Lies, damn lies, and the media
USAID and the NED have been funding media and journalists in foreign countries – notably in the Ukraine, where Ukrainian media now claim they cannot continue without American money – substantiating what most of us already knew — that Ukrainian propaganda is orchestrated from, if not written, in Washington.
But how about the US media-- the biggest source of global misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation – on a scale that Goebbels would envy?
Only recently, the Washington Post and New York Times were talking about how the Koreans had been withdrawn from the Kursk region – where of course they never were any Koreans – less evidence for their presence than for green-skinned aliens from another galaxy.
Elon Musk claims that Politico received over $8 million from the federal government, meaning from USAID. Politico says that's not true – that the money was for subscriptions. Okaaaaaaaay…..
Pleeeeeeeeeeeease, Mr.Government can I get $5 for coffee?
However, whatever the goings on between Politico and whomever, it still seems that the US government has had an “inappropriate” relationship with the US media. The issue is not likely financial-- it is a different kind of corruption. But corruption all the same. And a lot naughtier than a paltry couple of million bucks.
USAID and NED insist of course that they are non-political — their interests are hundred percent humanitarian! Where have we heard that before?
I'm your wicked Uncle Ernie
I'm glad you won't see or hear me
As I fiddle about, fiddle about, fiddle about (Tommy. The Who)
“Uncle Ernie” organizations like USAID and NED are set up under congressional "oversight" – or more correctly "undersight " Their primary goals are to extend America's much ballyhooed "soft power" through activities labeled as “humanitarian” but which always have strings attacked.
You won't shout as I fiddle about
Fiddle about, fiddle about, fiddle about
Fiddle about, fiddle about, fiddle about
Tommy. The Who 2024
They seek to persuade people that the US has their best interests at heart when in fact it seeks control over them, their communities, and resources – and minds also. Yes, “fiddle about”.
That is the whole point of "soft power" to control minds and manufacture consent.
It is assumed that soft power of this kind is for foreign use only-- but it is most important –and arguably most effective at home. That is where most abuse takes place anyway, right? But there it has to be done differently. More subtly. Taking advantage of human denial.
In the Ukraine, the NeoNazi media do not have the revenue stream to afford the resources to do propaganda effectively. They needed money from the US— channeled indirectly through NGOs and other avenues—as well as professional help from both US and European media. They also relied on foreign intelligence to develop the most absurd story lines -as well as to orchestrate and stage manage“events” such as the Bucha Massacre.
Such manipulations would not work in the US which is a much more sophisticated environment. .
Another difference is that the (legacy) mainstream media in the US have established revenue streams based on public perception of their access to the inner workings of government— which lends authority and credibility to their “reporting”.
So direct payment of journalists and media outlets is a.) unnecessary b.) damaging to credibility if revealed. And $8 million is just pocket money.
Access however is real currency.
The media are always publishing interviews with government officials and quoting anonymous “official sources” in the “intelligence” community, who provide them with information on things happening abroad, corresponding to the narrative established by NGOs and media and academics and others controlled by USAID and NED. The aim is a unified narrative. Fake news with fake corroboration.
So it is that you can google and see hundreds of article about Korean soldiers in Kursk. Hundreds more about the huge casualties among Russian soldiers. More too about the imminent demise of the Russia economy. Russia “invaded” Ukraine. No mention of Western Ukraine invading Eastern Ukraine. It goes on and on Where does this information come from?
I'm glad you won't see or hear me
As I fiddle about, fiddle about, fiddle about
This “unified narrative” —this palimpsest of lies— enhances ,media credibility among the gullible public who do not see the propaganda machine at work in the background. It helps that the stories are supported by Hollywood, who repeat the tropes endlessly.
So why is Trump “uninstalling” USAID and NED instead of just using them as the Democrats did. That’s because neither is usable for him in their present form since they are now also set up to undermine him. He needs to install totally new versions.
Trump is a new political OS. And he needs new software and new programs.
No one, including the media and what as the ‘deep state”, which controlled USAID and NED in 2016, expected the Donald to win. That did not fit the ‘narrative”.
A consensus had been established that Trump winning contradicted. As a result, Trump he quickly found most of the MSM, many in the CIA, NSA, the Justice Department and other agencies – and, of course, USAID and NED conniving to stymie him at every turn.
When he lost office, he found himself in court, accused of treason, and persecuted, even by people he had thought his allies.
In office once again, this time with a real mandate, his first steps are a house cleaning and disinfection of the Justice Department, the FBI, the CIA, of course, firing a lot of bureaucrats and bringing USAID and NED directly under his control, likely with new names and personnel.
It’s like dumping Windows 11 for Linux. You can do the same stuff but the interface looks different. And not all Windows programs run either.
On Friday night, a Defense Department memo said four major news organizations — The New York Times, NBC News, NPR and Politico — will have to move out of their longtime workspace on Correspondents' Corridor in the Pentagon, an unprecedented move, under a new Annual Media Rotation Program for Pentagon Press Corps.
In real estate…location, location, location.
In politics….money, moneyh, money.
In media….acess, access, access.
Suddenly, the “liberal” media are sharing office space with Alt-media. Trump media will get the stories first.
Pro-Trump media now lead the way and define the field of view
Cutting subscriptions to Politico doesn’t do much – but this does. Politico journalists are suddenly standing at the end of the line, drinking cold coffee.
So you see Jeff Bezo and the Zuck and Google trying to cozy up to Trump at his inauguration. And giving him money. Not that Zuck has stopped banning me.
As a result of all this, you will see new narratives and fresh attempts to create a new Trump-friendly consensus abroad, although the failure of the last narrative conferring sainthood of Genocide Joe will make it difficult to sanctify Trump.
No matter. Right now, Trump is focused on revenge.
Vengeance is not the Lord’s – it is Trump’s.
Penguins
The zoo I worked at had lots of penguins. They are adorable animals and can be quite friendly— sometimes. But they should never be kept as pets. Never! Their natural needs are complex and they best left alone. I don’t like to see them in zoos either.
Today, I caught up on sending thank-you notes and replies to coffee buyers , as well as special articles. Once again thank you all.
The next special article is coming along well.
Buy me coffee to keep me going and get on the mailing list. Click HERE (or on the photo).
Lol. Z's troll farm was reportedly 90% funded by USAID.
Since the cut, the MOA trolls seem to have vanished. 😂
And, as if that wasn’t enough, newly translated clay tablets unearthed near the Dead Sea indicate that Sodom and Gomorrah were funded by USAID. The records, which were unearthed and translated by a team of archaeologists from the University of Chicago, seem to indicate that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were funded by American tax shekels until fire and brimstone rained down from above and wiped them out. "It was pretty standard stuff," says Jackson Haviland, the lead archeologist on the dig. "A few million shekels for gay orgies, an allotment for raping visitors, several thousand for teaching young Gomorrahan kids that they were born in the wrong body”… Then wipeout - all but three were killed, but it was a sacrifice worth making. At least that’s what Babylon Bee is reporting.