardia (labor's Magna Carta), about the "labor amendment to the Constitution" (the 13th), about how the 14th Amendment has been used to protect corporations far more than to protect African Americans.
Hoping to remedy this problem, Kellman and POCLAD have published a booklet -- Building Unions, Past, Present and Future. "
Here is the full interview with Kellman
http://www.poclad.org/articles/kellman-interview.html
HERE IS THE POCLAD SITE
http://www.poclad.org/index.cfm
HERE IS THE CORPORATE CRIME REPORTER SITE
http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/
Bush Jabberwocky
"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
"Kinda muddled." Even the President recognizes the chaotic and inept nature of his thinking. In the passage quoted below, he outdoes himself.
Here is George Bush explaining his plan to save Social Security, Tampa, FL Feb 4, 2005
"Because the—all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those—changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be—or closer delivered to what has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled. Look, there's a series of things that cause the—like, for example, benefits are calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to the increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate—the benefits will rise based upon inflation, as opposed to wage increases. There is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if those—if that growth is affected, it will help on the red."
I worry that the more Karl Rove tries to cram into this man's brain, the more he will continue to devolve. Like Reagan dozing through most of his second term, Bush will mumble through his.
For a complete list of "Bushisms",
GO HERE
http://slate.msn.com/id/76886
H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
"Kinda muddled." Even the President recognizes the chaotic and inept nature of his thinking. In the passage quoted below, he outdoes himself.
Here is George Bush explaining his plan to save Social Security, Tampa, FL Feb 4, 2005
"Because the—all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those—changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be—or closer delivered to what has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled. Look, there's a series of things that cause the—like, for example, benefits are calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to the increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate—the benefits will rise based upon inflation, as opposed to wage increases. There is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if those—if that growth is affected, it will help on the red."
I worry that the more Karl Rove tries to cram into this man's brain, the more he will continue to devolve. Like Reagan dozing through most of his second term, Bush will mumble through his.
For a complete list of "Bushisms",
GO HERE
http://slate.msn.com/id/76886
June 04, 2005
Writing Truth
This is a story of standing up for truth, beautifully told by Caroline Arnold.
READ IT HERE
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0603-29.htm
READ IT HERE
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0603-29.htm
Lying with Statistics
Howard Dean is an ineffectual fundraiser. That's the lie. The truth is that Howard Dean is a very successful fundraiser. That's the truth.
Business Week lies, then Brit Hume at Fox picks up the lie, and then John Gibson at Fox repeats the lie. Once the lie gets told this many times, other people pick it up, and the damage is done, and then it takes ten times the effort to undo the lie, but its effects are never really completely undone. I would argue with Media Matters that this is a "baseless claim."
There is a very positive net effect for the GOP corporatocracy to be gained from telling this lie. It is not a mistake, it is a conscious fabrication. Where I come from, it is known as a lie.
READ IT HERE
http://mediamatters.org/items/200506030009
Business Week lies, then Brit Hume at Fox picks up the lie, and then John Gibson at Fox repeats the lie. Once the lie gets told this many times, other people pick it up, and the damage is done, and then it takes ten times the effort to undo the lie, but its effects are never really completely undone. I would argue with Media Matters that this is a "baseless claim."
There is a very positive net effect for the GOP corporatocracy to be gained from telling this lie. It is not a mistake, it is a conscious fabrication. Where I come from, it is known as a lie.
READ IT HERE
http://mediamatters.org/items/200506030009
Ted Bundy to Head Battered Women's Shelter
If Bush had his chance, he would name Ted Bundy to head a battered women's shelter. And the news headlines of such an announcement would be greeted with serious debate and consideration. Talking heads (mostly men, of course) would argue the pros and cons, small groups of "liberals" would demonstrate and email campaigns would begin. But the argument in favor of Bundy would prevail -- he would keep costs down and the shelter wouldn't be inhabited that much, certainly not for very long. Not to mention the fact that Bundy (much like Bolton at the UN) would instill an aura of discipline much needed at the shelter.
Rep. Christopher Cox, as the new head of the Securities and Exchange Commission and despite all of the serious reasons why he is antithetical to the position, will keep the costs of shareholders lawsuits down and thus serves the interests of the establishment. Of course, the nation's small investors (the victims of battering?) will not be served.
Billmon shows us all the shocking evidence, highlights the lies of Rep. Cox, shows how he helped Enron's massive thievery, lists the people who own him, and generally demonstrates why this guy's greed and sleaze are such a perfect fit for Bush's idea of a great Presidential appointment. The corporatization of America's democracy proceeds unchecked.
READ IT HERE
http://billmon.org/archives/001869.html
Rep. Christopher Cox, as the new head of the Securities and Exchange Commission and despite all of the serious reasons why he is antithetical to the position, will keep the costs of shareholders lawsuits down and thus serves the interests of the establishment. Of course, the nation's small investors (the victims of battering?) will not be served.
Billmon shows us all the shocking evidence, highlights the lies of Rep. Cox, shows how he helped Enron's massive thievery, lists the people who own him, and generally demonstrates why this guy's greed and sleaze are such a perfect fit for Bush's idea of a great Presidential appointment. The corporatization of America's democracy proceeds unchecked.
READ IT HERE
http://billmon.org/archives/001869.html
June 03, 2005
Base Closures are Base Openings
No news is good news (in this case, for Donald Rumsfeld).
While we are inundated with stories about howling Congresspeople indignant about all the bases closures around the country (which will have negative consequences for the local district and state economies), we hear almost no news at all about the blizzard of base openings around the world (which will have positive consequences for American corporations and the local economies of those countries).
Welcome to Pentagon World as Tom Engelhardt calls it. From Kosovo to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, from all the "Pipelinestan" countries of central Asia to Iraq, from Diego Garcia to Pakistan, the United States is constructing the largest complex of overseas military bases ever built. Unlike qualities of the British empire, as Englehardt puts it, it's all gunboat, no colonies.
If there is one book on this subject that Americans ought to read, it is Chalmers Johnson's "The Sorrows of Empire").
READ HERE
http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?pid=3025
While we are inundated with stories about howling Congresspeople indignant about all the bases closures around the country (which will have negative consequences for the local district and state economies), we hear almost no news at all about the blizzard of base openings around the world (which will have positive consequences for American corporations and the local economies of those countries).
Welcome to Pentagon World as Tom Engelhardt calls it. From Kosovo to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, from all the "Pipelinestan" countries of central Asia to Iraq, from Diego Garcia to Pakistan, the United States is constructing the largest complex of overseas military bases ever built. Unlike qualities of the British empire, as Englehardt puts it, it's all gunboat, no colonies.
If there is one book on this subject that Americans ought to read, it is Chalmers Johnson's "The Sorrows of Empire").
READ HERE
http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?pid=3025
June 02, 2005
Freedom and Democracy (not for women)
Long ago, it seems the United States committed itself to ensuring freedom, democracy and dignity for all the people of Afganistan. The commitment is enshrined on the White House website ( http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/afghanistan/index.html#freedom ).
The world applauded and almost all Americans supported our government when we liberated Afghanistan from the Taliban and went after Al-Queda in the aftermath of 9/11. We had the world behind us.
It was especially heartening to hear initial stories about the repression of women in Afghanistan being lifted. Those early hopeful days are gone.
Amnesty International reports on the current reality.
READ IT HERE
http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=564F39B1469DA7C28525701200557272
The world applauded and almost all Americans supported our government when we liberated Afghanistan from the Taliban and went after Al-Queda in the aftermath of 9/11. We had the world behind us.
It was especially heartening to hear initial stories about the repression of women in Afghanistan being lifted. Those early hopeful days are gone.
Amnesty International reports on the current reality.
READ IT HERE
http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=564F39B1469DA7C28525701200557272
Voting is Wrong (for women)
Yet another whacky story from Kansas (sorry Kansas).
Who would have guessed that a woman who believes the 19th amendment to the US Constitution (that's the one that gave women the vote) was a mistake, is now serving as a Kansas State Senator and wants to run for Kansas Secretary of State?
READ IT HERE
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=810118
Who would have guessed that a woman who believes the 19th amendment to the US Constitution (that's the one that gave women the vote) was a mistake, is now serving as a Kansas State Senator and wants to run for Kansas Secretary of State?
READ IT HERE
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=810118
Culture of Death
Molly Ivins contrasts Bush's concern about an embryo with his concern about dead American soldiers and dead Iraqis. Bush should choke every time he says the word" culture of life."
http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/22122/
http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/22122/
June 01, 2005
Chicago Tribune Rewrites History
Here is how bad the press has gotten. I know, I know, the press has done this for a long time, but the time has come to level with the American people. They elected a nitwit. And as long as the press keeps telling us that the emperor has clothes on, the people will believe that he has clothes on, when, in fact, he is completely naked.
The Chicago Tribune in its report on Bush's press conference (see my earlier post today entitled Bush Doublethink) simply ignores Bush's revealing misstatement and corrects his language. Instead of reporting on Bush's using the word disassemble when he meant dissemble, and which he then goes on to define incorrectly for the press corps (how they managed not to have rolled with laughter in the aisles, I'll never know), the Tribune, acting like the Ministry of Truth, simply rewrites what happened.
FROM THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE PIECE BY MARK SILVA
"Bush said that 'it seemed like to me (Amnesty International) based some of their decisions on the word of - and the allegations - by people who were held in detention, people who hate America, people that had been trained in some instances to dissemble - that means not tell the truth. And so it was an absurd report'."
HERE IS THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE PIECE AS PRINTED IN THE KANSAS CITY STAR
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/11781941.htm
The Chicago Tribune in its report on Bush's press conference (see my earlier post today entitled Bush Doublethink) simply ignores Bush's revealing misstatement and corrects his language. Instead of reporting on Bush's using the word disassemble when he meant dissemble, and which he then goes on to define incorrectly for the press corps (how they managed not to have rolled with laughter in the aisles, I'll never know), the Tribune, acting like the Ministry of Truth, simply rewrites what happened.
FROM THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE PIECE BY MARK SILVA
"Bush said that 'it seemed like to me (Amnesty International) based some of their decisions on the word of - and the allegations - by people who were held in detention, people who hate America, people that had been trained in some instances to dissemble - that means not tell the truth. And so it was an absurd report'."
HERE IS THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE PIECE AS PRINTED IN THE KANSAS CITY STAR
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/11781941.htm
Fox Executive Admits Unfairness and Imbalance
Even right-wingers know that Fox is not "fair and balanced."
READ IT AT SLATE
http://slate.msn.com/id/2119864/
READ IT AT SLATE
http://slate.msn.com/id/2119864/
Bush Applauded for His Propaganda
Michael Miller has posted on his weblog http://publicdomainprogress.info/ the following gem which he takes directly from the White House website (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050524-3.html).
It is from a transcript of Bush speaking at a high school in New York State on social security.
"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." (Applause.)
Miller then juxtaposes it with a similar statement from Joseph Goebbels, German Minister of Propaganda, 1933-1945
It is from a transcript of Bush speaking at a high school in New York State on social security.
"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." (Applause.)
Miller then juxtaposes it with a similar statement from Joseph Goebbels, German Minister of Propaganda, 1933-1945
Bush Doublethink
When George W. Bush speaks, he is sometimes pretty funny, misspeaking at his own expense, utterly oblivious, and all the while maintaining that earnest Presidential swagger. Often what he says is a dead give-away to what he is thinking but really doesn't want to say. He will say the opposite of what he wants to say because he knows that what he wants to say is the opposite of the truth, and he accidently tells the truth because that is what he is thinking but really does not want to say. It's all rather humorously complex, but I think you get it.
Here is Bush at his press conference on May 31, 2005:
"I'm aware of the Amnesty International report, and it's absurd. It's an absurd allegation.
The United States is a country that promotes freedom around the world. When there's accusations made about certain actions by our people, they're fully investigated in a transparent way.
It's just an absurd allegation.
In terms of, you know, the detainees, we've had thousands of people detained. We've investigated every single complaint against the detainees.
It seemed like to me they based some of their decisions on the word of and the allegations by people that were held in detention, people who hate America, people that have been trained in some instances to disassemble, that means not tell the truth.
BUSH: And so it was an absurd report. It just is."
First of all, Bush meant to say dissemble which is precisely what he is doing but he slipped and said disassemble which is precisely what the Amnesty International report is doing to his pack of lies. It's really quite funny that he then defines the word disassemble for the press corps, incorrectly.
He claims that all investigations about all allegations have been conducted and completed in a "transparent way." As far as I know Congress is still waiting for reports of hundreds of allegations, and is still ignorant of why 200 detainees have died in US run camps.
He also says that "we" have investigated every complaint against the detainees. Well if that is true then shouldn't we know whether they should be freed or prosecuted? Of course, that's not what he meant.
And finally, he gives the Amnesty International report the Bill O'Reilly treatment. If you can tar and feather an allegation as absurd and link it to "people who hate America", you have pretty much dealt with that one. Can't you just picture the image in his mind: George whips out his six-gun and shoots the rattlesnake dead. Another varmint sent to hell where it belongs!
So much for the Amnesty International Report.
Here is Bush at his press conference on May 31, 2005:
"I'm aware of the Amnesty International report, and it's absurd. It's an absurd allegation.
The United States is a country that promotes freedom around the world. When there's accusations made about certain actions by our people, they're fully investigated in a transparent way.
It's just an absurd allegation.
In terms of, you know, the detainees, we've had thousands of people detained. We've investigated every single complaint against the detainees.
It seemed like to me they based some of their decisions on the word of and the allegations by people that were held in detention, people who hate America, people that have been trained in some instances to disassemble, that means not tell the truth.
BUSH: And so it was an absurd report. It just is."
First of all, Bush meant to say dissemble which is precisely what he is doing but he slipped and said disassemble which is precisely what the Amnesty International report is doing to his pack of lies. It's really quite funny that he then defines the word disassemble for the press corps, incorrectly.
He claims that all investigations about all allegations have been conducted and completed in a "transparent way." As far as I know Congress is still waiting for reports of hundreds of allegations, and is still ignorant of why 200 detainees have died in US run camps.
He also says that "we" have investigated every complaint against the detainees. Well if that is true then shouldn't we know whether they should be freed or prosecuted? Of course, that's not what he meant.
And finally, he gives the Amnesty International report the Bill O'Reilly treatment. If you can tar and feather an allegation as absurd and link it to "people who hate America", you have pretty much dealt with that one. Can't you just picture the image in his mind: George whips out his six-gun and shoots the rattlesnake dead. Another varmint sent to hell where it belongs!
So much for the Amnesty International Report.
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