Propaganda Taxonomy

Let's launch the political side of this blog with a brief taxonomy of the Bush administration's propaganda techniques. I've just been struck recently by the revelations about manufactured news, and it seemed like it would be good to review the whole mess. So, here goes.

Media

• Shills (Armstrong Williams, Maggie Gallagher, Mike McManus)
• Salting (Jeff Gannon)
• Fake News (Karen Ryan)
• Embeds
• Media Intimidation

Lying

• WMD
• Iraq ties to al Qaeda
• Tax Cuts
• Social Security
• and smaller lies

Secrets

• Cheney's energy task force

Suppressing Science

Terminology

• Privatization/ Private Accounts / Personal Accounts

Stage Props

• Mission Accomplished
• Made in the USA
• Halo
• Rushmore
• Jobs and Growth

First Amendment Zones

Timing

• Friday afternoon press releases
• Delaying 9/11 disclosure until Rice's confirmation as Secretary of State
• Rice running out the clock in her 9/11 testimony

I'm sure I've left a lot out here, but it's a start. At times I've thought that dishonesty or hypocrisy were the defining characteristics of this administration, but I'm coming to see that there is something deeper underneath it. Of course there is a great deal of dishonesty (and hypocrisy) documented in the above links, but I think that "message control" (newspeak for "propaganda") is more fundamental. If they felt it was helpful to them for the public to know the truth about something, I think they would probably be just as energetic about spreading that truth as they are about spreading their lies.