Rhetoric of the Two Sides

[Kid Berwyn]

Rhetoric is the art of persuasive speech.

Republican Party rhetoric relies on lies, smears and disinformation— tools of the propagandist and tyrants.

Democratic Party rhetoric relies on facts, critical analysis and historical context — tools of a democracy.

These days, the former gets a lot more traction and bang for the buck because it touches people’s emotions, particularly fear and hate. Great for tee vee ratings.

The latter relies on reason and discussion that leads to compromise and progress. Boring tee vee.

Rather than adopting puke strategy and engaging in puke tactics, I propose we Democrats better inform and educate all voters — including Independents, but especially traditional Republicans.

[Kid Berwyn]

1. "Fox News host" Sean Hannity, propagandist, weaponized baby formula

Sean Hannity Falsely Identifies ‘Pallets and Pallets’ of Baby Formula at the Border Amid

Natalie Oganesyan
Sat, May 14, 2022, 3:41 PM

(Note: post has been updated with a response from Sean Hannity and information about baby formula vs. powdered milk for babies.)

Fox News’ Sean Hannity shared photos that falsely claimed to show “pallets and pallets” of baby formula at the southern border that were reserved for “illegal immigrants,” which CNN quickly debunked, calling the “Fox and Friends” segment an “illuminating example” in “outrage creation.”

Florida Rep. Kat Cammack joined the Fox News host on Friday to talk about the national shortage of baby formula. She’s among several Republicans who have decried President Joe Biden over his decision to provide baby formula to migrant infants. Cammack has been on several Fox shows to express outrage over the issue and shared photos she said were given to her by a Customs and Border Patrol agent.

“Pallets and pallets of baby formula for illegal immigrants and their families even as hardworking American…families, we are now suffering a massive nationwide shortage,” Hannity lamented, showing the photos on-air.

Continues…

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/sean-hannity-falsely-identifies-pallets-194118964.html

Once Hannity’s lie is broadcast, it gets repeated by Fox News on TV and in print, copied and spread by others owned by the VRWC.

[Kid Berwyn]

2. How the "Conservatives" bought the megaphone.

Alex Carey: Corporations and Propaganda

The Attack on Democracy

The 20th century, said Carey, is marked by three historic developments: the growth of democracy via the expansion of the franchise, the growth of corporations, and the growth of propaganda to protect corporations from democracy. Carey wrote that the people of the US have been subjected to an unparalleled, expensive, 3/4 century long propaganda effort designed to expand corporate rights by undermining democracy and destroying the unions. And, in his manuscript, unpublished during his life time, he described that history, going back to World War I and ending with the Reagan era. Carey covers the little known role of the US Chamber of Commerce in the McCarthy witch hunts of post WWII and shows how the continued campaign against "Big Government" plays an important role in bringing Reagan to power.

John Pilger called Carey "a second Orwell", Noam Chomsky dedicated his book, Manufacturing Consent, to him. And even though TUC Radio runs our documentary based on Carey's manuscript at least every two years and draws a huge response each time, Alex Carey is still unknown.

Given today's spotlight on corporations that may change. It is not only the Occupy movement that inspired me to present this program again at this time. By an amazing historic coincidence Bill Moyers and Charlie Cray of Greenpeace have just added the missing chapter to Carey's analysis. Carey's manuscript ends in 1988 when he committed suicide. Moyers and Cray begin with 1971 and bring the corporate propaganda project up to date.

This is a fairly complex production with many voices, historic sound clips, and source material. The program has been used by writers and students of history and propaganda. Alex Carey: Taking the Risk out of Democracy, Corporate Propaganda VS Freedom and Liberty with a foreword by Noam Chomsky was published by the University of Illinois Press in 1995.

Source: TUC Radio

Part 1: https://tucradio.org/podcasts/newest-podcasts/alex-carey-corporations-and-propaganda-part-one-of-two/

Part 2: https://tucradio.org/podcasts/newest-podcasts/alex-carey-corporations-and-propaganda-part-two-of-two/

And now, the very richest vie for control of the most popular means of mass communication.

[Liberal In Texas]

3. Yes. They've been playing the long game buying media outlets

Progressives still haven't gotten the message that we need to find some way to get alternative (especially) radio into rural areas and even most cities. This idea the NPR is the alternative just doesn't cut it. There needs to be the likes of Randi Rhodes, Thom Hartmann or John Fuglsang available for Joe Six Pack to "see what the other side is saying."

It's hard to beat the power of money that they've managed to leverage into our society. The person who says, "Why don't the Democrats say this or tell the real story...." doesn't comprehend that they are saying this or that, but it's not being heard. Or is hard to find because it's not carried by the RW media or the corporate media that we think is the alternative to RW propaganda.

[Kid Berwyn]

4. If you're talking about Fox, you're talking about Drumpf.

If you’re talking Pisswig, you’re talking GQP.

What they don’t say: That’s Old Money and New Money to make Big Money with not much for the 99% of us.

Link to tweet

Before all these moneyhumping traitors, there was Flush Limpballs and his VRWC Army of Hate.