Bush Sets Up Social Security 'War Room'

[NVMojo]

The man is desperate to have a success.

WASHINGTON - A new Social Security war room inside the Treasury Department is pumping out information to sell President Bush's plan, much like any political campaign might do.

It's part of a coordinated effort by the Bush administration. The internal, taxpayer-funded campaigning is backed up by television advertisements, grass-roots organizing and lobbying from business and other groups that support the Bush plan.

The president's opponents are organized too, though they do not enjoy the resources of the White House or Treasury to sell their message.

For the administration, the communications effort is being coordinated out of Treasury's public affairs office through the new Social Security Information Center. Three people have been hired, with two more hires possible soon. The first three employees are veterans of the Bush-Cheney campaign or the Republican National Committee.

"The uber purpose is to centralize and coordinate the administration's public affairs and communication activities," said chief Treasury spokesman Rob Nichols. "Standing up this office demonstrates how important fixing Social Security is."

more...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&e=2&u=/ap/20050305/ap_on_go_pr_wh/selling_social_security

[Skidmore]

1. His official declaration of war on the American people. Use it.

[hector459]

27. I believe the American people have already surrendered.

I see no evidence of a fight. Similar to what happened in Iraq where the unifored Iraqi forces just disappeared.

[donheld]

35. A dictator at work

It doesn't look like Bushie wants to give us any say on what happens to social security. Looks to me like Bushie just wants to tell us what's going to happen case closed our votes not needed.

[Mountainman]

2. We are paying taxes to a group of people who want to ruin our lives.

I never in my 58 years thought we would have to fight against our own government to maintain our standard of living. These people are surely evil.

I believe in the rules of karma and believe they will pay for what they are doing but how many lives will be hurt and how much damage will they do before that. And can we ever reverse and repair what they are doing.

Those who voted for this cabal have most profound disgust!

[Chipper Chat]

3. He has to keep our minds off Iraq.

How many soldiers killed today? 4, maybe more? And not a word from our eyes-shut media.

[BrainRants]

7. Excellent Framing!

"I never in my 58 years thought we would have to fight against our own government to maintain our standard of living."

This is the type of framing that can be very powerful in LTTE sprinkled throughout the country's newspapers. It's short, sweet, and puts it in terms that Joe Nascar can understand.

[ladjf]

10. They have already ruined the quality of life as we've known it.

Whether or not it could be repaired over the next 30 years or so remains to be seen. I am doubtful.

[ladjf]

12. When I see the numerous automobiles with the "W" stickers

on the back window, I always wonder, will they ever be ashamed for their support of the administration that was overthrowing the govt. of the U.S. I think not. They will find someone else to blame, i.e. Muslims, gay people, old people and fat people.

[FourStarDemocrat]

21. Exactly!

The very first thing I thought of when I read this article was--I can't believe that OUR TAX DOLLARS are funding this enormous disinformation scheme!

[wellst0nev0ter]

4. Go Ahead, It;s Just Like Hitting An Oversized Weighted Rubber Clown Doll

just too friggin easy.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Bush is desperate

he has run us out of money and he has to get his hands on the one last big source of funds so he can finish off the job.

Keep in mind, some of the motivation behind this is to keep the stock market propped up. A lot big companies and state and local governments are going to see their pension plans go out the window if he doesn't.

[NeoConsSuck]

6. It serves two purposes...

A payback to Fidelity Investments and Charles Schwab and the rest of Wall Street that contributed greatly to the repukes, and it dismantles Roosevelt's New Deal.

[ladjf]

11. They are moving in for the kill. Their decades long dream to

wipe out SS is about to happen,maybe.

[teryang]

8. Beyond drug purchases, setting up lines of coke

...and conspiring insurance frauds during Iran Contra, the man never "set up" anything in his life.

[ladjf]

9. Bush re frames the meaning of "War on Poverty". "War on those

who are poor". They want old people, obese people and poor people to die quickly so they won't cost anyone any money.

[amber dog democrat]

38. He is really about class warfare.

I just wish more of the American public knew this at the beginning.

[soup]

13. Good article this morning - Fear is a great motivator.

The only thing we have to fear

In his effort to revamp Social Security, Bush will tap into this truth: Fear is a great motivator.

By ANITA KUMAR, Times Staff Writer
Published March 5, 2005

"We know that social control is best managed through fear. . . . This is the way modern society works - by the constant creation of fear." - from Michael Crichton's bestselling novel State of Fear

WASHINGTON - Fear works.

People show up for work every day because they're afraid of being fired. They don't cheat on their taxes because they're frightened of an audit. They exercise because they're afraid of having a heart attack.

For politicians of every stripe, it's a time-honored tradition to play on fear.

Now President Bush is using that all-powerful motivator as a key element of his sales pitch to revamp Social Security.
>snip<

Those who specialize in how fear is used as a tool of persuasion say the president walks a fine line. He needs to convince Americans that there is a problem so that he can sell a solution, but if he takes it too far, the public will tune out.
>snip<

Bush sold the war in Iraq with warnings about weapons of mass destruction, and he sold the Patriot Act amid fear about terrorism.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/05/Worldandnation/The_only_thing_we_hav.shtml

---

War room, 6 day blitz... fear fear fear... Will he be able to sell it this time?

[bluestateguy]

14. It's not over yet

This is what I have been saying all along. We are winning so far, but their side still has the machinery of government. These people lie, they cheat, the manipulate and they don't give up. Remember the drug bill in 2003: bribes to a congressman, keeping the House vote open for over 3 hours past the deadline. They win by doing these kinds of things.

[Skidmore]

15. We need to hit them hard up front and make certain it is in numbers that

will take away the power structures they wish to hold onto. We need an uprising.

[woosh]

16. I'm so sick of hearing that Bush's propaganda

machine is wholey funded by taxpayers. If a law is not being broken, there should be one.

[annabanana]

17. The anti-senior, anti-soldier, anti-woman, anti-sick person bankruptcy

bill will pass while wer're concentrating on this. We have to worry about BOTH of them.

[snippy]

18. Makes sense. Bush's War on Social Security requires a War Room.

And Bush has always claimed that the laws prohibiting any president's administration from using taxpayer money for propaganda purposes do not apply to him or his administration.

[CANDO]

19. I called my Senators and Representative yesterday.

I told them to not mess with SS and if they were really concerned about saving it, they shouldn't be looking at taking money away from it in the form of "personal" accounts. Specter, Santorum, and Holden were the lucky recipients of my exercise in Democracy. Let's all turn up the heat, people! Please, everyone make contact with your Senators and Reps. I googled "congressional phone numbers" and went from there.

[Bhaisahab]

20. everything's a "war" for el stupido n/t

[tanyev]

22. Inside the Treasury Department?

Since when can a president use the Treasury Department to promote a political agenda?? Is this legal?

[Catchawave]

25. Great question !

...and if it's such a great plan, why does he have to "sell" it to us?

[bemildred]

23. OOOOH! Put a "Tiger Team(tm)" on it right away.

Let's have "measurable goals" and "meaningful metrics".
:puke:

[Stephanie]

24. 'Bush Declares War on America'

More specifically, Americans. Unless you are rich.

[Career Prole]

26. "The uber purpose is to centralize and coordinate"

The uber purpose?!
What an *ahem* unfortunate turn of phrase.
:wtf:

[lovuian]

28. Well if they attak it like Iraq it will be a disaster

:crazy:

[GalleryGod]

29. "the UBER purpose of...."

Jeee-zus! These Nazi's are slipping in to their native tongues on press releases!:wtf: :argh: :wtf:

[TOOLZ]

30. I can't believe he actually said "Uber."

I rushed here to post this and of course it's already a thread.

Keywords to look for in the SS Campaign are Reich, Furor, (various spellings) and Mein Kampf

[Robert Oak]

31. propaganda war plus how can he use our money for this crap?

So far, propaganda has won out over truth.

Maybe this one is the battle of the bulge but what makes me ill
is how they use our tax dollars for their propaganda...

I don't see how that's legal. Then again, I don't see how
most political contributions are not bribes.

[bluedog]

32. words.WAR ROOM

it just strikes me that this wording doesn't sound right.......its like a man trying to enforce his will on the people..........

we, my friends, are in a very dangerous situation
with this man.......he has gone mandate crazy.....believing he has the majority of the people behind him.......I believe its time to end his reign.before his grab for power and the peoples rights go any further.......
USA is in danger.maybe some country would like to come to our aid!

[otohara]

33. AKA Lie Room

telling more lies in America for our sake.

[leftchick]

34. Bush Administration Sets Up 'War Room' in Treasury Department to Sell Soci

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=553955

WASHINGTON Mar 5, 2005 — A new Social Security war room inside the Treasury Department is pumping out information to sell President Bush's plan, much like any political campaign might do. It's part of a coordinated effort by the Bush administration.

The internal, taxpayer-funded campaigning is backed up by television advertisements, grass-roots organizing and lobbying from business and other groups that support the Bush plan.

The president's opponents are organized too, though they do not enjoy the resources of the White House or Treasury to sell their message.


For the administration, the communications effort is being coordinated out of Treasury's public affairs office through the new Social Security Information Center. Three people have been hired, with two more hires possible soon. The first three employees are veterans of the Bush-Cheney campaign or the Republican National Committee.

"The uber purpose is to centralize and coordinate the administration's public affairs and communication activities," said chief Treasury spokesman Rob Nichols. "Standing up this office demonstrates how important fixing Social Security is."

[Pirate Smile]

36. Bush Sets Up Social Security 'War Room' (with taxpayer money)

Bush Sets Up Social Security 'War Room'

By LAURA MECKLER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A new Social Security (news - web sites) war room inside the Treasury Department (news - web sites) is pumping out information to sell President Bush (news - web sites)'s plan, much like any political campaign might do. It's part of a coordinated effort by the Bush administration.

The internal, taxpayer-funded campaigning is backed up by television advertisements, grass-roots organizing and lobbying from business and other groups that support the Bush plan.

The president's opponents are organized too, though they do not enjoy the resources of the White House or Treasury to sell their message.

For the administration, the communications effort is being coordinated out of Treasury's public affairs office through the new Social Security Information Center. Three people have been hired, with two more hires possible soon. The first three employees are veterans of the Bush-Cheney campaign or the Republican National Committee (news - web sites).

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=703&e=3&u=/ap/20050305/ap_on_go_pr_wh/selling_social_security

Isn't it nice to know they are spending our tax dollars on this?
:grr:

[Borgnine]

37. I don't think they're going to win this one.

They're getting desperate, and there are too many vocal opponents. Still, no reason to become complacent, because these slimeholes always seem to find a way around the usual methods.

[amber dog democrat]

39. Its gonna be close

these thugs are desparate and will destroy all who lay in their path to win.
but you are right. They have a hard fight on their hands.

They have no principles, and stop at nothing. We are dealing with evil doers.