Post: #26

Going viral now:

Post: #27

(12-09-2016 02:46 PM)Roosh Wrote:  I read the full press release, and doesn't look like they will have added teeth. Instead, it seems to codify things they are already doing. For example:

Quote:Second, the legislation seeks to leverage expertise from outside government to create more adaptive and responsive U.S. strategy options. The legislation establishes a fund to help train local journalists and provide grants and contracts to NGOs, civil society organizations, think tanks, private sector companies, media organizations, and other experts outside the U.S. government with experience in identifying and analyzing the latest trends in foreign government disinformation techniques.

I don't see where the bill gives them censorship or shut-it-down ability.

Ya, thanks for changing the original clickbait hysteria title. No censorship is or could be made out of this.

This is directed outside the USA and mentions things already in place. The US Government already manages a lot of media.

Voice of America radio and TV, Radio Liberty, Radio Free Europe, Radio Sawa, Al Hurra TV, Radio Farda, Radio Free Asia, Radio Marti, and other TV stuff.

The grant funding to NGOs and media overseas has been in place for a long time, this just gives a specific target and money from the Congress.

Post: #28

(12-09-2016 10:06 PM)Sp5 Wrote:  

(12-09-2016 02:46 PM)Roosh Wrote:  I read the full press release, and doesn't look like they will have added teeth. Instead, it seems to codify things they are already doing. For example:

Quote:Second, the legislation seeks to leverage expertise from outside government to create more adaptive and responsive U.S. strategy options. The legislation establishes a fund to help train local journalists and provide grants and contracts to NGOs, civil society organizations, think tanks, private sector companies, media organizations, and other experts outside the U.S. government with experience in identifying and analyzing the latest trends in foreign government disinformation techniques.

I don't see where the bill gives them censorship or shut-it-down ability.

Ya, thanks for changing the original clickbait hysteria title. No censorship is or could be made out of this.

This is directed outside the USA and mentions things already in place. The US Government already manages a lot of media.

Voice of America radio and TV, Radio Liberty, Radio Free Europe, Radio Sawa, Al Hurra TV, Radio Farda, Radio Free Asia, Radio Marti, and other TV stuff.

The grant funding to NGOs and media overseas has been in place for a long time, this just gives a specific target and money from the Congress.

You don't know where exactly this applies. It just says, "Outside of the U.S. Government," which could be CNN for all we know.

Post: #29

(12-09-2016 10:11 PM)Samseau Wrote:  

(12-09-2016 10:06 PM)Sp5 Wrote:  

(12-09-2016 02:46 PM)Roosh Wrote:  I read the full press release, and doesn't look like they will have added teeth. Instead, it seems to codify things they are already doing. For example:

Quote:Second, the legislation seeks to leverage expertise from outside government to create more adaptive and responsive U.S. strategy options. The legislation establishes a fund to help train local journalists and provide grants and contracts to NGOs, civil society organizations, think tanks, private sector companies, media organizations, and other experts outside the U.S. government with experience in identifying and analyzing the latest trends in foreign government disinformation techniques.

I don't see where the bill gives them censorship or shut-it-down ability.

Ya, thanks for changing the original clickbait hysteria title. No censorship is or could be made out of this.

This is directed outside the USA and mentions things already in place. The US Government already manages a lot of media.

Voice of America radio and TV, Radio Liberty, Radio Free Europe, Radio Sawa, Al Hurra TV, Radio Farda, Radio Free Asia, Radio Marti, and other TV stuff.

The grant funding to NGOs and media overseas has been in place for a long time, this just gives a specific target and money from the Congress.

You don't know where exactly this applies. It just says, "Outside of the U.S. Government," which could be CNN for all we know.

Outside the USA and to "local" media. A piddling $20 million for FY 2017 and 2018, grants managed by Department of State overseas, procurement rules will compel disclosure of recipients.

Text of the law here:

Quote:(e) Information Access Fund.—

(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 $20,000,000 to support the Center and provide grants or contracts of financial support to civil society groups, journalists, nongovernmental organizations, federally funded research and development centers, private companies, or academic institutions for the following purposes:

(A) To support local independent media who are best placed to refute foreign disinformation and manipulation in their own communities.

(B) To collect and store examples in print, online, and social media, disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda directed at the United States and its allies and partners.

© To analyze tactics, techniques, and procedures of foreign government information warfare with respect to disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda.

(D) To support efforts by the Center to counter efforts by foreign governments to use disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda to influence the policies and social and political stability of the United States and United States allies and partners.

(2) FUNDING AVAILABILITY AND LIMITATIONS.—All organizations that apply to receive funds under this subsection must undergo a vetting process in accordance with the relevant existing regulations to ensure their bona fides, capability, and experience, and their compatibility with United States interests and objectives.

Post: #30

Time for Tucker Carlson to take over Megyn Kelly's time slot.

Post: #31

(12-09-2016 05:00 PM)Cattle Rustler Wrote:  Fake News Folks!!! Perfect example of fake news that the liberals are trying to make illegal.

http://jalopnik.com/how-donald-trump-mig...1789908519

This shit is done on the regular by everyone, even gruingito wrote a thread about it.

True liberals like me fully support the 1st amendment. Breitbart wants to extol the virtues of "Dixie Unity" and the confederate flag the day a psychopathic Aspergers kid murders nine black churchgoers? No problem.

It's TRUMP who talked about "libel laws" and that news outlets will not be "totally protected."

This is why lazy, simplistic labels like liberal and conservative merely obscure real, material issues.

TRUMP:
"One of the things I'm going to do if I win, and I hope we do and we're certainly leading. I'm going to open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money. We're going to open up those libel laws. So when The New York Times writes a hit piece which is a total disgrace or when The Washington Post, which is there for other reasons, writes a hit piece, we can sue them and win money instead of having no chance of winning because they're totally protected," Trump said.

Post: #32

The courts will decide a libel case, after a bloody trial. There has to be evidence shown.

Here Congress is pre-emptively establishing false propaganda. Big difference.

When the media companies started colluding with political parties, they lost the privilege of any special protection. They stopped being journalists - they should be sued for defamation or libel.

This is just more big government BS.

People should judge for themselves what news is credible. Usually takes 3 minutes of googling to find out! Instead people want the Government to decide for them, so that they have to take ZERO responsibility.

Lazy dishonest fucks.

Post: #33

The law is directed towards countering Russian and Chinese information operations. Maybe it doesn't have to be that way, but those are the rivals of the USA/EU.

Like the USA/EU, Russia and China have their own interests, which could include regional or even world hegemony.

Even though the USA/EU have fucked up a lot in recent years, interfering in the Ukraine, Syria, Libya, it does not mean the intentions of Russia and China are entirely benign.

For example, it's possible that the Russians might roll into one or all of the Baltics some day, or the Chinese might invade Taiwan.

Shaping an adversary's and world public opinion is important. The Russians are doing it, the USA and EU do it. Not particularly surprising.

Post: #34

So the old-fashioned act of simply telling the truth is now considered "shaping public opinion" and needs to be countered?

Post: #35

Has there been a Russian and/or Chinese information operation been uncovered recently that I missed? And if there has, I find it really weird we don't have laws already in place to stop them.

This sounds a lot like an Information Patriot Act, where the government can intervene without restrictions if they can claim with a straight face they are fighting "terrorism".

Post: #36

The phone call that started it all.

Post: #37

(12-10-2016 09:30 AM)Handsome Creepy Eel Wrote:  So the old-fashioned act of simply telling the truth is now considered "shaping public opinion" and needs to be countered?

"Telling the truth??" WTF is that? C'mon, you're a smart guy, HCE. There is the whole truth, which needs zen-like comprehension and concentration and attention. There are partial truths, which can be meted out for your advantage, and there is bullshit.

For example, the original title of this thread was
Alert: The US Government will begin Censorship of 'Fake News' and Alt-Media

That was bullshit, because the First Amendment would prevent anything like that at the present moment, and this little appropriation to the State Department is not going to change that. And the only "targeting" of "alternative media sites" is going to be throwing money at dissident sites in the FSU.

The OP indicates he is in Ukraine. Could be an ethnic Russian in Donetsk doing informal information ops for all we know.

Post: #38

I'd love to see President Trump attach the title "Fake News" to the MSM to further discredit them. Like his nicknames ("Crooked Hilary").

No longer would he refer to them simply as "CNN" it would always be "Fake News CNN."

Post: #39

(12-09-2016 10:31 PM)Sp5 Wrote:  

(12-09-2016 10:11 PM)Samseau Wrote:  

(12-09-2016 10:06 PM)Sp5 Wrote:  

(12-09-2016 02:46 PM)Roosh Wrote:  I read the full press release, and doesn't look like they will have added teeth. Instead, it seems to codify things they are already doing. For example:

Quote:Second, the legislation seeks to leverage expertise from outside government to create more adaptive and responsive U.S. strategy options. The legislation establishes a fund to help train local journalists and provide grants and contracts to NGOs, civil society organizations, think tanks, private sector companies, media organizations, and other experts outside the U.S. government with experience in identifying and analyzing the latest trends in foreign government disinformation techniques.

I don't see where the bill gives them censorship or shut-it-down ability.

Ya, thanks for changing the original clickbait hysteria title. No censorship is or could be made out of this.

This is directed outside the USA and mentions things already in place. The US Government already manages a lot of media.

Voice of America radio and TV, Radio Liberty, Radio Free Europe, Radio Sawa, Al Hurra TV, Radio Farda, Radio Free Asia, Radio Marti, and other TV stuff.

The grant funding to NGOs and media overseas has been in place for a long time, this just gives a specific target and money from the Congress.

You don't know where exactly this applies. It just says, "Outside of the U.S. Government," which could be CNN for all we know.

Outside the USA and to "local" media. A piddling $20 million for FY 2017 and 2018, grants managed by Department of State overseas, procurement rules will compel disclosure of recipients.

Text of the law here:

Quote:(e) Information Access Fund.—

(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 $20,000,000 to support the Center and provide grants or contracts of financial support to civil society groups, journalists, nongovernmental organizations, federally funded research and development centers, private companies, or academic institutions for the following purposes:

(A) To support local independent media who are best placed to refute foreign disinformation and manipulation in their own communities.

(B) To collect and store examples in print, online, and social media, disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda directed at the United States and its allies and partners.

© To analyze tactics, techniques, and procedures of foreign government information warfare with respect to disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda.

(D) To support efforts by the Center to counter efforts by foreign governments to use disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda to influence the policies and social and political stability of the United States and United States allies and partners.

(2) FUNDING AVAILABILITY AND LIMITATIONS.—All organizations that apply to receive funds under this subsection must undergo a vetting process in accordance with the relevant existing regulations to ensure their bona fides, capability, and experience, and their compatibility with United States interests and objectives.

Thanks for doing my work for me.

The money from this fund will be used domestically, as the bolded section above proves. The bolded part also allows some DC bureaucrat to determine that Breitbart or Drudge is "Foreign Propaganda" and began taking actions against them.

While you might consider $20 million to be a "piddling" amount, 99% of America disagrees with you. No media outlets should get propped up by taxpayer money.

This bill also sets a terrible predicent. $20 million today, $20 billion tomorrow.

Post: #40

Samseau posted this has gone viral - and I think for good reason. This was significant news. Mike Cernovich considers the Portman/Murphy anti-propaganda act an "in run around the first amendment" and quite possibly the "greatest threat to Free speech In my entire in my life."

At the very least, this is a major concern. You give them an inch, and they'll take a mile. These could very well be the first steps to future totalitarian and tyrannical legislation in which the Government would self police what is "disinformation."

Quote:The OP indicates he is in Ukraine. Could be an ethnic Russian in Donetsk doing informal information ops for all we know.

Actually, I'm an American who's been studying in Ukraine for the past year. I've met and gamed with over 20 members on this Forum who can vouch for me, and I couldn't be any further from being an Ethnic Russian in Donetsk. Next time consider a pm before you start publicly speculating the ethnicity and intentions of another member.

Admittedly I'm not a professional writer, and in hindsight the original thread title might of unknowingly been over the top. However your accusations of me clickbaiting or causing hysteria is misplaced and false. I have absolutely no incentive monetarily or otherwise to do so. I simply read the press release and wanted to share and contribute to the other members of the forum.

Post: #41

(12-10-2016 09:41 AM)Dusty Wrote:  The phone call that started it all.

The Talmudic Jews have already passed their own bill for clamping down on free speech:

/thread-59740.html

Post: #42

He's speaking of course of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, who makes his billions from illegals in the USA phoning family back in Mexico.

Post: #43

(12-10-2016 09:55 AM)Sp5 Wrote:  There are partial truths, which can be meted out for your advantage, and there is bullshit.

US government and its controlled/controlling media outlets are without doubt the greatest purveyors of bullshit in the entire world and the staggering amount of propaganda and fake news that they churn out makes Russia and China look like bastions of free speech in comparison. It is the sheer audacity of this bill that is so staggering, not the relative truthfulness of various news sources.

Quote:Chutzpah amounts to a total denial of personal responsibility, that renders others speechless and incredulous ... one cannot quite believe that another person totally lacks common human traits like remorse, regret, guilt, sympathy and insight.

Post: #44

(12-10-2016 12:06 PM)Sosa Wrote:  Samseau posted this has gone viral - and I think for good reason. This was significant news. Mike Cernovich considers the Portman/Murphy anti-propaganda act an "in run around the first amendment" and quite possibly the "greatest threat to Free speech In my entire in my life."

At the very least, this is a major concern. You give them an inch, and they'll take a mile. These could very well be the first steps to future totalitarian and tyrannical legislation in which the Government would self police what is "disinformation."

Quote:The OP indicates he is in Ukraine. Could be an ethnic Russian in Donetsk doing informal information ops for all we know.

Actually, I'm an American who's been studying in Ukraine for the past year. I've met and gamed with over 20 members on this Forum who can vouch for me, and I couldn't be any further from being an Ethnic Russian in Donetsk. Next time consider a pm before you start publicly speculating the ethnicity and intentions of another member.

Admittedly I'm not a professional writer, and in hindsight the original thread title might of unknowingly been over the top. However your accusations of me clickbaiting or causing hysteria is misplaced and false. I have absolutely no incentive monetarily or otherwise to do so. I simply read the press release and wanted to share and contribute to the other members of the forum.

So you are American? I am surprised. It sucks having your motivations and actions shown in a false light, huh, like you did to the whole US Congress? Sorry for that.

As for Mike's take, I hate Periscope and podcasts, waste of time unless you're just listening to one while driving. Mike's is a good example of why they suck. Mike rambles on, and it takes 15 minutes to say what could be written in two paragraphs.

I had to listen to it, because Mike's a lawyer and I thought maybe he had seen something in the law I missed.

But in this case Mike is full of shit, so the value of the time listening to him hysterically rant for 15 minutes is less than zero. He says that people will be imprisoned, fined, there will be censorship. Total bullshit. It's not a criminal law. It has no penal provisions, no fines, no terms of imprisonment. It will not "take out free speech in America," "label all independent media as Russian propaganda. It will not "fine, outlaw, make you a criminal."

He's a lawyer, should know better. I doubt he's read the bill. If he has, he is lying. He's gone downhill from the days when he was sticking to the truth.

Again, here is the text of the bill. I am putting it out there for anyone to read:

Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act of 2016

The bill does two significant things, aside from providing for staff members and interagency coordination:

1. Establishes a bureau called the "Center for Information Analysis and Response" within the U.S. Department of State (State is equivalent to a Ministry for Foreign Affairs, for you non-US people)

The Center is to do this, from the law:

Quote:(b) Functions.—The Center shall carry out the following functions:

(1) Integrating interagency efforts to track and evaluate counterfactual narratives abroad that threaten the national security interests of the United States and United States allies.

(2) Collecting, integrating, and analyzing relevant information, including intelligence reporting, data, analysis, and analytics from United States Government agencies, allied nations, think-tanks, academic institutions, civil society groups, and other nongovernmental organizations.

(3) Developing and disseminating fact-based narratives and analysis to counter propaganda and disinformation directed at United States allies and partners.

(4) Identifying current and emerging trends in foreign propaganda and disinformation, including the use of print, broadcast, online and social media, support for third-party outlets such as think tanks, political parties, and nongovernmental organizations, and the use of covert or clandestine special operators and agents to influence targeted populations and governments in order to coordinate and shape the development of tactics, techniques, and procedures to expose and refute foreign misinformation and disinformation and proactively promote fact-based narratives and policies to audiences outside the United States.

(5) Facilitating the use of a wide range of technologies and techniques by sharing expertise among agencies, seeking expertise from external sources, and implementing best practices.

(6) Identifying gaps in United States capabilities in areas relevant to the Center’s mission and recommending necessary enhancements or changes.

(7) Identifying the countries and populations most susceptible to foreign government propaganda and disinformation.

(8) Administering the information access fund established pursuant to subsection (e).

(9) Coordinating with allied and partner nations, particularly those frequently targeted by foreign disinformation operations, and international organizations and entities such as the NATO Center of Excellence on Strategic Communications, the European Endowment for Democracy, and the European External Action Service Task Force on Strategic Communications, in order to amplify the Center’s efforts and avoid duplication.

Note the "audiences outside the United States." This Center is really like reestablishing the old U.S. Information Agency, which was the Cold War "white" (non-clandestine) propaganda agency.

2. The law establishes a grant funding mechanism, the "Information Access Fund." $10 million per year, funded for two years initially. This could be doled out many way, either to American Beltway Bandits doing overseas work, or to local media, universities, NGOs through US Embassies. US grant funding rules will require disclosure of who the grantees are. You can look US govt. grantees up here: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html

Again, this is the text of that part of the bill:

Quote:(e) Information Access Fund.—

(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 $20,000,000 to support the Center and provide grants or contracts of financial support to civil society groups, journalists, nongovernmental organizations, federally funded research and development centers, private companies, or academic institutions for the following purposes:

(A) To support local independent media who are best placed to refute foreign disinformation and manipulation in their own communities.

(B) To collect and store examples in print, online, and social media, disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda directed at the United States and its allies and partners.

© To analyze tactics, techniques, and procedures of foreign government information warfare with respect to disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda.

(D) To support efforts by the Center to counter efforts by foreign governments to use disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda to influence the policies and social and political stability of the United States and United States allies and partners.

(2) FUNDING AVAILABILITY AND LIMITATIONS.—All organizations that apply to receive funds under this subsection must undergo a vetting process in accordance with the relevant existing regulations to ensure their bona fides, capability, and experience, and their compatibility with United States interests and objectives.

Now, Samseau tweeted out that this was going to be some subsidy of big media, I guess before he read the bill, so he's invested in that interpretation.

Here's a good rule: Never buy someone else's spin on a law until you read the law itself.

The law is directed overseas, to local media, NGOs and institutions. It's not directed to US media, because (1) section (b)(4) of the law says the activities of the Center are directed to "audiences outside the US" and (2) the Department of State is the foreign affairs agency of the US Government.

Samseau questions my take on $20 million over two years as a piddling amount. I've been on the inside on this kind of thing, and once you're done paying for consultants for $300 - $1000 per day, administrative overhead for Beltway Bandits (Google the term), travel and living expenses at the US gov per diem rate, you're not talking about much.

This is maybe five grants a year to US overseas contractors, or a bunch of $100,000+ grants to local NGOs and media in, say, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Hong Kong, Philippines, or Estonia.

Saying this is censoring anything or subsidizing CNN or the NYT is total bullshit.

Sorry for bringing the truth to spoil your outrage and hysteria.

Post: #45

Sp5 normally your reading comprehension is really good so I have no idea why this law is so difficult for you. I explained above, can you not read?

Quote:(e) Information Access Fund.—

(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 $20,000,000 to support the Center and provide grants or contracts of financial support to civil society groups, journalists, nongovernmental organizations, federally funded research and development centers, private companies, or academic institutions for the following purposes:

(A) To support local independent media who are best placed to refute foreign disinformation and manipulation in their own communities.

(B) To collect and store examples in print, online, and social media, disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda directed at the United States and its allies and partners.

© To analyze tactics, techniques, and procedures of foreign government information warfare with respect to disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda.

(D) To support efforts by the Center to counter efforts by foreign governments to use disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda to influence the policies and social and political stability of the United States and United States allies and partners.

(2) FUNDING AVAILABILITY AND LIMITATIONS.—All organizations that apply to receive funds under this subsection must undergo a vetting process in accordance with the relevant existing regulations to ensure their bona fides, capability, and experience, and their compatibility with United States interests and objectives.

The bolded parts clearly indicates the bill subsidizes US journalists to counter "foreign propaganda." That's it man, very straightforward and easy to read.

Post: #46

delete

Post: #47

Yeah, I'm only a lawyer who has spent many hours reading Sutherland's Statutory Construction, so what do I know?

I didn't see the "US" in front of journalists like you did, where was that in the law?

Again, the Center is specifically directed towards and limited to "audiences outside the United States," see Section (3)(b)(4) of the law.

The law must be construed as a whole. What the Center does is defined by Section (3)(b)(4), so it can only do things outside the US. Section (3)(e) is defined and limited by Section (3)(b).

The law: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-cong.../5181/text

(12-10-2016 08:42 PM)Samseau Wrote:  Sp5 normally your reading comprehension is really good so I have no idea why this law is so difficult for you. I explained above, can you not read?

Quote:(e) Information Access Fund.—

(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 $20,000,000 to support the Center and provide grants or contracts of financial support to civil society groups, journalists, nongovernmental organizations, federally funded research and development centers, private companies, or academic institutions for the following purposes:

(A) To support local independent media who are best placed to refute foreign disinformation and manipulation in their own communities.

(B) To collect and store examples in print, online, and social media, disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda directed at the United States and its allies and partners.

© To analyze tactics, techniques, and procedures of foreign government information warfare with respect to disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda.

(D) To support efforts by the Center to counter efforts by foreign governments to use disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda to influence the policies and social and political stability of the United States and United States allies and partners.

(2) FUNDING AVAILABILITY AND LIMITATIONS.—All organizations that apply to receive funds under this subsection must undergo a vetting process in accordance with the relevant existing regulations to ensure their bona fides, capability, and experience, and their compatibility with United States interests and objectives.

The bolded parts clearly indicates the bill subsidizes US journalists to counter "foreign propaganda." That's it man, very straightforward and easy to read.

Post: #48

I have something to offer the discussion.

In May I wrote an article for Return of Kings about the CIWA (Countering Information Warfare Act) and the motivations behind it.

http://www.returnofkings.com/87688/the-s...censorship

Although the text of the statute inserts the requisite "ass-covering" phrases like "outside the United States" and the like, in reality, all of us know better. In 2016 the difference between "domestic" and "foreign" news is thin indeed. Let's not play semantic games. This is an attempt to steer the narrative in the electronic battlefield.

Textual analysis is one thing. But there is a bigger principle: power. The US is trying to take steps to counter what it sees as Chinese and Russian "disinformation." Fine. Information warfare has been going on for centuries. CIA black ops has been funding fake stories from journalists for a long, long time.

The real issue, as I tried to point out in my article, is this: who is going to decide what is "disinformation."?

Post: #49

Sp5, section 3(b)(1) is so broad it could easily include domestic activities:

Quote:(b) Functions.—The Center shall carry out the following functions:

(1) Integrating interagency efforts to track and evaluate counterfactual narratives abroad that threaten the national security interests of the United States and United States allies.

For example, the Democrats are claiming the Russians abroad are influencing the election of the USA, which impacts our national security, therefore why couldn't they argue that the money of this fund be appropriated domestically?

Also if we want to brag; I scored perfect on the logic games section of the LSAT... you are talking to a logic machine.

QC:

Quote:The real issue, as I tried to point out in my article, is this: who is going to decide what is "disinformation."?

This is the other half of the problem. This is the whole point of free speech; the government lets the citizens decide for themselves and does its best to persuade everyone they know what is best.

This law does not directly prohibit speech but it does subsidize it, although it gets close to censorship because $20 million makes it very difficult for normal citizens to compete. Attempting to give certain journalists monopoly power via taxpayer funds goes against the spirit of free speech.

Post: #50

^^^

Agreed. I see this bill as yet another example of the government blurring the lines between news reporting and propaganda. I frankly don't trust them at all. They've proven to be more than willing to lie about surveillance, intelligence collection, and so many other things we can't even count here.

Just because some statute supposedly forbids them from doing "domestic" manipulation does not mean they won't ignore that little caveat. They've proven their contempt for the rule of law over and over again.

The Americans like to play these little legal games to try to give themselves the sanctimonious appearance of being better than other countries. It's a lie. The truth is that all countries are playing this game. All of them are putting out disinformation and feeding it to their people to "manage" the restless masses.

The banking industry here colludes with with the government to avoid the spirit of the law. The intelligence community skirts the will of Congress and the spirit of the laws to get done what its masters tell them to do. The president and Congress violate the law to engage in illegal wars and assist nations that work against U.S. interests.

There are no "budget" constraints on things the U.S. wants to do, either. They either fund things with their "secret" off-the-books balance sheet, or they get some flunky country to outsource the matter. There are a million creative ways these people have of keeping their fingers in the pies that matter.