MyDD :: Ideological One-Party State

Ideological One-Party State

by Chris Bowers, Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 03:52:16 PM EST

This story, Social Security Enlisted to Push Its Own Revision, about the Republicans using the Social Security Administration to scare the pubic into supporting privatization is WAYYY beyond the Armstrong Williams scandal! That was the government using tax dollars to pay journalists to propagandize the public. This is using the government itself to propagandize the public to support the policies of one political party. The Congress will not investigate. The FBI will not. The Justice Department won't. The media will drop it in a day or two. This is bad. The Party has merged with the State.

It is not just covert propaganda anymore:

Over the objections of many of its own employees, the Social Security Administration is gearing up for a major effort to publicize the financial problems of Social Security and to convince the public that private accounts are needed as part of any solution.

The agency's plans are set forth in internal documents, including a "tactical plan" for communications and marketing of the idea that Social Security faces dire financial problems requiring immediate action.

But remember, bloggers don't have ethics, so really this is okay.

Tags: Republicans (all tags)

Permalink :: 12 Comments :: Post a Comment

Even worse than this... (none / 0)

Is the fact that the adminstration has been borrowing against the trust to fund its tax cuts and wars...directly accelerating the "looming crisis." I put that in quotes because there isn't such a thing...

For some solid reading, an excellent SS primer from NYT Magazine entitled A Question of Numbers , that I diaried over at DKos.

An extremely insightful (albeit long) read...I provided highlights in the diary.

by rygriffin333 on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 04:23:58 PM EST

Re: Even worse than this... (none / 0)

I think the facts are definitely on our side. I also am starting to believe that GOPers really do have the ability to create their own reality. I posted a diary this morning How to be an Opposition Party from TNR that emphasizes once again the complete inability and unwillingness of the Democratic party to engage Bush's deceit. I am not familiar with Michael Crowley or Ryan Lizza, but their treatment of the invertebrate Democratic party deserves more thorough analysis than I have given it.

As long as the Democrats insist on practicing their genteel approach to being an opposition party, Chris is absolutely right. The Republicans are the only remaining political party governing America.

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 06:55:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Even worse than this... (3.00 / 0)

GOPers can fly thru the air and pull monkeys out of their butt.

They say they can and the meida backs them up, re-broadcasting the daily new and amazing GOP lies countless, countless times, until everyone knows its true.

by leschwartz on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 08:52:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

should we... (none / 0)

Make a bit of a media stir by saying something a bit caustic? I was thinking about Reid making an announcement like this:

"The Democratic party wishes to make it known that those who steal money from the taxpayers in order to channel it into Republican propaganda will be prosecuted. Clearly, the Republicans can get away with unlimited theft for as long as they remain in power, since they control the investigation apparatus. Clearly, Republicans intend to repeat this crime over and over: they stole first from the Medicare budgets, then from the Education budget, and now they are stealing from Social Security. For now, they can commit these crimes with impunity, since they control all the investigative offices. But there will come a day when honest men control the law enforcement branches, and when that day comes, Republicans who participated in these thefts will see the inside of a jail cell - even if it takes twenty years."

by joshyelon on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 05:07:22 PM EST

Democratic "Judicial Watch" (none / 0)

With the Democrat's ability to check and balance a runaway Executive via the Legislative branch essentially neutered, perhaps it's (long past?) time a Democratic version of "Judicial Watch" was formed to harass, hinder and stymie the GOP state/party/corporate/media axis. Couldn't someone (any taxpayer) sue to prevent Social Security funds being diverted for this purpose? At least get a temporary restraining order preventing action pending (lengthy) discovery and litigation. The cesspool of Republican governance is surely a target-rich environment for a creative, aggressive litigation-based effort to slow down and bollocks up the GOP juggernaut.

by Steve in Sacto on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 05:50:08 PM EST

Re: Democratic "Judicial Watch" (none / 0)

Judicial Watch relied on Federalist Society judges to rule in their favor. The same judges will just throw everything out that doesn't conform to the goals of the "conservative movement." That's why they're so adament about getting their judges in.

-- Seeing the Forest

by davej on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 06:23:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

This is fascism (none / 0)

It amazes me that the people who run this site and the people who write in to participate do not realize the seriousness of what is going on around them.

When the government has a aggressive reactionary social agenda to further advantage the wealthy at the expense of the middle and working class and when there is an alignment between the government and the mass media and large corporations, such as corporate suborning of so called democratically elected officials, and reciprocal crony capitalism and administration sanctioned graft extending into the billions of dollars is the rule, that in sum is fascism.

Elections are stolen, the media covers up and ignores the theft, political parties are organs of corporate political influence and people writing into these threads believe these forces can be defeated with an email writing campaign, or by pointing out the graft and the hypocrisy of the people who hold power in a blog.

Day after day we get new examples of the same lack of democracy and lack of a balance of interests in government. And people still naively believe the next election will be different, the next politician will be an honest representative of the people's interests.

by leschwartz on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 08:22:59 PM EST

On the Cheap (none / 0)

Bush does everything except for tax cuts on the cheap. Osama Bin Laden's capture was contracted out to the Northern Alliance, the forces needed to secure Iraq were insufficient and even water, body armor, and vehicle armor for the troops was short-changed. The SS campaign is worth trillions (according to Paul Krugman 20 to 30% of the diverted funds will go to brokerage fees). In Bush's world why should the brokers pay for a Harry and Louise campaign when the taxpayers can pay for the shills.

by David Kowalski on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 08:24:00 PM EST

Re: On the Cheap (none / 0)

Well, he does everything he does not care about on the cheap. His coronation will take a record level of millions of dollars, and he is willing to spend any sum of money coming from the people's tresury to convert SS into a cash register for his allies.

by leschwartz on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 08:35:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Didn't the Bush family make its money (none / 0)

in investment banking?

Does anybody know how many of Bush relatives work in investment and related industries?

Yeah, I'm cynical.

by catastrophile on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 08:43:23 PM EST

Re: Didn't the Bush family make its money (none / 0)

For a real education regarding the bush dynasty start here;

http://www.jfkii.com/

Its a $10 DVD which will answer your questions and go well beyond any questions you may know to ask now.

by leschwartz on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 08:57:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Super, (none / 0)

but although I'd enjoy watching it more than most movies out there, a DVD purporting to prove that SpookyBush led the plot to assassinate JFK is hardly useful in fighting Social Security annihilation in the corporate media.

The best way to frame the campaign against Social Security is as a handout to the Wall Streeties and Enroneers, including much of the President's own family. Has this been covered at all in the mainstream?

Yeah, I'm cynical.

by catastrophile on Mon Jan 17, 2005 at 02:46:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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