Politics

‘Real News From The Blaze:’ Propaganda U.S.A.?

The latest defense authorization bill passed Friday afternoon in the House without much attention until Michael Hastings over at Buzzfeed noticed something out of the ordinary in the procedural legislation: an amendement that would overturn the Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 and Foreign Relations Authorization Act in 1987; legislation that protects U.S. audiences from our own government’s propaganda and misinformation campaigns. The authors of the bill, Texas Republican Rep. Mac Thornberry and Washington Democrat Rep. Adam Smith say that in this age of social media our government needs to be flexible in combating, for example, Al Qaeda’s propaganda that lands on U.S. shores and in front of U.S. citizens via the internet. Critics contend that with the repeal of this legislation whatever administration is in power would now be enabled to disseminate false and biased information to American citizens.

The “Real News” panel opened Monday examining the possible implications of this amendment, as well as the historical context of the Smith-Mundt Act and Foreign Relations Authorization Act in 1987.

The Blaze’s National Security Editor Buck Sexton commented that propaganda during the majority of the 20th Century consisted of U.S. military operations abroad, but with the many forms of instant communication today, such misinformation becomes assessable to anyone with an internet connection. Andrew Wilkow feared that it is difficult to identify how far government participation in propaganda could go, with S.E. Cupp adding that propaganda could make our efforts to spread democracy to foreign cultures seem disingenuous. Watch a clip below:

Comments (20)

  • Arc
    Posted on May 22, 2012 at 1:58am

    Another “ slight of hand ” trick by the community organizers to gain complete and total control, not only over every area of government but over every citizens movements. Again……Pelosi’s “half baked ” statement ” we have to pass the bill to see what’s in it ” takes the stage to let us know that there are somethings included in legislation that are NOT REMOTELY identifiable with the bill as written.
    While one politician wants to pass legislation affecting roads and highways, another politician slips a supplemental rider concerning agriculture into the same bill that only he knows about and can bring it up when it’s convenient for him and his special interest group. All because NO ONE READS THE LEGISLATION.

    Classic Example: The Bridge to No Where. Considering the taxpayer money involved, one would think that everyone would read the bill. APPARENTLY NOT…….How many people were on that island? 50? a $247 million dollar bridge for 50 people? RTFB Read the …ng Bill.

    Report Post » Arc  
    • historyguy48
      Posted on May 22, 2012 at 6:27am

      Just think about it. We will probably get those really cool heroic posters used in Russia, Germany, and China (among others) to promote Dear Leaders vision for our future.

      Report Post » historyguy48  
    • I support God's Israel!
      Posted on May 23, 2012 at 10:21am

      The US has a full propaganda operation disseminating information to foreign countries. A lot of this information is aimed at gaining support for US foreign policy initiatives. This information, however, has been prevented from distribution to the American public because it is considered persuasive material–propaganda. Thanks to Congressmen Thornberry and Smith, this propaganda will likely be used on the American public. And although there is a provision in the bill saying that funds will not be used to influence public opinion in the US, this is only legal doublespeak trying to absolve the government of the responsibility of using propaganda before it puts into practice its program. This legislation opens the door for the government to legally lie to the American people. Many would say that the mainstream media is already a propaganda arm of the government. Nevertheless, it will be far more difficult to discern the truth by making propaganda legal. The Congress and the Administration are not painting a very good picture for a free people–property confiscation, spy drones, citizen detention without cause, nationalization of property and resources. The list goes on and on. Yeshua said in Matthew 24:4, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” As we enter the end times, deception will prosper. Too bad its being legalized in America.

      Report Post » I support God's Israel!  
    • I support God's Israel!
      Posted on May 23, 2012 at 10:22am

      Propaganda is defined as “chiefly derogatory information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view; the dissemination of such information as a political strategy.” Since 1948, the federal government has been banned by law in using propaganda against its citizens. Texas Republican Mac Thornberry and Washington Democrat Adam Smith have introduced a bill to make it legal for the government to lie to its citizens about certain political causes. The Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012 (HR 5736) was referred to committee and is likely to be an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2013.

      The bill authorizes the government to: “use funds appropriated or otherwise made available for public diplomacy information programs to provide for the preparation, dissemination, and use of information intended for foreign audiences abroad about the United States, its people, and its policies, through press, publications, radio, motion pictures, the Internet, and other information media, including social media, and through information centers, instructors, and other direct or indirect means of communication.“ The bill has a provision stating that no funds authorized ”shall be used to influence public opinion in the United States.”

      Report Post » I support God's Israel!  
  • team1blazer
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 11:16pm

    Maybe it’s time to “reboot” the system.

    Report Post » team1blazer  
  • lukerw
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 10:19pm

    Now that Joe Goebbels is gone… whom is next in line?

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • PaineSense
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 9:22pm

    Any legitimate ideas on how to keep this government in its place?
    Here are some ideas…When the people fear the government there is tyranny; when the government fears the people there is liberty…or: The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants…how about give me liberty or give me death…does anyone actually veloce in what the founding generation stated and intended, or do we just claim to from behind our desks and lazy boys?
    In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot-Mark Twain

    Scarce indeed…

    Anyone like to discuss some real solutions yet? I welcome that conversation…if they censor us, then may they also be d#mned for concealing the truth, passive propaganda!

    Report Post »  
  • Bangstick
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 9:10pm

    Lemme get this straight. The gov’t wants to give itself permission to lie to us? LMAO!

    Report Post »  
  • Godzgrl247
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:59pm

    I‘m not sure if this is related but I was concerned about the content of the movie That’s My Boy, I went on the Sony pictures website and saw that there were bios of the people in charge. I was surprised to see that some of them held awards and positions within the O’Bama administration. I’m pretty sure that most of what we watch on tv and see on the internet has been through some kind of filters. I think that the American people are being bombarded with propaganda.

    Report Post » Godzgrl247  
  • Max jones
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:55pm

    our leaders are involved in conspiracy
    that threatens our liberty
    traitors in society
    plot against you and me

    everybody wonders where the money went
    let us ask the president
    I believe it’s all been spent
    setting up world government

    evil beings are controlling things
    puppet maters masters pulling strings
    always stay behind the scenes
    planning murder, while they live like kings

    Report Post » Max jones  
  • soybomb315
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:54pm

    “with S.E. Cupp adding that propaganda could make our efforts to spread democracy to foreign cultures seem disingenuous.”

    LMAO – she’s joking right? Dont mess with America, we will bring “democracy” to your country. The rest of the world either laughs at us or picks up arms against us.

    Report Post » soybomb315  
  • Joisey
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:48pm

    Because the government doesn’t lie enough to us already.

    Report Post » Joisey  
  • FromSeaToSea
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:38pm

    Propaganda is vile lying. It’s father is Satan. This is satanic. We have satanic leaders.

    Report Post »  
  • FromSeaToSea
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:36pm

    We have criminals running the US. Democrats and Republicans harbor many of them. They hate the Constitution. There agenda is one world marxist type gov.. They are traitors. They should be tried for treason and if found guilty hung. There are maybe 1,000 lf them in Washington. They took an oath to the Constitution but have refused to defend and uphold it. This is high treason people.

    Report Post »  
  • Cuthalu
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:30pm

    There is never any justification for propaganda.

    Report Post »  
  • Individualism
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:28pm

    we already have it, 9/11 was an inside job media didn’t tell you that, Iran is not a threat, when media says it is, Unemployment rate in USA is almost 50 percent but media tells you 8% and of course media doesn’t tell you about financial collapse or DHS preparing for civil unrest and even to facilitate it, hello all the tv media news including faux is owned by the goverment its the newsreel now.

    Report Post » Individualism  
    • rickc34
      Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:42pm

      Do not trust the goverment then? I agree they can’t seem to keep their stories straight. And on the unemployment if the lose 370 thousand jobs per week and only added a 115 thousand you would think that the unemployment rate would go up and not come down?

      Report Post »  
  • progressiveslayer
    Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:12pm

    Yeah it‘s all for our ’protection’,bunch of privacy rapists and anybody who voted for this abomination should join the ranks of the unemployed.

    Report Post » progressiveslayer  

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