Truth Or Consequences

I’m thinking about Political tricks and spins, and the more I think, the angrier I get. I’m not angry at the Political Parties. I’m angry with my self. There have been tons of indications concerning the propaganda movement toward totalitarianistic methodology.

What do I mean by that?

Simple really. For example, back in the late sixties, Republicans realized that if you control the message, you control the government. To that end they have been keen on using publicists, public relations moguls, bought press, advertising executives and ad men. The whole gamut.

They used the folk, some willingly, some bought, some coerced, to begin putting out the news, Republican style. They bought reporters, newspapers, radio stations and jockeys, television stations and cable networks. The created foundations and groups and political action committees, and realistic sounding organizations having to do with science, economics, social habits of Americans, and on and on.

Whenever a story was needed, the Republicans had someone write it up and place it with their people to be printed, read, broadcast, reported on and the like. It looked so real, who would even begin to think it was phony Republican propaganda to begin with?

Not very many people saw through the fog.

But interestingly enough, the Republicans were so proud of their work they began to brag about it in interviews, in books, in news stories and magazine articles, etc. You get the picture.

As a one time Journalism major, I was taught (albeit around 1976) that the press is a sacred thing, entrusted to journalist by the founding fathers (remember free press and free speech?) to use on behalf of the people for the people. As a forum for discussion and public debate. As a means of keeping the people informed of matters truthful and conscientious.

I think the founding fathers would vomit on the “rags” of today!

We were taught that a story required validation by two real and credible sources. Validation doesn’t happen because a scientist says there is “no global warming” or “global warming is a hoax” if that scientist (though he or she is a legitimate scientist) is being paid to present their views by any one who has a vested interest in there being no global warming. THAT IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. Unfortunately it happens all the time. An because that scientist seems legitimate, we are either confused or agree with this “official”, or go away out of frustration. How can we make informed decisions in this manner? Anything that fell into this category was called “Yellow Journalism”.

This is the topic of this blog. It doesn’t matter if the offender is Red or Blue, I hope to expose as much of this activity as possible. Not a “watch” project as to whether or not something is truthful, but to expose the phony story based on who’s paying for it, or the research, or who has released the report, op ed, scientific report, white paper, et al.

It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it, so it might as well be The Incredible Link.