Framing the debate over Armstrong's (Payolagate)

[rogue emissary]

Is it time for Democrats to go beyond talking about this scandal as an ethics violation? They can simply frame it as, "now we know why NCLB program was under funned." The Department of Education would rather give their buddy Armstrong (Sellout) Williams, 240 thousand tax payer dollars to endorse this program. Something he would have done for free. Of course that money was earmarked for the DOE, and could have gone to much better uses.

Many Democrats have been saying something along these lines. It just seems its time to frame this debacle as another example of the Administrations continued mismanagement. So what does everybody think about this tactic pros, cons?

:think:
Edited the amount ;)

[complain jane]

1. Wasn't it 240 thousand (not million)

not that this figure makes it any better.

[oneighty]

2. Yes but!

They lie why can't we?

Because we are different. We liberals.

Most of us.

180

[rogue emissary]

6. Your right

:7

Thanks, I'll edit the post to reflect the correct amount.

[whosinpower]

3. Well - I think every single American

Should question the motives of every single right wing pundit and ask how much money they get every single time they try to sell a policy of the current administration. Clearly, this is standard operating procedure of the White house - from the medicare bill, through the education bill and now the talk is social security. As a taxpayer, I would severely question any support talked about social security reform....even moreso now given the Armstrong revelations.

RECOGNIZE PROPEGANDA FOR WHAT IT IS....LIES, LIES AND MORE LIES.

[louis-t]

4. It is not only an ethics violation...

IT IS ILLEGAL! Repubs are trying to frame this as 'ethics this', and 'oversight that'. It is illegal, illegal, illegal, illegal. If Armstrong Williams had been a Democrat, Trent Lott, Limbaugh, Hannity, even Zel Miller would be screaming "off with his head". There would be investigation after investigation, and there would be no talk of Williams keeping the money. The threat would be: give it back or go to prison. And he would lose his job. But we all know that laws don't apply to Repubs.

[mediaman007]

5. Paint the broad brush on every right wing commentator...

if Alan Colmes had any balls, he would question Hannity after every point he makes.

[alfredo]

11. No, they are not commentators. they are paid propagandist.

Rush, Hannity, Fox News, Washington Times, Scarborough, and others are paid propagandist.

We need to put the P word on all of them. They are being paid to push government propaganda.

[SemperEadem]

18. he doesn't because

Ann Coulter is wearing them in her bra.

[rogue emissary]

8. We don't get to play by their rules, and frankly I wouldn't want us to try

[Up2Late]

7. I think the figure was $240,000, but that still a nice Chunk of Change

When I heard that story, it really didn't surprise me very much. I listen to NPR a lot, and I heard A.Williams on "The Tavis Smiley Show" a few times. Even though I didn't expect Williams (He also has his own PR firm too, it turns out) to be taking money directly. I figured, it was the Tax Breaks Rich Republicans get and Love about GWBush, I bet you would find the same situation with Commentator J.C. Watts, and maybe even Commentator Joseph C. Phillips, who seems to like * to the extreme. :mad:

J.C. Watts has his own PR firm too. I'm not sure about J.C. Phillips, here's his web site, you tell me <http://www.josephcphillips.com/>:freak:

One of the major reasons I stared listening to mostly NPR was that, all of a sudden, about a month after the 9/11 attacks, my favorite "New Rock" radio station DJ's, who had been very liberal before this, started talking about how great a job GWBush was doing.

Not long after that, I found that the new "Reality" T.V. show "Survivor," that I thought these DJ's were just really into, was actually a new type of "Covert" advertising, when I found a "Survivor" contest entry form at McDonalds. The contest was connected to these DJ's.

It's the wave of the future, "Covert Advertising" and "1984" style "New Speak," and "New Think.":grr:

[ChairOne]

9. IOKIYAR

Pronounced eye-okie-yar.

As with so much else, It's OK If You're A Republican.

[rogue emissary]

10. Funny and true. n/t

[ChairOne]

12. I can't honestly take credit for it.....

Think I got it from Kos or Atrios or somewhere - was awhile ago tho....

I think it's one good way to frame things tho... Can do the red-circle-with-slash, with iokiyar in the middle.... lol

[Up2Late]

13. I don't get it, what are you referring to?

post # or something else?:dunce:

[ChairOne]

14. The hypocrisy involved in....

... republicans getting into an impeachment uproar about Clinton getting his peter pulled, versus the many many no-big-whoops on the republican side, where pressgate is only the latest example (tom delay, rossi, etc. are other examples).

That's how I took the OP... mebbe I was off....

[goclark]

15. What about calling it Mediagate?

They are all on the payroll and we need to call a spade a spade.

[rogue emissary]

17. That's definitely a better description, . . .

. . . but which MSM outlet would cover it? They did go after Rather, but that was to defend *. I got Payola from oliverwillis blog. I don't want the Repubs to frame it, and cast it off without paying a price.

[cry baby]

16. Someone needs to follow the money. n/t

[Disturbed]

19. Undeclared income.

That is a Federal Crime. IRS, hello!

[David Zephyr]

20. Keep It On The Tax Dollars. That's the Issue.