NEO-CON UNDERMINING OF INFORMED PUBLIC DEBATE [View All]

[JohnWxy]

The Neo-cons are committed to the undermining of informed public debate of issues. It involves disruption, disinformation and the promotion of phony controversies. It also involves attempts to denigrate critical thinking and asking questions and not accepting simple programmed answers from those in power.

I suppose most DUers have DU on their Favorites list and don't arrive here by using Google. But if you Google "Democratic Underground" look at the second and third hard links in the list:

The 10 Worst Quotes From The Democratic Underground For 2003 ...
Right Wing News is the best source on the net for conservative news, views, &
interviews.
www.rightwingnews.com/quotes/du.php - 24k - Cached - Similar pages

Right Wing News (Conservative News and Views)
Michael Moore & The Democratic Underground Post Of The Day: Nazi Traitors In The
White House. Look out -- there are Nazi traitors in the White House -- or ...
www.rightwingnews.com/archives/week_2003_10_12.PHP - 76k - Cached - Similar pages
< More results from www.rightwingnews.com >

Of course the fact that DU gets this much attention from the Right is a compliment. It may mean DU has some influence or gets considerable attention which the Right doesn't like.


The Neo-con tactics undermining of effective communications through disruption and dissinformation has been widely discussed by others.

I suggest reading The Republican Noise Machine by David Brock. Look up Grover Norquist and Frank Luntz in the index and see what Brocks has to say about their activities. This book is perhaps one of the most important books written in the last 15 years.

Another good read (so as to not lose the forest for the trees) is Banana Republicans by Rampton and Stauber.

Here is a bit from the above link to THe Nation article on Norquist (emphasis my own):

Launched in 1993 to rally conservatives against President Clinton's healthcare plan, Norquist's invitation-only, off-the-record Wednesday meetings started small, with a dozen or so activists in attendance; a year later, it had grown to forty-five, including representatives of the National Rifle Association, on whose board Norquist serves; the Christian Coalition; the Heritage Foundation; and staffers from Gingrich's office. Since the arrival of President Bush, attendance has climbed to more than a hundred--including representatives of the White House, the Republican National Committee and the House and Senate leadership. Reporters and editors from conservative media outlets are frequent attendees, along with a smattering of corporate lobbyists.

At one recent meeting, topics of discussion ranged from a report on allegedly wasteful federal spending to the campaign of a potential challenger to a Democratic Congressional incumbent. Norquist introduced the day's speakers and allotted ten or fifteen minutes to each. "The meeting functions as the weekly checklist so that everybody knows what's up, what to do," says Kellyanne Fitzpatrick, a conservative pollster who has been a regular attendee for years. Often, more informal get-togethers--along with fundraisers and dinner parties--take place at Norquist's Capitol Hill home, where, she says, the door is always open "and there is always Chinese food."

...and from the link on Luntz:

Reprimanded
According to Salon.com, "In 1997, Luntz was formally reprimanded by the American Association for Public Opinion Research for his work polling on the GOP's 1994 'Contract with America' campaign document. Luntz told the media that everything in the contract had the support of at least 60 percent of the general public. Considering the elementary phrasing of that document (stop violent criminals, protect our kids, strong national defense), it seems almost laughably uncontroversial. But one of AAPOR's 1,400 members wasn't so amused, and filed a complaint requesting to see Luntz's research and a verification of the figure. Luntz's response? He couldn't reveal the information because of client confidentiality." 4

and about the Banana Republicans:

Banana Republicans is the latest book by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber of the Center for Media and Democracy. The bestselling authors of Weapons of Mass Deception lay bare how the "right-wing conspiracy," as represented by the national GOP and its functionaries in the media, lobbying establishment and electoral system, is undermining dissent and squelching pluralistic politics in America.

How a GOP echo chamber methodically spreads its views through conservative media giants and highly placed columnists, journalists, and opinion makers.

How, even within its own environs, the national Republican Party has squelched disagreement and moderation, stripping traditional oversight agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, of mission and influence.

How GOP leaders have strong-armed powerful lobbying firms into exclusively hiring Republicans, so that even K Street is political, rather than merely opportunistic.

How corporate-funded think tanks and Republican Party pundits have equated disagreement with treason, and the government has used its power to punish dissent.

Also read Worse than Watergate by John Dean and The Book on Bush by Eric Alterman.

for a more historical perspective read: Blinded by the Right by Brock.