Politics, Money and Propaganda

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from Consortium News:



Politics, Money and Propaganda
June 4, 2012

One of Washington’s thriving industries is the business of destroying political opponents (sometimes called “oppo”) while making allies look good (under the rubric of “perception management”). These techniques (and the flood of money) are changing U.S. politics, says Danny Schechter.

By Danny Schechter


In theory, American elections traditionally get going after Labor Day, but, as we can see by the daily overkill media “coverage,” polls and constant reporting about who has raised how many millions – to the degree that anyone really knows in the age of Super Pacs –that the political horses for the 2012 are off and running.

Lots of the “analysis” seems absurd on its face, as everyone who follows politics knows it’s much too early to spot key trends. The race will tighten with what happens in October crucial. Example: the recent survey that found “cell phone users prefer Obama; landline users like Romney.”

All of this reflects the obsession the press and its senior wise men have on reporting domestic politics over all other issues. They are like sports fanatics in this respect.

The candidates have been in motion for years. It‘s known as the “permanent campaign,” an idea attributed to one of Jimmy Carters’s advisers, Pat Cadell, who said in 1979 that just because you have been elected doesn’t mean you stop campaigning, He wrote in his “Initial Working Paper on Political Strategy,” “it is my thesis governing with public approval requires a continuing political campaign.” ..................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/06/04/politics-money-and-propaganda/

[Igel]

1. Well ...

It was reported that the service industry posted modest gains in May.