Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Brave New Bush World

The $250,000 of covert propaganda money that the administration paid Armstrong Williams to promote No Child Left Behind was just the tip of the iceberg. According to Richard Williamson of National News, the Government Accountability Office has reported that the Bush machine spent $1.4 billion in taxpayer dollars to ad agencies over the last two and a half years.
The six largest recipients of ad and PR dollars were Leo Burnett USA, $536 million; Campbell-Ewald, $194 million; GSD&M, $179 million; JWT, $148 million; Frankel, $133 million; and Ketchum, $78 million. The agencies received more than $1.2 billion in media contracts, according to the report.

[…]

The Department of Defense spent the most on media contracts, with pacts worth $1.1 billion, according to the study. The Department of Health and Human Services spent more than $300 million, the Department of Treasury spent $152 million, and the Department of Homeland Security spent $24 million during the period.

One has to wonder what fraction of that $1.1 trillion Department of Defense advertising money it would have taken to solve the body armor problems? Who didn't get $300 million worth of health and human services because the money went for public relations. Whatever the Department of the Treasure advertised for $152 million, it wasn't very effective because I sure don't remember it. Do you?

$24 million for Homeland Security publicity? Why? They got plenty of publicity without having to buy it.

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Don't let this administration get away with telling you this was $1.4 billion worth of public service announcements or "education." It's pure political propaganda. We live in the Brave New Bush World, and we're paying our government to brainwash us.

3 comments:

  1. 5-6 years ago, a site called ironminds had columns by various NY writers. One was "Dear ____" in which satirical letters (similar to Jesus' General) to assorted current topics-participants went something like this:

    Dear Leo Burnett,

    Congrats on winning that Army contract! Man, what pressure to deliver though -- how do you top "Be all that you can be"?!?

    Suggestions: recruit in poor black and Latino neighborhoods, with tailored messages like: "All the A-rabs you can cap, bro!"


    You get the idea. How unfortunately appropriate.

    High school friend who served (light infantry) in Panama said he nearly hurled when he heard "An Army of ONE."

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  2. EVERYBODY hurled when they heard "Army of One." Especially when they heard it in a halftime Superbowl ad.

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  3. I'm glad YOU said that, Scott. ;-)

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