First Armstrong Williams, now National Review's Gallagher:

quote:

In 2002, syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher repeatedly defended President Bush's push for a $300 million initiative encouraging marriage as a way of strengthening families. ... But Gallagher failed to mention that she had a $21,500 contract with the Department of Health and Human Services to help promote the president's proposal. Her work under the contract, which ran from January through October 2002, included drafting a magazine article for the HHS official overseeing the initiative, writing brochures for the program and conducting a briefing for department officials. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...n25.html?sub=AR

Oopsies!

And if anyone doesn't know, CREW filed a FOIA request to uncover further government dealings with PR firms:

http://www.citizensforethics.org/ac...ign.php?view=20

I really think it's high time to confront conservative pundits EACH and EVERY time they back up and support a Bush initiative of any sort. For each time they do this, I think it's more than appropriate to ask:

"How much is the Bush Administration paying you to say that?"

Let's see how far the FOIA request goes.....

___________________
Whence September dusk grows crisper still,
with leaves all crimson conquered,
I yearn to shout,
and dance about,
and stick pickles in my honker...

So you're saying that divorce is a better way to promote family values and the nananananukular family?

Funny--reporters were asking Dubya about paying people to promote his agenda this morning. I didn't catch much of it, but as is typical of the madman...he was in denial. And I'm not talking about the river in Egypt!

quote:

Originally posted by Shakka So you're saying that divorce is a better way to promote family values and the nananananukular family?

No but it also isn't the role of government to promote or disuade people of such things. Frankly, I think the social role of the state is so convuluted and out of sink with reality under Bush that it almost makes me want to be a Liberatarian. Though I emphasize ALMOST.

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quote:

Originally posted by NYGblue No but it also isn't the role of government to promote or disuade people of such things. Frankly, I think the social role of the state is so convuluted and out of sink with reality under Bush that it almost makes me want to be a Liberatarian. Though I emphasize ALMOST.

In all honesty, I'd prefer to have minimal government involvement in my social life, so we're not in disagreement there. In fact, I want minimal government in my life in general.

quote:

Originally posted by Shakka In all honesty, I'd prefer to have minimal government involvement in my social life, so we're not in disagreement there. In fact, I want minimal government in my life in general.

Yeah I am not a huge fan of government involvement in societal issues. I think its sad when an administration can consider it ok to promote marriage, a clear afront to homosexuality again. I am so glad I won't be in this country come this time next year. I can just avoid all this crap. Maybe I will EVEN get real news!

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quote:

Originally posted by NYGblue Yeah I am not a huge fan of government involvement in societal issues. I think its sad when an administration can consider it ok to promote marriage, a clear afront to homosexuality again. I am so glad I won't be in this country come this time next year. I can just avoid all this crap. Maybe I will EVEN get real news!

Well, if they're going to have a position on homosexuality(an agenda that many in this country want government to take a stand on), then it's entirely fair game for them to promote marriage and other issues in said category. As I stated, I'd prefer they not have a position on either and focus their attention on more important issues that government should rightly be involved in. I blame many in this country. I blame special interest groups for making government trod where government ought not trod.

quote:

Originally posted by Shakka So you're saying that divorce is a better way to promote family values and the nananananukular family?

Nope. As blue mentioned, the message is irrelevant, as well as whether or not I agree with it (and for the record, no I don't agree that divorce is better, but sweeping generalizations cannot be made on a case by case basis). However, being paid by the Administration to promote their agenda unbeknownst (sp?) to their media outlets, the public, or Congress is against propaganda laws, which I know you're fully aware of as you alluded to it below:

quote:

Funny--reporters were asking Dubya about paying people to promote his agenda this morning. I didn't catch much of it, but as is typical of the madman...he was in denial. And I'm not talking about the river in Egypt!

This isn't good for our government, media, and democracy in general.

___________________
Whence September dusk grows crisper still,
with leaves all crimson conquered,
I yearn to shout,
and dance about,
and stick pickles in my honker...

quote:

Originally posted by NYGblue Yeah I am not a huge fan of government involvement in societal issues.

so what form government does your next country affiliate itself with?

quote:

I think its sad when an administration can consider it ok to promote marriage, a clear afront to homosexuality again.

don't you think that there might be more to it than that? i mean, there are other ways this administration and others has exercised it's opinion about homosexuality and/or marriage.

quote:

Originally posted by Q5echo so what form government does your next country affiliate itself with? don't you think that there might be more to it than that? i mean, there are other ways this administration and others has exercised it's opinion about homosexuality and/or marriage.

I hope that it's not just me, but for some reason I don't really believe that our Founding Fathers had envisioned our government rampantly interfering in our daily lives.

I guess that belief is part of the reason why I'm a libertarian.

quote:

Originally posted by Q5echo so what form government does your next country affiliate itself with? don't you think that there might be more to it than that? i mean, there are other ways this administration and others has exercised it's opinion about homosexuality and/or marriage.

next country? democracy... corrupt, but so is American democracy so it doesn't phase me... I know where I am going the govt. generally doesn't play the nanny role in non-economic societal roles. Its got its own problems, but those problems are real and I'd rather worry about those than the trivial matters that get attention in the US news media and by the government in general. As someone mentioned this has a lot to do with special interest groups pushing their factionalist views to the forefront.

I of course think there is more to the matter than just homosexuality. It goes forward with its whole idealogy on the family and conservative values. But as we have all read from many conservative op-ed pieces. The promotion of marriage by the government should be used as a sort of counter-balance to negative forces, mainly citing homosexuality. So you damn well better believe its an important part which is why I highlighted it. Admittedly it also covers my personal beliefs in not being so intolerant to others way of life and so on.

Let us not forget where EDM took its roots in the US either. Paradise Garage yo!

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quote:

Originally posted by Trancer-X I hope that it's not just me, but for some reason I don't really believe that our Founding Fathers had envisioned our government rampantly interfering in our daily lives. I guess that belief is part of the reason why I'm a libertarian.

That's quite hypocritical considering our Founding Fathers didn't envision not having bibles in schools, the 10 commandments missing from our courts and people living in a government enduced void of grey mediocrity...

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"...End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path...one that we all must take.
The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all change to silver glass...and then you see it...
...white shores...and beyond...the far green country under a swift sunrise."

quote:

Originally posted by Fir3start3r That's quite hypocritical considering our Founding Fathers didn't envision not having bibles in schools, the 10 commandments missing from our courts and people living in a government enduced void of grey mediocrity...

A good portion of the Founding Father's were either Atheist, agnostic or other...

___________________
You have one life to live... SO DANCE!

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