Must see or read interview with Jane Hamsher...

[slipslidingaway]

Jane Hamsher On How Liberal Groups Are Being Silenced By...

Video and link to article...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=369101&mesg_id=369101


"...Soon after the election, the Administration began corralling the big liberal DC interest groups into a variety of organizations and communication networks through which they telegraphed their wishes -- into a virtual veal pen. The 8:45 am morning call co-hosted by the "liberal" Center for American Progress, Unity 09, and Common Purpose are just a few of the overt ways that the White House controls its left flank and maintains discipline.

My own experience with the Veal Pen came indirectly, when some of them had the temerity to launch a campaign against Blue Dogs. They were rebuked and humiliated in front of their peers as a lesson to them all at a Common Purpose meeting, which is run by lobbyist Erik Smith. White House communications director Ellen Moran attends. It isn't an arms-length relationship between these groups and the administration.

A few weeks ago, Rahm Emanuel showed up at a Common Purpose meeting and called these liberal groups "fucking stupid" for going after Blue Dogs on health care and ordered them not to do so any more. Since that time, to the best of my knowledge, none of them have.

These organizations may kid themselves that they're doing no harm, but that's not true. They are the institutional liberal validators who telegraph to liberals that there are problems, that things are happening that are not good for them. They are trusted to decode the byzantine rituals of government and let the public know when their interests are not being served, that it's time to pay attention and start making a racket. When they fail to perform that task, the public is left with a vague feeling of anxiety, intuitively understanding that something is wrong but not knowing who or what to blame..."

[ihavenobias]

1. Uh oh.

You posted this in GDP.

;)

[slipslidingaway]

4. Sometimes you have to take a chance, everyone should listen

to the interview to realize why the opposition to unpopular topics is being silenced.

[slipslidingaway]

2. Unrecs for liberal groups being silenced???

[ihavenobias]

3. Ironic, isn't it?

:)

[slipslidingaway]

7. It sure is :( n/t

[brentspeak]

9. That's because there's apparently a paid DLC/K-street posse monitoring GD-P

DU has literally been taken over by special interests.

[slipslidingaway]

15. One would think progressives might be concerned about this...

several times I've wondered what the fights were like inside the Republican Party. Many just wanted to go along for their team, while others spoke out when things were not right.

Just like our own children, our first concern should be what they are doing, instead of the neighbor's kids.

I feel the same about political parties, we have to make sure our own house is in order.

:hi:

[Dragonfli]

28. Like Rahm says - we need to shut the fuck up and vote for Blue-Dogs

Funny thing is, he likes to call Republicans, tell them to call themselves Dems and then helps get them elected over liberals.

The DLC are not Democrats and they want us all to shut up about it so the false flag operation continues to work.

[slipslidingaway]

34. Yes, sit down and shut up...we'll decide what is best :( n/t

[ProSense]

5. Obviously, this group

disagrees.

[slipslidingaway]

8. I do not see how the Jane Hamsher interview and the letter from

the CPC are related, maybe you can reply in your thread.

:shrug:

[ProSense]

10. I reply right here:

It's beyond ludicrous to claim that the administration is trying to silence liberal groups.

[DevonRex]

11. +1 for sanity. nt

[slipslidingaway]

13. Then you think she is making this up? Did you listen to the interview? nt

[Cha]

20. I got an email from Jane Hamsher where

she was doing just that and I wrote her back and told her so.

"No, Jane, it didn't become clear to me at all that President Obama wants to drop Public Option.

I take the President at his word. I do believe in rewarding good behavior..I also believe in not supporting bad behavior.

There are many people out here who support the President by not passing disingenuous bad information."

That's when I realized the ol lefties are lying to get what they want.

Not always..but I don't want it at all.

[slipslidingaway]

22. Hard for most people to rely on an email, but if you listen to the interview

what she says makes sense...at least to me.

Where is the opposition from the left on Afghanistan? Where did HCAN use the 40+ million?

People should listen for themselves and see if it fits with what they are seeing and hearing, or not hearing as the case may be.

[Enrique]

32. that's a strong accusation

accusing Jane Hamshler of lying. Got any proof of that?

[brentspeak]

14. That's strange - you've said something very similar not too long ago...

A few weeks ago, when attempting to refute reports the WH really did want to impose an insurance mandate on everyone:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8600535&mesg_id=8600591

ProSense Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-19-09 08:33 PM
Response to Reply #4
8. If that's the way you want to look at it.

Not the first time he has been wrong. This smells like a media campaign. The notion that the WH believes progressives want a mandate is ludicrous.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8600535&mesg_id=8600602

ProSense Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-19-09 08:41 PM
Response to Reply #9
10. The only person who counts when it comes to what the WH believes is Obama, and
it beyond ludicrous to claim he believes progressives want a mandate.

[ProSense]

16. What's your point?

It is beyond ludicrous to think Obama believes progressives want a mandate.

[joeycola]

19. LOL

[slipslidingaway]

17. Not related n/t

[Hutzpa]

6. Something does not add up here.

I'm trying to make the addition (2+2) to see whats actually underneath this
whole rendition.

Who is responsible for silencing these groups? Do we have proof that Rahm is
behind this pressure besides the outburst that some are claiming he made toward
these groups?

Questions need answering before we can mover forward. Are there individuals
sabotaging the progressives?

[slipslidingaway]

12. For now we can only go by what she said in the interview and article

and our own reading.

[Cha]

21. I caught her lying to me

in an email..so she'd have to prove anything she says.

[burning rain]

18. An "ignorance is not bliss" k & r to ya!

.

[slipslidingaway]

23. Thanks, the thread could some recs and hopefully more people

will listen to the interview.

:)

[PassingFair]

24. Kick.

I believe her.

The deals have already been made.

I want the Progressive Caucus to hold steady
and sink "reform" is there is no public option.

If at first we don't succeed, we must try, try again.

If we pass FAKE reform that is only a BOON to insurance
companies, we will fall farther behind in our ability
to care for ourselves.

[slipslidingaway]

29. I agree the deals have been made, just need to work on the details...

such as the public option, how strong or weak it will be.

Thanks :)

This is from November 2008...insurance companies propose individual mandate for coverage of pre-existing conditions...also tax credits.


http://www.ahip.org/content/pressrelease.aspx?docid=25068
http://www.bcbs.com/news/bcbsa/bcbsa-announces-support-for.html

http://pnhp.org/blog/2008/11/20/ahip-bcbsa-support-guaranteed-issue-and-individual-mandate/

Health Plans Propose Guaranteed Coverage for Pre-Existing Conditions and Individual Coverage Mandate
AHIP (America’s Health Insurance Plans)
November 19, 2008

"...They understand that in a truly universal system they must guarantee coverage for everyone regardless of preexisting conditions. Since that would push premiums up, they know that they must add larger numbers of healthy individuals to dilute the risk in their pools. An obvious source is the large numbers of young, healthy individuals who are uninsured. But the only way those individuals would pay the high premiums would be by forcing them to participate. Thus an individual mandate must be coupled with guaranteed issue.

...Those supporting universal coverage through private health plans have long conceded that tax credits (or vouchers) must be used to assist low-income individuals with the purchase of their plans. In their press release, AHIP now states that we must use “refundable, advanceable tax credits for moderate-income individuals and working families.” Finally, the industry explicitly concedes that most of us can no longer afford to purchase their health plans. So who is going to help? The taxpayers. Gee, isn’t that us?

The other problem is how are they going to pay for the high-risk individuals who now must be covered? Their solution is somewhat more cryptic. They are going to “ensure premium stability for those with existing coverage through a broadly funded reimbursement mechanism that spreads costs for the highest-risk individuals.” “Premium stability” means that other sources will be paying the higher costs of the higher-risk individuals. What other sources? They propose “Guarantee Access Plans” which are “loosely modeled on state high-risk pools.” Oops. The taxpayers – us – again.

Think about it. The private insurance industry has just the solution for us, but only if we agree to foot the bill for those who actually need health care, while they continue to collect large premiums to pay for their egregiously wasteful administrative excesses.

Their proposal is to shift the real costs of health care to the taxpayer. They are right. We need to establish a universal risk pool and fund it equitably based on ability to pay. The only sensible way to do that is through a single payer national health program. Why would we want to implant on our health care financing system the cancer of private health plans?"

[jannyk]

25. K & R

[slipslidingaway]

30. Thanks :) n/t

[nightrain]

26. knr. Horrifyingly good interview. Thanks for posting!!

[slipslidingaway]

31. The thread in the PV forum was being unrecommended, this is certainly

worthy of discussion IMO.

:)

[ipaint]

27. Veal Pens = Free Speech Zones = Embedded Reporters

Gotta control the corporate message.

"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ...We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. ...In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons...who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind."

Edward Bernays

[slipslidingaway]

33. Great quote and for those who not seen the video "The Century of the Self"...

it is well worth the time.

Thanks :)

7 minute clip at link below along with links to the full video.

Edward Bernays - How to Brainwash a Nation
An excerpt from "The Century of the Self"

http://www.redicecreations.com/specialreports/2006/09sep/ebernays.html

"In 2002, Adam Curtis and the BBC released a four-part series called "The Century of the Self."

The series tracks how American elites have aggressively used the modern behavioral sciences to persuade, coerce and manipulate the American public into accepting the corporate-government world's version of events as their own.

This seven-minute video which I call "The Assassin of Democracy" focuses on one of the most skillful and amoral expert of all the experts in mass manipulation, Edward Bernays. Bernays got his first taste of the power of propaganda during World War I. He advised US presidents from Woodrow Wilson to Einsehower and served numerous corporations and business associations. One of his biggest fans was Hitler's propaganda chief, Joseph Goebbels, a fact about which Bernays bragged proudly.

In this clip, we see a pattern that Bernays used over and over again: turn a harmless entity into a fearsome enemy through lies and manufactured news items. Then use the "threat" to justify attack. The subject of this video is Bernays campaign against the democratically elected government of Guatemala in 1953, but you'll have no trouble seeing that this very same method is being used today.

Watch the Entire Documentary at Google Video:

...."