I'MMA LET YOU FINISH
Hoo boy
History's Actors making their own Reality.
HEY!
Because they've taken control of the federal government. The more interesting question is can we a find a statutory violation a D.C. prosecutor would have jurisdiction to charge. Still it would be interesting to bring this to the attention of DOJ and see their response.
This is nothing more than a government propaganda operation and is absolutely against the law. These fucks do not even give us the dignity of pretending anymore.
And I still want to know who was Gannon "doing" in the WH that allowed his such access.
Unfortunately, the only ones that will make a stink are the bloggers.
because IOKIFYAR
Yes, remember the HUGE bitchfest put up cos of Gore making calls from the White House- this is so wrong.
Of course, if Clinton dared try this in the 1990s, the GOP/Media axis would have ripped his balls off for it.
But since the Republicans control the press, Bush will skate -- unless WE make a stink about it.
What I don't understand is why the administration's pushing for a policy that even many of its political compatriots say is shaky and a large number of constituents aren't fond of? I also don't understand why the only options seem to be "the President's way, whatever that is" or "total bankruptancy of Social Security". Finally, I'm a bit tired of the only argument used, pro and con, for the whole issue is one of retirees. SS helps out a lot more people than just old folks, indcluding disabled and kids whose primary caregivers have died. Even with seniors, it's not so much a retirement fund as it's helping out old people when you're young, and when you get old, young people will help you if need be.
Laws are for the little people.
The rethugs bitched a fit when Al Gore made fund-raising phone calls from the WH, which I bet cost a lot less in taxpayer dollars than this SSA scam. These corrupt GOP shits can get away with anything cuz they own the presstitutes. Fuckers.
Which law? I would assume the closest thing would be the Hatch Act. This whole things smells bad, but I'm not a lawyer.
X-post with Footloose!
Yeah, Gore got reamed out by the GOP/Media Axis for making a couple of phone calls from inside the White House.
Bush turns the entire Federal Government into a propaganda arm for his politics and policies, and the GOP/Media APPLAUD it.
This has to be violation of public law because it is clearly a partisan tactic employed for political gain. Marketing for BushCo. What pisses me off is that my tax dollars are paying for the marketing (propaganda) of these stupid thug ideas that I, and I reckon, more than half of the country, do not support.
I want my tax dollars back.
Hey, Phoenix! Haven't seen you for awhile.
No doubt on the unspeakable hypocrisy. I remember people actually saying things like, "Well, Gore should've gone down the street to a motel, or used a phone booth". And now we are paying, again, for BushCo to lie to us.
this administration is 90% propaganda and 10% policy and that policy is to consolidate power & wealth...
Goebbles is blushing
.
not a lawyer, can't explain it. but just this morning i was listening to a slick ad on Fux U News, supporting the administrations SS position.
don't know where it came from, but it seemed like a campaign commercial, and i can't remember that kind of advocacy ever being asserted for a political position except during campaigns, where of course it's no holds barred.
yeah, this seems different, very distasteful.
Since the democrats in Congress don't seem to have the clout to do anything about this, is there anyway a group of citizens could protest this violation of federal law?
And OT, I suppose, I don't quite understand why, if the president's plan is so groovy cool, the administration has to use taxpayer dollars to convince those same taxpayers that it's groovy cool. On that same thought, if the rest of the country is really diggin' the Little King on the whole, why so much money has to be spent to convince those citizens that this deal is a great idea?
But my dears, while you've been worrying about serious things, the Administration has been gutting every possible aspect of the Civil Service, up to and including such things as the Office of Special Counsel which is the gatekeeper for whistleblower and EEO and MSPB suits. This is the spoils system in operation now - and anything goes.
Hey, her eyes, congratulations on your excellent news! I'm so glad that your nephew made it home safe and sound.
{{{{Hugs to you}}}
i want my tax dollars *and* my social security dollars back.
Especially since this is coming DIRECTLY on the heels of the Armstrong Williams etc. affair, in which Bush said that his Administration would not pay people to propagandize.
So instead, they've opened an Office of Propaganda. And we're paying for it.
It is against the law and has been since 1917. But when they control all three branches of government and 51% of the US population worship the occupant of the White House as if he were a demi-god nothing who is going to call them to account.
thanks, Vicki!
we are so very fortunate. i worried daily and every time i saw news of more and more troops being killed, it was upsetting, as we never knew if it was my nephew or not.
Maybe it is time for the red state people to lose everything including the shirts off of their backs?
If we have a very serious depression, only those with no debts and even small amounts of money will do REALLY well.
Backslider,
It's my opinion that policy should never be marketed.
But of course, we don't have a fair and equitable media to offer a balanced view of both sides. So we get a "twofer." Right wing media shilling for shrub's position and slick ads to attempt to push his position through congress.
I'm thinking that this is so distasteful that America may not buy into it.
What I don't understand is why the administration's pushing for a policy that even many of its political compatriots say is shaky and a large number of constituents aren't fond of?
=================================
Because Boosh has fucked up everything he has ever tried his hand at, and he is determined to fuck this up too. He managed to steal his second election, and you would think that he would be smart enough to just clean up the mess he made in his first term then slither out of office, quasi successfully. Instead he will leave a stench behind that will take decades to air out.
The man just can't help himself. He can't leave the party til he fails and makes an ass of himself. This time there will be no daddy to get him out of trouble.
Resident right winger at work told me he would be very happy if Jeb runs in 2008. Good grief, don't these people realize we are supposed to be living in a democracy, not an inheiritable monarchy. What's next. A co-presidency of Jenna and not-Jenna?
Seriously, if more than half of America wants to lose everything, maybe it is time to give them what they wish.
All wishes will come true. Of course, the Midas Curse kicks in big time but then, who listens to ancient tales warning about the obvious?
All great empires have to collapse. How swiftly is up to the people living in these empires. Seems we want to be destroyed, so let freedom ring and all that.
unfortunately, most people don't know that this is against the law...and they eat whatever it is that is fed to them.
it is very distressing there isn't more of a media outcry...and where the hell is kennedy? where is dean? where is boxer?
The rethugs bitched a fit when Al Gore made fund-raising phone calls from the WH, which I bet cost a lot less in taxpayer dollars than this SSA scam. These corrupt GOP shits can get away with anything cuz they own the presstitutes. Fuckers.
Convincing people of your policy is one thing. Marketing it is another. And BushCo never tries the first.
The reason there are no investigations of The Scandal Plagued Bush Administration, as i understand it, is that the majority leaders in the Senate and/or Congress must call for them, and they won't.
How is this any different than taxpayer-financed defense and intelligence agencies having "war rooms" to sell a war to the American people?
Bush is a CEO president if there ever was one.
Everything he touches turns to shit, yet he walks away with no accountability or responsibility for the messes he makes.
Arbusto, Harken Energy, Texas Rangers...
I work with people like this. Blue blooded, silver spoon type people who wouldn't know a cluster fuck from fuster cluck. They dig a hole to nowhere, and instead of stopping before they're too far behind, they keep digging with a plan to nowhere.
Under what statute would this be a violation of the law?
Any lawyers out there want to weigh in on this? If Armstrong Williams was bad, what does this amount to?
Eventually, like Russia or the Ottoman Empire or the Spanish Empire or the British Empire, America and her colonies will fracture apart. This includes the lower 48 states. The glue holding us together isn't strong enough to counter the other forces.
The Blue states not only pay the majority in taxes, we also have the majority of the dead in time of war. The burden on the Blue states is much greater than on the red states and the lack of gratitude and foresight in the red states now imperil the blue states.
NY depends on good relations with Asia and Europe to do business and here we are, watching our business rot on the vine thanks to some crazed Texans egged on by crazed red staters who hate other people's countries.
Time to cut the apron strings and send the red states off to fend for themselves.
sam adams was originally brewed at the iron city brewery. taught those folks what beer could taste like and probably saved the company.
-J.T.
Arbusto, Harken, Texas Rangers...as long as your Daddy's friends bail you out so you can pretend you've accomplished something.
George W. Bush is America's real life Jethro Bodine. "Gee, Uncle Jed this double ought spy stuff is tough. What I really wanna be is President of these here You-nited States!"
Resident right winger at work told me he would be very happy if Jeb runs in 2008. Good grief, don't these people realize we are supposed to be living in a democracy, not an inheiritable monarchy. What's next. A co-presidency of Jenna and not-Jenna?
QL in NY | Email | Homepage | 03.05.05 - 4:26 pm | #
Dig that. I always get an itchy feeling whenever someone advocates some sort of political dynasty, be it familial (Jeb or Hillary, for what it's worth) or within the administration (such as the recent calls for Condi as prez). It's one of the many reasons I have problems with the Bush Administration as a whole: way, way too many Reagan-Bush I era holdovers instead of new minds and fresh thoughts. I'll even go as far as saying I'm not real comfortable with multiple-term congress critters running for the big seat. It's still Washington insiderism at its worst.
Probably the biggest sin of the current American political system is how cronyish and given to a near-nepotism it is. I'm not sure if I can think of a viable alternative but I do know I'm not at all comfortable with the current Way Things Are. But since how the whole thing works is decided by the people who benefit the most for it, I imagine we're stuck with it for a while.
Alan Greenspan is just like Bush. He was all sourpuss under Clinton and then is all "whee, let's rock and roll" under Bush. He tells whatever lie is necessary to get what he and Bush want: eternal wealth for the wealthy and crushing cruelty for the workers.
This is like in the movie Metropolis by Lang made just before Hitler took over Germany.
Congress must call for them, and they won't.
===================================
Until the public outcry is so loud that it cannot be ignored and they begin to worry about their own jobs.
With most families needing 2-3 incomes just to maintain a modest middle-class lifestyle, they have no time or energy left over to get incensed about the current crop of hooligans. It is not so much ignorance, but a lack of time to do anything but glance at the headlines. It is no surprise to me that so many Eschatonians have college and grad school degrees, and are thus in a position to actually have time to think about current affairs, and gasp, read a book or two.
AAAAUUUGGGGHHH!!!!
This administration is going to eventually crash and burn, there's no way it can survive it's own hubris. It's like the scorpion and the frog story. And I'm going to laugh.
the red states (mostly southern, if i recall) never wanted to be part of the union anyway. i agree, Elaine...cut them loose.
fend for yourselves all you assholes who voted for shrimp. good riddance.
"Time to cut the apron strings and send the red states off to fend for themselves."
--Elaine Supkis
Elaine, I agree with you 98% of the time. However, I live in a red state, a lot of do. I feel like we need to pull together on this. I'm 55 years old, have my own business, and am not sure that I could relocate to a blue state and find work (although I would love to think I could). Please don't think that there are not some of us "swimming against the current" in the red states.
her eyes
I'll bet you and your family are relieved. Great news!
a lot of *us* do.
Sorry, typing to fast.
mer--oh dear! i didn't mean that! i'm sure it is be a lot harder for you folks in the red states.
i propose that all that voted for shrimpy go to war for him, and donate their social security into his plan.
leave the rest of us out of it.
"The uber purpose is to centralize and coordinate the administration's public affairs and communication activities," said chief Treasury spokesman Rob Nichols.
while appropriate, i certainly did not like that sentence in the article.
Younger workers are likely to see other cuts as well to help fix the program's long-term financial problems, though Bush has not detailed how he would handle this.
reminds me of attacking Iraq. but details can be cumbersome. you know, 'Just Do It', sort out the wreckage later.
yes. we are very relieved. yet saddened for many others not as fortunate.
i'm really looking forward to talking to him about how he as a soldier feels about this folly.
This has misuse of taxpayer money written all over it.
Ax grinding alert-
it is not enough to hold politicians accountable, we need to go after those who put Social Security Deform on the table-
http://gotv.blogspot.com/2004/12...l-
security.html
Forf a few laughs go read Dear Leader Jr. in a speech for APAC - No More War Room's
Here's the quote....
In my office, I have a picture of John Adams, the first vice president. Adams liked to say, "The facts are stubborn things." Whatever the issue, we are going to deal with facts and show a decent regard for other points of view. This is not about questioning people's motives or their good faith. The days of the so-called war room and the permanent campaign are over.
her eyes - congrats on your nephew. Is he finished now?
Let's remember what Librarian demonstrated daily in the immediate post-election period. The map really isn't red and blud but purple. Many states tipped w's way by only a few percentage points.
btw - new threads
Many hugs at your good fortune, her eyes. Glad your nephew's back.
This is particularly outrageous because of the shameless hypocrisy. These people go around calling taxation an immoral confiscation of private property, which they consider to have the highest possible moral status. Yet here they are using my money to generate propaganda which is offensive to me. Just one more proof, as if it were needed, that they in fact have no principles at all. They just invoke them when it's convenient, ignore them when it isn't.
mer
I agree. A bunch of us are red staters. Sadly, the crappy wages in many red states makes it hard to escape to a blue state
wow...
"Barbizon School of Former Prosecutors"
worth the price of admission right there!
May I say I've never liked the Red State vs. Blue State generalizations.
Why a 55% vs 45% vote should label a state doesn't make sense. Of course it defines the Electoral College which chooses the President, but discussions along state political color lines usually seem pointless to me and go nowhere.
Distinctions like urban vs. rural or coastal vs. mountain or even North vs. South (argh) seem more reasonable.
That goodness the colors chosen weren't blue versus gray.
Whattya think?
her eyes, thanks.
I wish we could leave us out of it. My fear is everyone is going to suffer, even though we didn't particpate in the downward spiral of this administration.
thanks everyone for your good wishes.
i think he is finished with iraq (he was in the first gulf war too, so he's a seasoned vet) but i think he is still in the reserves for a while. i'm very interested to hear what he has to say.
and QL- i realized after i said it was stupid to say that, the states are purple. it's just that we ALL pay the consequences for those who voted for him.
impeach!
Gee Uncle Jed...too funny!
damn, I can't even spell participate. Of course, that cuz I'm from a red state.
just for the record, i live in a red county in a blue state! how's that for wierd?
they act the way they do because in their minds they are never wrong nor are the people right.
The problem, in their minds, is that they have not "communicated our message successfully to the American people."
thus they spend more time/effort SELLING the policy than actually formulating the policy.
And there is no poilicy in this WH, it is all politics and ideology.
Rove is in charge of policy? A pure political hack like that?
Did James Carville ever get to make security policy and formulate tax policies?
Bush has been mouthing the same tune about SS since his days at HArvard--remember the prof there that said Bush used to claim SS was "communism" back in the day?
As Marshall noted teh otehr day, He has been saying at least since 1978 that SS was going under within 10 years...
No matter what, his answer is to privatize social seucrity.
--and the GOP has said this since 1936!
no matter what is going on in the economy, the answer is tax cuts. Nevermind that the vaunted "Laffer curve" clearly shows that there is a point of diminishing returns with tax cuts.
--and even Bush questioned tax cuts, only to be told "stick to principle" by Rove and "we get more tax cuts cause we won the election" by CHeney.
no matter what, there can be no adaptation of policy issues to the real world because this is all ideology...
Paul O'Neill was right, as was DiUlio.
all politics, no policy wing whatsoever.
I never saw a purple state,
I never thought I'd see one.
But though the Chimp claims his man-date,
He cannot guarantee one.
lol mer!
You missed the best part of the story.
Krugman has been explaining what they're doing for a long time, most recently in yesterday's column:
To put Mr. Greenspan's game of fiscal three-card monte in perspective, remember that the push for Social Security privatization is only part of the right's strategy for dismantling the New Deal and the Great Society. The other big piece of that strategy is the use of tax cuts to "starve the beast."
Until the 1970's conservatives tended to be open about their disdain for Social Security and Medicare. But honesty was bad politics, because voters value those programs.
So conservative intellectuals proposed a bait-and-switch strategy: First, advocate tax cuts, using whatever tactics you think may work - supply-side economics, inflated budget projections, whatever. Then use the resulting deficits to argue for slashing government spending.
And that's the story of the last four years. In 2001, President Bush and Mr. Greenspan justified tax cuts with sunny predictions that the budget would remain comfortably in surplus. But Mr. Bush's advisers knew that the tax cuts would probably cause budget problems, and welcomed the prospect.
[snip]
O.K., enough about Mr. Greenspan. The real news is the growing evidence that the political theory behind the Bush tax cuts was as wrong as the economic theory.
According to starve-the-beast doctrine, right-wing politicians can use the big deficits generated by tax cuts as an excuse to slash social insurance programs. Mr. Bush's advisers thought that it would prove especially easy to sell benefit cuts in the context of Social Security privatization because the president could pretend that a plan that sharply cut benefits would actually be good for workers.
But the theory isn't working. As soon as voters heard that privatization would involve benefit cuts, support for Social Security "reform" plunged. Another sign of the theory's falsity: across the nation, Republican governors, finding that voters really want adequate public services, are talking about tax increases.
The best bet now is that Mr. Bush will manage to make the poor suffer, but fail to make a dent in the great middle-class entitlement programs.
And the consequence of the failure of the starve-the-beast theory is a looming fiscal crisis - Mr. Greenspan isn't wrong about that. The middle class won't give up programs that are essential to its financial security; the right won't give up tax cuts that it sold on false pretenses. The only question now is when foreign investors, who have financed our deficits so far, will decide to pull the plug.
OT, but I haven't seen a thread that would fit. For anyone that lives in Ohio, mosey (well actaully hurry) on down to your library. Ohio libraries have had their funding steadily eroded away, despite a law that says they MUST receive 5% of the income tax every year. Ohio libraries are some of the best in the country, and more importantly they offer the only free source or reliable information. If the libraries go there is no more freedom of though let alone speech. There are, unfortunately, even darker hintings that this is a ploy to get the libraries underfunded so that they will be forced to privatize. So, in conclusion, start screaming at your congressmen. And if you don't live in Ohio, check on the state of your libraries, because of Chimp's funding cuts to the Blue states, they may be in danger as well.
And Donald Rumsfeld explains defense spending to Congress.
Jeb, that quote was from Cheney if I read correctly. Worth repeating though:
"In my office, I have a picture of John Adams, the first vice president. Adams liked to say, "The facts are stubborn things." Whatever the issue, we are going to deal with facts and show a decent regard for other points of view. This is not about questioning people's motives or their good faith. The days of the so-called war room and the permanent campaign are over."
But point taken. They're lying to themselves 
HHS Appropriations Act -- “Publicity or Propaganda” Riders ---
No Use of Appropriated Funds to:
(1) Provide Administrative Support for the Lobbying Activities of Private Organizations;
(2) Prepare Editorials or other Communications for Dissemination without an Accurate Disclosure of the Government Role in its Origin;
(3) Appeal to Members of the Public to Contact their Elected Representatives at the Federal or State level in Support of or Opposition to proposals before Congress or a State Legislature.
Does this count?
I'm very disappointed to get this far down the thread without having seen this:
fuck bush
"And, can anyone explain why there isn't a parade of graduates of the Barbizon School of Former Prosecutors on every cable channel discussing this?"
Gosh, we're too busy rehabilitating Martha Stewart.
Under what statute would this be a violation of the law?
try Title 18 section 1913...discuss
Here's a kind of twist on government PR (which I posted early this morning before my first cuppa):
"CARSON CITY, Nev. -
A state senator is defending her $3,000-a-month contract to consult with a television station on
news content, including issues in the Legislature.
Sen. Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, said this week during a joint budget committee hearing that she works for Sunbelt Communications, which owns KVBC of Las Vegas. She said she has worked with the station about a year and helps with stories about
education, health care and, sometimes, the Nevada Legislature."
(Associated Press)
Like the war rooms, there isn't even any pretense or excuse making. Pay me $3k a month and I'll write all the stories you want.
The cable news channels are owned by companies on the stock market so they won't criticize it. They love it
Gee, I don't know why that is not illegal.
Maybe it's like using taxpayor money to go on a 60 day Bush publicity tour where the taxpaying citizens who disagree with you are not allowed entrance.
At every taxpayor funded Bush appearence there is a sign that read's "Sycophants only, Democrats not not apply".
Why is this legal?
Just to show how insane Cheney is-he thought Nixon was railroaded out of office by partisans. This whole damn bunch dates back to the Great Crook except shrub-and I think he's still pissed cause FDR took that bank from grand-daddy for Nazi collaboration. Probably pissed at Eisenhower cause Daddy and Grand-daddy ARE the military industrial complex E warned us about!!
I had made a New Year's vow that I would go dance or piss on the graves of each one of these criminals that I manage to outlive. In the case of Bush, though, I think I might just involuntarily puke before I could even reach my zipper.
Welcome to NazUS!
We hope you enjoy your detainment in NazUS!
There is nothing to hope from the proprietors of NazUS!
We will skin you alive for lampshades in the land of NazUS!
If you think you can reform NazUS, you don't have any clue about NazUS!
Nazi Germany First!
And, can anyone explain why there isn't a parade of graduates of the Barbizon School of Former Prosecutors on every cable channel discussing this?
Simple - 9/11 changed everything.
It's not "propaganda" because only brown and yellow people in foreign countries do that
It's not a war room it's an information center
This is like the propaganda when we got those "rebates". The letter we received from the IRS talked about the wonderfulness of W and how his hard work made the rebates possible. That our tax money would go for this propaganda is despicable.
I've been reading the Kitty Kelly scatography of the Bushes, and this kind of PR campaigning is a hallmark of the family, from grampa Bush's senate campaign on down. I guess nobody bothered to tell Dubya about the illegality of creating a propaganda branch within the administration...
Oh, and it's a pretty good read. We've all heard the best trash in the book, but it's still interesting.
And, can anyone explain why there isn't a parade of graduates of the Barbizon School of Former Prosecutors on every cable channel discussing this?
-Atrios 4:01 PM
Atrios, that's sooo 90's.
Now we have a parade of "experts" to tell us that Social Security is doomed, and we need to buy this pig in a poke, er, piratization plan to fix it. And turn 'Mur'ka into the pwn3rship society.
Tell me some "liberal" journalist will have the cajones to write the following headline:
"Bush Declares War on Social Security"
Sounds like there is a severe violation of the Hatch Act going on, blatant as can be. Democratic elected officials should be making a huge stink.
But any CITIZEN can file a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel -- yes it still exists -- and those who are familar with what is going on should do so forthwith.
If any non-exempt Federal employee is working on this propaganda effort, they can be disciplined. The GAO should be asked to conduct an investigation (Con. Waxman has been good at this) and these activities can most likely be ruled illegal, regardless of whether the Republican majority in Congress wants to look into it.
Go here for an overview of the Hatch Act and here to download a form to file the complaint on.
Do it.
--felix
IOKIYAAR
Oops, missing tags. Harumph.
Overview of Hatch Act
How to file a complaint.
--felix
felix - it's a good plan, except the OSC is essentially ferschimml. That was part of the plan. Of course.
The Treasury Department IG however is presumably still in business. Try:
Office of Inspector General
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Room 4436,
Washington, DC 20220
(202) 622-1090 (202) 622-2151
Office of Counsel
Suite 510
740 15th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20220
(202) 927-0650 (202) 927-6492
It's Ok If You're A Republican (IOIYAR)
For what it's worth, below is the letter I sent today to the editor of the Chicago Tribune. This subject really pisses me off.
Editor,
Americans need to keep in mind two items regarding Bush's 60 Cities in 60 Days Social Security Tour:
1: The so-called town-hall style meetings are not open forums for the free and open discussion of the state of Social Security. All guests are handpicked by local GOP officials, no dissenters are allowed and questions are vetted prior to the event. If the folks who disagree with the administration's handling of this issue are not allowed a voice at these staged events then the tour should be paid for by the Republican National Committee and their friends and donors from Wall Street who stand to make fortunes from the "private" accounts.
2: The American people's tax dollars are paying for this hugely expensive tour. And barely a mention is made of the un-reimbursed budget-busting costs that the 60 cities' local governments incur for Bush and his administration's overwhelming security requirements. Is this wasteful travesty the proper use of taxpayers money when deficits continue to soar, soldiers are dying in Iraq and our schools and infrastructure are crumbling?
It would be helpful if the Chicago Tribune would give their readers a daily tally of the total taxpayer dollars funding this tour and fill us in on who is invited and their connections to Bush and his party.
Respectfully,
kate the mom from chicago
File a complaint with the OSC anyway.
--felix
It IS a violation.
Here's the law:
"No part of any appropriation contained in this or any other Act shall be used for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States not heretofore authorized by the Congress."
Linky linky
"File a complaint with the OSC anyway."
Can't hurt.
It would also be useful to look into whether the administration complied with all applicable Civil Service rules on hiring and/or promotion or transfer. Look at the Code of Federal Regulations, the Civil Service rules are in 5 CFR. You can't just hire people willy-nilly, handpicking Bush campaign people, unless they're pretty spendy high level political appointees.
It IS a violation.
Here's the law:
"No part of any appropriation contained in this or any other Act shall be used for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States not heretofore authorized by the Congress."
Linky linky
I just e-mailed a complaint to the OSC.
There is a ton of misinformation going around about Social Security and if you just want to see the facts, I've compiled a few pages that do it quite nicely using mostly official government documentation.
Here is the most well-documented FAQ on Social Security I've ever seen: http://www.keepsocialsecurity.co...ty.com/
faqs.cfm
This page compares the current SS system with Model 2 of the President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security (which is the model the President has indicated he favors): http://www.keepsocialsecurity.co.../
comparison.cfm
If you call Social Security Admin. (800-772-1213) and wait on hold for any length of time, you'll hear some of this new office's charming messages in action, in between the bouncy music and the perky "your call is important to us" stuff. (And this was as of a week ago at least - possibly much more - in any case, before the Yahoo story broke.)
We must keep raising a stink about this blatant propagandizing. Write, call, complain!
So who is stuck with the bill for the president's Bamboozlepalooza Road Tour that restricts who can attend these propoganda fests? How much do these campaign stops cost? I want to know, especially if it is at taxpayer expense.
Exactly what laws are being violated?
I support Clinton as much as anyone...but why isn't he attacking this piece of shit excuse for an administration? Why isn't he speaking up and asking what the fuck is going on in HIS NAME as an American citizen?
Anybody remember the obscene quotes from Harry Truman as an elder statesman? Let me give you a few, fresh from my vintage copy of
I've seen two links which indicate how this activity is illegal:
From Henry Waxman and Jill, and from the U.S. Code and focus.
I'm no lawyer, but the U.S. Code wording seems to cover what's going on unambiguously, whereas the GAO report allows wiggle room based on the definition of 'publicity or propaganda'. Also, it appears that the wording in the GAO report is dependent on the whim of Congress each year (though it has been included each year since 1951).
So, I'm going with the U.S. Code.
As for why Clinton isn't taking on Bush, there are at least two reasons. The first is that there is an unspoken etiquette that former presdients do not criticize the guy in office (you may recall Carter took a beating for criticizing Shrub). And second, if Bill makes waves, it may adversely affect Hillary.
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