See No Opposition, Hear No Opposition

The Bush campaign, we've known, carefully screens all attendees at events where W speaks. He thus faces only wildly cheering crowds--the true believers--which requires him to do little but say whatever the tag line of the day or week is.

However, Totenberg's report is chilling in that both supporters who are not sufficiently enthusiastic or neutrals wanting to listen to W have not only been barred attendance, but thrown out and sometimes jailed. (I know-- this should be posted on "That's Amazing"!). What is most troubling is the use of Secret Service as the muscle at what are clearly partisan rallies of the campaign to intimidate anyone who is not a fanatic. Such use is illegal. What is scary is the fascist-like oversight of individuals in the crowd. Apparently, someone knows who we are and what our politics are and if it is not in line with the faux-con agenda, you risk being silenced or jailed. Listen to this report:

http://www.npr.org/rundowns/segment.php?wfId=4076497

PS: There is actually some hope in this: W was at sea in his first debate with Kerry. W's laziness and insulation and lack of perspective fed by the sort of micro-micro-management of his appearances has not prompted him to really think about anything he's doing or has done. It won't be easy for him to awake from this stupor. He may get his clock cleaned again tonight which would be a terrific blow for democracy, feedom of thought and speech. Go John, go!

Truth is not a concern of the Bush administration. Here’s more proof:

The Bush administration has completely botched the Iraq invasion (even though the launch of this unilateral war was chosen by Bush—if more time was needed to plan, it was available.) So, rather than do what’s right, they decided to simply name it “good” and “successful” because the campaign needs good news. The Washington Post reports, “U.S. government and a representative of President Bush's reelection campaign had been heavily involved in drafting the speech given to Congress last week by interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. Combined, they indicate that the federal government is working assiduously to improve Americans' opinions about the Iraq conflict -- a key element of Bush's reelection message” (Milbank and Allen).

So, the administration is using government workers to do work that feeds the campaign. I’m unclear why this is NOT illegal. I’m confident that had Al Gore done something like this in 2000, he’d been barbequed by the Bushies. But, that’s not all. Besides the message going out, Bush is silencing reports on Iraq—typical practice for this administration that is obsessed with secrecy and information control. The Post goes on to report, “USAID said this week that it will restrict distribution of reports by contractor Kroll Security International showing that the number of daily attacks by insurgents in Iraq has increased. On Monday, a day after The Washington Post published a front-page story saying that "the Kroll reports suggest a broad and intensifying campaign of insurgent violence," a USAID official sent an e-mail to congressional aides stating: "This is the last Kroll report to come in. After the Washington Post story, they shut it down in order to regroup. I'll let you know when it restarts" (Milbank and Allen).


Back in the day when I was reading Solzhenitsyn, I was amazed at the Soviet media control that so thoroughly propagandized the population. The Soviet organ was named, Truth, of course. No information got out that was not sanctioned by the government; what did go out were lies shaped to meet the needs of a failing political and social regime. Now the very same forces, albeit not quite as developed yet, are at work right before our eyes.

Re-elect Bush and those forces will be more deeply entrenched and more damaging than ever. The man and his regime are internationally a rogue organization; if re-elected, they will call that outcome a “mandate” do all the evil that they have as yet been unable to do. This is no ordinary election.

Work Cited
Milbank, Dana and Mike Allen. “U.S. Effort Aims to Improve Opinions About Iraq
Conflict.” Washington Post Thursday, September 30, 2004; Page A20

W sets the pace for illegal and immoral activity in the name of freedom and righteousness

Truth is not a concern of the Bush administration. Here’s more proof:

The Bush administration has completely botched the Iraq invasion (even though the launch of this unilateral war was chosen by Bush—if more time was needed to plan, it was available.) So, rather than do what’s right, they decided to simply name it “good” and “successful” because the campaign needs good news. The Washington Post reports, “U.S. government and a representative of President Bush's reelection campaign had been heavily involved in drafting the speech given to Congress last week by interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. Combined, they indicate that the federal government is working assiduously to improve Americans' opinions about the Iraq conflict -- a key element of Bush's reelection message” (Milbank and Allen).

So, the administration is using government workers to do work that feeds the campaign. I’m unclear why this is NOT illegal. I’m confident that had Al Gore done something like this in 2000, he’d been barbequed by the Bushies. But, that’s not all. Besides the message going out, Bush is silencing reports on Iraq—typical practice for this administration that is obsessed with secrecy and information control. The Post goes on to report, “USAID said this week that it will restrict distribution of reports by contractor Kroll Security International showing that the number of daily attacks by insurgents in Iraq has increased. On Monday, a day after The Washington Post published a front-page story saying that "the Kroll reports suggest a broad and intensifying campaign of insurgent violence," a USAID official sent an e-mail to congressional aides stating: "This is the last Kroll report to come in. After the Washington Post story, they shut it down in order to regroup. I'll let you know when it restarts" (Milbank and Allen).

Back in the day when I was reading Solzhenitsyn, I was amazed at the Soviet media control that so thoroughly propagandized the population. The Soviet organ was named, Truth, of course. No information got out that was not sanctioned by the government; what did go out were lies shaped to meet the needs of a failing political and social regime. Now the very same forces, albeit not quite as developed yet, are at work right before our eyes.

Re-elect Bush and those forces will be more deeply entrenched and more damaging than ever. The man and his regime are internationally a rogue organization; if re-elected, they will call that outcome a “mandate” do all the evil that they have as yet been unable to do. This is no ordinary election.

Work Cited
Milbank, Dana and Mike Allen. “U.S. Effort Aims to Improve Opinions About Iraq Conflict.” Washington Post Thursday, September 30, 2004; Page A20