Most Gov't Propaganda Money Goes to the Left

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_012805/content/rush_is_right.guest.html ^ | 1/28/2005 | Rush Limbaugh

[Born Conservative]

Have you heard about this? You know, with the Maggie Gallagher story and the Armstrong Williams story, this is such a laugher to me. Senators are going to introduce the Stop Government Propaganda Act. "In response to continued revelations of government-funded 'journalism' -- ranging from the purported video news releases put out by the drug czar's office and the Department of Health and Human Services to the recently uncovered payments to columnists Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher... Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) will introduce a bill, The Stop Government Propaganda Act, in the Senate next week. 'It's just not enough to say, "Please don't do it anymore,"' Alex Formuzis, Lautenberg's spokesman. 'Legislation sometimes is required and we believe it is in this case.' The Stop Government Propaganda Act states, 'Funds appropriated to an Executive branch agency may not be used for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States unless authorized by law.'" (Laughter). So the Democrats have left themselves an "out" when they get back in charge of the executive branch. They'll pass a law saying propaganda is okay.

The act, they don't need it. They've got the mainstream press as their #1 propaganda arm! They don't need to buy a thing. This is what was so obvious about campaign finance reform. I mean, you know, their #1 shouting or megaphone couldn't be shut down because they had First Amendment protection. I mean, the mainstream press doesn't have to buy media time, it is the media, and so of course the Democrats can afford to do this. "The act would allow citizens to bring qui tam lawsuits on behalf of the United States government when the Department of Justice does not respond. If the matter is taken to court, the bill proposes that the senior official responsible would be fined three times the amount of the 'misspent taxpayer funds.'" (Laughter). I'm sorry, I'll tell you why I'm laughing here in a minute. "Plus an additional fine ranging from 5,000 to $10,000, and if a citizen's lawsuit is accepted, the bill proposes that the plaintiff receive between 25 and 30% of the proceeds of the fine. You know, these fools don't even realize what they're doing. Look, folks, the dirty little secret here is that the vast majority of government grant money goes to left-wingers.

Almost half of the EPA budget, for example, is grant money to a bunch of these wacko environmentalists out there telling all these lies about global warming and fossil fuels and the rest. Most of that goes to these left-wing groups. So as far as I'm concerned, anytime they issue some press release or white paper or their spokesmen appear on radio or TV and their group has received government money, then they've violated the law. I'm serious about this. If we're going to come up with a Stop Government Propaganda Act, we can really slice the federal budget by a significant amount. It's not just the EPA. I mean, for crying out loud the government grants that go out to various scientists and departments from various branches of government, and then you get a report echoing what the government wants, or whoever issued the grant. Sometimes senators are in charge of authorizing these grants as part of legislation. Now, we've had a lot of stories today and all week and we're going to have them throughout the weekend about the horrors awaiting innocent Iraqis as they risk their lives to vote in a meaningless, worthless election that should have been cancelled, quote-unquote.

END TRANSCRIPT

Read the Article...

(E&P: 'Stop Government Propaganda Act' to be Introduced in Senate)

[Born Conservative]

[eno_]

It would be VERY nice if this stopped the ONDCP/Hollywood gravy train.

[SolutionsOnly]

It may be true, still one cannot justify one wrong with another. Personally I think this entire Armstrong Williams thing is much ado about nothing. If Armstrong had changed his views as a result of receiving the money (been bought off) then it would be a much bigger deal than it is.

[international american]

"Have you heard about this? You know, with the Maggie Gallagher story and the Armstrong Williams story, this is such a laugher to me. Senators are going to introduce the Stop Government Propaganda Act. "In response to continued revelations of government-funded 'journalism' -- ranging from the purported video news releases put out by the drug czar's office and the Department of Health and Human Services to the recently uncovered payments to columnists Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher... Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) will introduce a bill, The Stop Government Propaganda Act, in the Senate next week. 'It's just not enough to say, "Please don't do it anymore,"' Alex Formuzis, Lautenberg's spokesman. 'Legislation sometimes is required and we believe it is in this case.' The Stop Government Propaganda Act states, 'Funds appropriated to an Executive branch agency may not be used for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States unless authorized by law.'" (Laughter). So the Democrats have left themselves an "out" when they get back in charge of the executive branch. They'll pass a law saying propaganda is okay.

The act, they don't need it. They've got the mainstream press as their #1 propaganda arm! They don't need to buy a thing. This is what was so obvious about campaign finance reform. I mean, you know, their #1 shouting or megaphone couldn't be shut down because they had First Amendment protection. I mean, the mainstream press doesn't have to buy media time, it is the media, and so of course the Democrats can afford to do this. "The act would allow citizens to bring qui tam lawsuits on behalf of the United States government when the Department of Justice does not respond. If the matter is taken to court, the bill proposes that the senior official responsible would be fined three times the amount of the 'misspent taxpayer funds.'" (Laughter). I'm sorry, I'll tell you why I'm laughing here in a minute. "Plus an additional fine ranging from 5,000 to $10,000, and if a citizen's lawsuit is accepted, the bill proposes that the plaintiff receive between 25 and 30% of the proceeds of the fine. You know, these fools don't even realize what they're doing. Look, folks, the dirty little secret here is that the vast majority of government grant money goes to left-wingers.

Almost half of the EPA budget, for example, is grant money to a bunch of these wacko environmentalists out there telling all these lies about global warming and fossil fuels and the rest. Most of that goes to these left-wing groups."

This is Rush at his best. Thanks for the ping!

Tim

[IronJack]

You want to talk about government-financed propaganda? Let's talk about NPR. That sludge conduit should have been shut down years ago, or turned over to the private sector to die.

[4Liberty]

Public education is one, big, propaganda machine.

K through 12, community colleges, 4 -year State Universities. All $1/2 Trillion of them together.

NPR, yes, is another leftist outlet.

But it's small potatoes compared to the gov't school systems.


And don't forget Public Unions, which make workers donate compulsory dues to lefty causes, politicians & propaganda.

We can hardly call our labor markets or education markets, "free" markets, can we

[loveliberty2]

How about investigating media forms that don't admit to their role in propagandizing the American citizenry? Insofar as their "journalistic" publications advance the Far Left legislative and judicial agendaon behalf of the elected lawmakers, shouldn't they be held to "journalistic" standards?

For starters, the largest union in the country--the National Education Association (NEA)? Or, the AARP? Or, the ACLU? Or, any number of the numerous other propaganda outlets of the Democratic Party Senators' and Congressmen's legislative agendas?

Bet there are some "research grants" and other innocently-named projects that go to these groups for the purpose of influencing the opinion of American voters!

Folks who live in glass houses really should learn not to throw rocks!

[NECAWA]

It seems doubtful that the Stop Government Propaganda Act could be applied to EPA grants that fund scientists to study some cause and effect. When a scientist comes up with “new evidence” that supports the EPA’s desired conclusion, he/she is able to publicize it as news. The propaganda purpose of the grant is at least superficially masked. In contrast the payments to columnists Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher had no such cover.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP - Mega-dittoes