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USDA IRAQ Talking Points

Mike

Well-known member
The Bush Administration has provided the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with guidelines on how to weave positive messages about Iraq into their briefings. More ludicrous still, there's a scoreboard being updated weekly to shame less enthusiastic folks into getting on message.

Last week USDA speechwriter Heather Vaughn sent an email to about 60 undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and other political appointees.

"The President has requested that all members of his cabinet and sub-cabinet incorporate message points on the Global War on Terror into speeches, including specific examples of what each agency is doing to aid the reconstruction of Iraq," Vaughn wrote.

The mandate was accompanied by an attachment (PDF) that contained "specific examples of GWOT messages within agriculture speeches. Please use these message points as often as possible and send Harry Phillips , USDA's director of speechwriting, a weekly email summarizing the event, date and location of each speech incorporating the attached language. Your responses will be included in a weekly account sent to the White House."

In case anybody at the USDA has trouble getting a hang on how to be part of an effective propaganda machine without raising suspicion, there are examples of how to causally mention the war while talking about US farming.

Several topics I'd like to talk about today -- Farm Bill, trade with Japan, WTO, avian flu . . . but before I do, let me touch on a subject people always ask about . . . progress in Iraq.

One wonders how often the undersecretary of potatoes is asked about the Global War on Terror.

Permalink
 

mrj

Well-known member
While this subject is more appropriate for the Political page, doesn't the piece posted qualify as "propagandaP? It certainly has an anti-Bush Admin. slant to it.

Listening to the majority oft national news media sources, one certainly does not hear any positive news about Iraq.

Wouldn't we be better served with less push for doom and gloom and more accuracy and factual reporting of what is being accomplished there?

It is time consuming and difficult to search our any such positive info re anthing about this administration.

Take the "tax cuts for the rich" mantra. Never mind that the Earned Income Tax Credits give refunds far above what some low income people ever paid in (to the tune of thousands of dollars for some with enough dependents). Or that the larger tax cuts for business owners and those with money to save or invest stimulate the economy and create more jobs for people. Rarely do we hear that the unemployment rate is extremely low. And there is so much more along these lines we never hear from national news media with their incessantly repititious mantras of doom and gloom, all (erroneously) attributed to the Bush Administration. Never a whisper that over 60% of our budget goes to "untouchable" entitlement programs, most of which is for the lower income people, not the wealthy. Nor of the obscene overhead for some programs. How many people know that collection and compliance of the Death Tax eats up almost ALL of the income from it, leaving about 1.1% of it to go into the treasury? All we hear is that only the rich pay it. Dream on!

Actually I would like to know more about the kinds of things happening in the agriculture economy and the people who have been farmers or rural people in Iraq and Afghanistan. About all I've ever heard is that Afghanistan used to be known for raising wonderful apricots before the world demand for illegal recreational drugs made growing poppies more profitable for the farmers, or maybe more likely, their war lords.

MRJ
 

Mike

Well-known member
MRJ, While I agree that the above post might be inappropriately placed here instead of the political page, and also, that negative news of Iraq is the norm in the media, I only wanted for others to be aware that the USDA is being used as a "propaganda" machine for this administration.

It is my opinion that the USDA has way too many social enterprises on it's agenda which leaves little time for their intended purpose.

Re: Food Production
 

mrj

Well-known member
Mike said:
MRJ, While I agree that the above post might be inappropriately placed here instead of the political page, and also, that negative news of Iraq is the norm in the media, I only wanted for others to be aware that the USDA is being used as a "propaganda" machine for this administration.

It is my opinion that the USDA has way too many social enterprises on it's agenda which leaves little time for their intended purpose.

Re: Food Production


Mike, I don't know how/when/why USDA got so involved in the "social agenda" of this nation, and I do believe way too much 'blame' is placed on farmers for the budget. My stong suspicion is that it was NOT during a conservative Republican admin. I've stated previously that there should be clear separation and publication of the budget amounts for social programs and for farm programs.

However, if USDA is involved in Iraq, shouldn't they state such and give the facts, tell the truth about what they are doing, and what is happening there?

Why do you call it propaganda if it is factual and simply stating what is happening? What is wrong with telling people that good or decent things are happening? How are we served to continue allowing the true propaganda.....mis-statement of facts about what is happening....to go unchallenged?

BTW, how much of the budget is being used to make a small comment within a speech?

MRJ
 

RoperAB

Well-known member
About spin
Ever notice how rcalfers on here always refer to "un negative" or posative BSE cow that was found in the States as a North American case of BSE?
But if it was a Canadian Cow its called Canadian.
 

Econ101

Well-known member
MRJ: " My stong suspicion is that it was NOT during a conservative Republican admin."


MRJ, you are right about that. We don't have a conservative Republican administration in power right now. It is in name only.
 

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