Catapult the Propaganda

Wow! Paul is right there! (0.00 / 0)

Give Democrats the next 4 months and Democrats will give you back your country.

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by: Bill Duncan @ Fri May 23, 2008 at 05:22:00 AM CDT

Hodes-Delauro-DeFazio (0.00 / 0)

"In a free and democratic society, our government should never use the public airwaves to propagandize our citizens," Congressman Hodes said in a floor statement. "Congress cannot allow an Administration to manipulate the public with false propaganda on matters of war and our national security."

"This amendment will ensure that no money authorized in this act will be used for a propaganda program, and require a report to Congress by both the Defense Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office on whether previous restrictions on propaganda have been violated.  It's time for the American people to finally know the truth."

 

This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force.

   Dorothy Parker

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by: JonnyBBad @ Fri May 23, 2008 at 06:06:21 AM CDT

While I agree with the intent, I think there's (0.00 / 0)

a problem with prohibitive legislation.  Once you start enumerating all the things the executive can't do, you run the risk of leaving them with the impression that whatever hasn't been prohibited is OK.  While that's the standard for the individual person, the agents of government are limited to doing only what's been permitted to them.  Since they weren't allocated funds for propaganda, they weren't permitted to engage in such actitivities.

Also, prohibitive legislation runs the risk of mis-interpretation.  What's to prevent the Pentagon from classifying the pensioned propagandists as something else?  Much as they classify the hardened bases they've built in Iraq as non-permanent.

There's a reason Republicans inveigh against bureaucrats--they know exactly how they work.  Which is why when Republicans are in the majority and give the orders, we don't hear a word of complaint.

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by: hannah @ Fri May 23, 2008 at 15:26:31 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'm a fan of DeLauro. (4.00 / 2)

Today seems to be Connecticut day.

The Politico had some Dodd for VP love that made me smile. I don't in a million years think he would be picked, but it's nice to see he's been added to the pundit's fantasy of what is BO's short list:

A deeper dive on the case for DODD, from a longtime supporter:

1. Helps with Catholics (obvious, but Obama's really weak here).

2. Helps with Hispanics (fluent in Spanish, Western Hemisphere Chair in Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Peace Corps Dominican Republic).

3. Helps with Jews (Dad, Tom Dodd, was on Prosecution team at Nuremberg; Univ of Conn hosts "Tom Dodd Center for Holocaust Studies").

4. Age, seniority, thick resume of legislative accomplishment (all contrasts with Obama).

5. Street fighter; most important of all. Smart, fast on his feet; great counterpuncher; all part of what a Veep is supposed to do).

6. Veteran - Air National Guard

I would put point #6 in bold and pair it with his focus on nat'l service, and also highlight Dodd's fighting to protect the Constitution, and finally the fact that he became an unlikely hero of the netroots, something Obama cannot say to have done until after it became a binary race.

But despite the fun fantasy I'm sticking to my Obama-Webb prediction.

Wonder if Sununu's fired now.

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by: Dean Barker @ Fri May 23, 2008 at 18:40:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]