'Burson-Marsteller: PR for the New World Order'

[Bluebear]

Talk about a vile firm . . .

====

The public relations (PR) business is one of the fastest growing industries in the global market economy. In order to face perils like labor unions, organized consumer activists and environmental groups, governments and corporations have come to rely more on slick PR campaigns. The peril to popular democracy posed by PR firms should not be underestimated. Using the latest communications technologies and polling techniques, as well as an array of high-level political connections, PR flacks routinely "manage" issues for government and corporate clients and "package" them for public consumption. The result is a "democracy" in which citizens are turned into passive receptacles of "disinfotainment" and "advertorials" and in which critics of the status quo are defined as ignorant meddlers and/or dangerous outsiders.

Burson-Marsteller (B-M) is the world's largest PR firm, with 63 offices in 32 countries and almost $200 million in income in 1994. Although its name is unknown to most people-- even to many in activist circles-- B-M is fast becoming an increasingly important cog in the propaganda machine of the new world order.

Human Rights, Anyone?

On the human rights front, B-M has represented some of the worst violators of our age. These include:

* The Nigerian government during the Biafran war, to discredit reports of genocide.

* The fascist junta that ruled Argentina during the 70's and early 80's, to attract foreign investment.

* The totalitarian regime of South Korea, to whitewash the human rights situation there during the 1988 Olympics.

* The Indonesian government, which got into power through a CIA- sponsored bloodbath. (It should be pointed out, however, that B-M denies that it is handling the issue of genocide in East Timor)

* Ideological barriers are no object. B-M also represented the late communist Romanian despot Nicolae Ceaucescu.

* Other third world human rights violators that have been represented by B-M include the governments of Singapore and Sri Lanka. MORE......

http://home.intekom.com/tm_info/ge_bm.htm

[lostnotforgotten]

1. Hillary's Henchman In Action - Go DLC Lover Hillary!

eom

[AzDar]

2. Hillary is NOT the solution, she's part of the problem.

[HeraldSquare212]

3. Burmese generals are the next client, I'm sure

[TwilightGardener]

4. This story is really, really disturbing--why on God's earth would she let this

asshole advise her? I don't care how talented he is--apparently she would consort with Satan if he promised her he could hand her a victory. Ugh. Clinton supporters, do you understand why some of us feel that she has no scruples whatsoever?

[Bluebear]

24. . . .

(crickets) ;)

[nam78_two]

5. K&R -great post bluebear

I recently read about Edward Bernays, supposedly the father of this style of PR.

Pretty interesting guy:


http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Edward_Bernays

Edward Bernays (November 22, 1891 - March 9, 1995) is regarded by many as the "father of public relations," although some people believe that title properly belongs to some other early PR practitioner, such as Ivy Lee. As a member of the Creel Committee, he helped U.S. President Woodrow Wilson propagandize in support of allied war aims during World War I. He went on to design PR campaigns for politicians and companies such as General Motors, Procter & Gamble and American Tobacco.

Background
Born in Vienna but raised in the United States, Bernays was a nephew of Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, and his public relations efforts helped popularize Freud's theories in the United States. Bernays also pioneered the PR industry's use of psychology and other social sciences to design its public persuasion campaigns. "If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, it is now possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing it," Bernays argued. He called this scientific technique of opinion molding the "engineering of consent."

One of Bernays's favorite techniques for manipulating public opinion was the indirect use of "third party authorities" to plead for his clients' causes. "If you can influence the leaders, either with or without their conscious cooperation, you automatically influence the group which they sway," he said. In order to promote sales of bacon, for example, he conducted a survey of physicians and reported their recommendation that people eat hearty breakfasts. He sent the results of the survey to 5,000 physicians, along with publicity touting bacon and eggs as a hearty breakfast.

Bernays's clients included President Calvin Coolidge, Procter & Gamble, CBS, the American Tobacco Company, General Electric and Dodge Motors. Beyond his contributions to these famous and powerful clients, Bernays revolutionized public relations by combining traditional press agentry with the techniques of psychology and sociology to create what one writer has called "the science of ballyhoo.

(More at the link-worth a read. Thisguys has written a book titled "Propaganda"!)

[Bluebear]

22. 'If you can influence the leaders...you automatically influence the group which they sway'

Brother, that's true. And too many people don't think for themselves!

[kurth]

6. Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels would have been proud

Yes, VILE is the word.

[Canuckistanian]

7. K&R, Bluebear

A vile firm....I couldn't agree more. The more I look into them, the worse they become.

[papau]

8. people we don't like shouldn't be allowed lawyers or be taught public speaking and debate skills n/t

n/t

[Vincardog]

9. You shall be known by the company you keep

[papau]

10. And Penn's ethics have never been shown wanting - and his smarts impress - a great hire IMO

[Mojorabbit]

11. fromanother post

QUOTE . . .

In their $5 million Georgetown mansion, Penn and his wife, Nancy Jacobson, a former staff member for Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) who is now a fundraiser with the Clinton campaign, run something of a salon for like-minded friends. They recently threw a book party for Jeffrey Goldberg, the New Yorker writer, to celebrate the release of his memoir on Israel. On another occasion, they hosted David Brooks, the conservative New York Times columnist, for a dinner party and political discussion.

Penn has deep roots in the national security wing of the Democratic Party, along with other centrist Democrats -- some of them Jewish and pro-Israel, like Penn -- who saw the merits of invading Iraq before the war began.

"Penn has always believed that strength is critical for running the country, and that people want to have a president who's going to be willing to defend the country -- that's the number one criteria," said Al From, the chief executive of the Democratic Leadership Council, who considers Penn a friend.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3018300

[papau]

12. Is it unethical to have a different opinion-on Israel's situation- & wanting a strong America being

the main test for election as Commander in Chief

[Mojorabbit]

13. The national security wing of the party

are the ones I am afraid of. Israel is beside the point.

[Vincardog]

14. The national security wing of the party are the Corporate security wing of the party

They are the "Centrist" triangulating Corporatist ones that must be stopped. They are why I way if HRC is our nominee we have already lost.

[papau]

17. I agree that many in the "national security wing" are also in the "Corporate wing" - but not all - &

I hope none of our current candidates are.

Hillary and Edwards taking on the insurance industry by having a medicare like option in their universal health plans is a good sign.

[papau]

19. I agree on both your points - indeed the nonsense of toys for boys that is our defense budget

is screwing up life for all of us -

My only point is that Penn's view that strong on defense is a must have for getting elected is a view held by just about everyone I know,

[kurth]

15. Is America stronger because Bush invaded Iraq?

[papau]

16. No - but getting elected is getting named "Commander in Chief" n/t

n/t

[kurth]

18. So you want Commander-in-Chief Hillary to send more Americans to their deaths for Israel?

[papau]

20. I trust any of our Dems would as Commander-in-Chief only concern themselves with US security and

humanitarian efforts.

Israel is a place that needs peace - not a Hamas that refuses to discuss peace.

There is no need for us to go to war for Israel, and we won't. I worry more about the next place we attack because of oil or nukes or both. I think our Dems, including Hillary, are reasonable folks and not owned by corporate interests trying to make money, neo-con nut cases, or oil companies wanting to employ our Army and CIA as their private militia.

[Bluebear]

21. Al Gore fired him.

The man was too arrogant and wanted his opinions and agendas to inject themselves far too much into the job he was hired to do.

[seemslikeadream]

23. ...