No More Covert Propaganda - Kerry/Lautenberg Bill Alert - Webcast 2:00 est

[kerrygoddess]

No More Covert Propaganda
October 20th, 2005

At 2 p.m. today the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Business meeting is expected to adopt legislation sponsored by United States Senators John F. Kerry and Frank R. Lautenberg that will require that “prepackaged news stories” produced by the Administration disclose the government’s role.

S.967, The Truth in Broadcasting Act of 2005, to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure that prepackaged news stories contain announcements that inform viewers that the information within was provided by the United States Government.

A live webcast of the hearing will be available at 2:00 p.m., est here. http://commerce.senate.gov/live.ram (edit to add link - forgot to post it)

I’ll have more on this soon…

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=903

[TayTay]

1. Busy day.

The vote on LIHEAP is at 2:30.

Vitamins, Sir, vitamins.

[_dynamicdems]

2. And chocolate chip cookies!

Lots of them...his waistline can afford it.

[jillan]

3. Echinacea w/ vitamin C.

'bout ready to send him some.
Need to keep that man healthy.

[TayTay]

4. Agreed.

Virtual Chicken Soup. (Where are all the good icons when you need them. Anyone have a chicken soup icon?)

[TayTay]

5. Somebody has to say it.

Sen. Stevens from Alaska sucks! He just does. He is a walking lemon. Everytime I see him I think sour thoughts.

[Mass]

6. Going on right now - audio only

I just caught a blurb of Kerry defending an amendment by McCain on digital TV. Stevens threw that out unfortunately (God prevent he would agree with Kerry on something).

[jillan]

7. wonder what tie he's wearing today?

Hulk?

I personally think all that freezing weather must've affected his brain!

[TayTay]

8. btw, I think the Lautenberg Kerry amendment passed

They are tied up on what year to implement the DTV transfers. McCain wanted 2007. It didn't pass.

[Mass]

9. I think they voted the bills subject to amendments

The session continues after the vote and the amendments may come then. Who knows what the bill will look like once the amendments have passed.

Kerry tried to propose something to help McCain pass his amendment, but Stevens told him that it was not in their juridiction and he was not interested to try to help. (who cares if first responders can communicate sooner rather than later).

[TayTay]

10. True. Stevens shot him down

How are you going to pay for it Mr. Smarty-Pants. (Stevens drips with contempt.)

By repealing a tax code provision for deductions that should amount to $20 bil. (Bill needs $4.8 Bil or so.) Yeah, that's right, I know what I'm doing.

Bug off. No bills for you. If I start letting you get things passed then all the dems are going to want bills and amendments passed. No way. If you believe that, boy do I have a bridge in Alaska I can sell you.

[globalvillage]

13. He is a nasty little man.

I was listening to the audio of the commerce meeting today, so I did hear that exchange between Sen Kerry and Stevens.
What was fascinating, though, was when they came back from voting, before the meeting resumed, you could hear Stevens barking at someone (on his staff?) about some language in his stupid amendment (that didn't pass. Take that, jackass!), I think. Very rude.
Miserable little POS.

[globalvillage]

14. Amazing that Sen Kerry supports McCain.

I'm sure much of it had to do with the legislation, but still...
He should hate McCain, but I think he really doesn't. That's impressive. I couldn't do it.

[TayTay]

15. I know. I am very, very wary of McCain.

But Kerry has to work with 'them; sometimes because that's how things get done. I couldnt' do it either. I'd be constantly looking for the knife and watching my back.

[kerrygoddess]

11. Press Release on this

Kerry, Lautenberg: Commerce Committee Issues Bipartisan Rebuke of Bush Administration’s Use of “Fake News”
October 20th, 2005

Today, in a stunning rebuke of the Bush administration’s use of covert propaganda, the Senate Commerce Committee passed with bipartisan support a measure today to prevent the Administration from creating and distributing fake news stories that don’t identify the government’s role…

The Senate Commerce Committee today adopted legislation by Senators John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) requiring “prepackaged news stories” produced by the Administration to disclose the government’s role. Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) was instrumental in moving the bill forward in a bipartisan fashion.

“Any administration, Democrat or Republican, needs to take a long, hard look at itself when it must hide behind phony newscasts to speak to Americans. We have a problem when the government cannot talk to our citizens about an issue like prescription drugs without using smoke and mirrors. Now the American people will know when their hard-earned tax dollars are being wasted on this kind of fraud,” said Senator Kerry.

“The American people deserve the truth — not fake news from their own government,” said Senator Lautenberg. “I’m proud that the committee has taken a stand to ensure that Americans know when a story has been produced by the Administration with their tax dollars.”

MORE & TIMELINE of FAKE NEWS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=907

[LittleClarkie]

12. Does this still have to go to the full Senate?

btw, I posted this on Kos.

[LittleClarkie]

16. Hey, I got 18 tips in my tip jar for posting this bit of Kerry news!

There are Kerry folks over there, I tell ya.