Another Perspective
Obama’s Snitch Program: “Chicago” Politics or EU Politics?
The “Europeanization” of the U.S. continues apace.
The Obama administration’s call for Internet-users to flag “fishy” e-mails or websites opposing health-care reform legislation has sparked charges that the administration is engaging in “Chicago” politics. The use of this metaphor has gone hand in hand with speculation that the administration might use the data thus gathered to compile an “enemies list.” But if one considers what the administration has actually done — namely, to establish a sort of surveillance of public opposition to a piece of legislation it favors — as opposed to what it might do (establish an “enemies list”), EU-style politics might be the more appropriate comparison.
Thus, in January 2005, the then so-called “EU Constitution” or, more exactly, Constitutional Treaty was moving through the ratification process and facing potential defeat in upcoming referendums in several EU member states. In order to try to defuse — or perhaps discredit — the increasingly evident public opposition to the treaty, a group of pro-Constitution members of the European Parliament announced that they were setting up a “rapid reaction force” to correct “distortions and misrepresentations” of the treaty.
The members of the group would serve as the “watchdogs on utterances about the Constitution,” as the news site EUobserver chillingly put it, citing the head of the parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee Jo Leinen. “Within three hours, or at least within the same day, we want to react to lies and distortions about the Constitution,” the German MEP told EUobserver. No “snitching” was required by members of the public themselves. Rather, the task of policing public discourse was assigned to the European Parliament offices in each of the member states, which were to “‘pick up’ any information they consider to be a lie and pass it back to the group.”
In the press release announcing the program, Leinen noted that the “Rapid Reaction Force” was being created “to publicly counter distortions and misrepresentations of the Constitution” (emphasis in the original). And he added:
In this decisive phase, the opponents of the European idea should not be given the chance to lead their countries into isolation and a political dead-end through their opposition to the European Constitution….
(The press release is no longer available on Leinen’s website, but it can still be found in saved versions of the site available in the Internet Archive.)
Both the tone and the substance of Leinen’s “rapid reaction” initiative are remarkably similar to that of the Obama White House’s program to flag “fishy” opposition. (See the White House announcement here.) At the time, the Danish euro-skeptical MEP Jens-Peter Bonde denounced the Leinen initiative as evidence of what he described as a “totalitarian tendency” in the EU. (See his remarks in the Times of London here.)
The similarities, moreover, may be more than just coincidental. One of the most active private-sector promoters of the European “Constitution” was Germany’s enormously influential Bertelsmann Foundation. Thus, when the “Constitution” did indeed go down to defeat in referendums in France and the Netherlands in June 2005, it was none other than the Bertelsmann Foundation and the Bertelsmann-funded Center for Applied Policy Research (CAP) that immediately published a plan for “saving” the treaty: namely, by repackaging all its essential elements as a nominally new “Reform Treaty.” This is precisely the path that the EU has subsequently taken.
The Bertelsmann Foundation is, in effect, just the openly political arm of the Bertelsmann Corporation: Europe’s largest media enterprise with far-flung interests in television, newspapers, and book publishing. The Foundation holds nearly three-quarters of the shares in the Corporation, but no voting rights. The remaining shares and all voting rights are controlled by a single family: the Mohns.
Bertelsmann’s influence notoriously extends directly into the European institutions and, notably, into the European parliament. Thus longtime German MEP Elmar Brok is likewise a longtime Bertelsmann employee. From 1999 to 2007, Brok served as the chair of the parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Leaked internal Bertelsmann company communications identify him as the “Europe Envoy [Europa-Beauftragter] of the Board of Directors.” In the meanwhile, he officially bears the more innocuous-sounding title of “Senior Vice-President for Media Development.” According to German news reports from 2005, Brok is paid some €180,000 annually by Bertelsmann in addition to his salary as MEP.
As the head of the European People’s Party (EPP) delegation at the EU’s so-called “Constitutional Convention” in 2002-2003, Brok was a leading participant in the drafting of the Constitutional Treaty. Indeed, by his own account, his contribution was so great that he was even voted “Mister Convention.” He has also been an active participant in the Constitutional Affairs Committee. His Social Democratic colleague Jo Leinen has been a regular participant at Bertelsmann-sponsored events like the Bertelsmann International Forum or the Bertelsmann European Summer Academy.
Since opening an office in Washington last year, the Bertelsmann Foundation has not hesitated to give advice to the American government as well. Thus, following last November’s American presidential election it wasted no time in publishing a “Trans-Atlantic Briefing Book” for the incoming administration. (See my report on Pajamas Media here.) Bertelsmann’s pretense to being able to influence American politics might seem merely quaint were it not for the fact that the Bertelsmann Corporation also has a substantial financial relationship with some key American politicians. For instance: one Barack Obama, whose publisher Random House is a 100%-owned subsidiary of Bertelsmann. According to published tax returns, from 2005 through 2008, Barack Obama was paid some $6,069,569 by Bertelsmann/Random House plus an additional $2,389,681 in what are presumably indirect payments from Bertelsmann/Random House (via literary agents Dystel & Goderich).
Part of this staggering sum is for sales of The Audacity of Hope: the 384-page volume that effectively launched Obama’s drive to the presidency and that he supposedly wrote without assistance…, in less than a year-and-a-half…, and while already serving in the U.S. Senate. One is reminded of Elmar Brok’s defiant response when asked by a German journalist how he managed to fulfill both his parliamentary duties and his obligations to Bertelsmann. “By working 15 to 18 hours a day,” Brok said, “I make mistakes, but nobody has ever accused me of a lack of effort.”
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Robert Rosencrans| 8.12.09 @ 8:23AM
Excellent journalism.
Al Adab| 8.12.09 @ 12:25PM
My understanding is that the White House snitch servers have collapsed under the load of all the forwards coming from the citizens. Anybody know if that's true.
We should forward as much from our side as we can including this article. Lets hoist them on their own petard eh?
Paul D| 8.12.09 @ 12:58PM
There is a key distinction still between our politics and EU politics. The distinction is that we have an alternative media (Fox news, Rush Limbaugh, etc.) the EU does not have. In Europe, almost all their news sources are left-wing.
It is therefore an ineffective tactic here for the Democrats to mount "rapid reaction" teams to respond to criticism of the healthcare bill because we have news outlets that can actually inform us of what is in the bill. It would not matter if Democrats countered "distortions" in our reading of the bill unless they really were distortions.
In the EU, and in those regions of our country where people only get their news from the NY Times (like Vermont), you can make up any news you want and it is difficult to find truth.
That is why the Liberals are so desperate to shut down "right wing" news outlets.
gill.Oteen07041776@gmail.com| 8.12.09 @ 1:45PM
Like many American Spectator Online Readers, I also was a bit fearful after learning of the obumassiah “snitch” program. I even posted the following commentary after reading Quin Hillyer’s excellent American Spectator column last Friday “Us Versus Them”:
“As I emailed the dishonorable kitty bond yesterday, “I am a pro-life advocate for a strong national defense and fiscal responsibility. I believe that the United States Constitution trumps every other man-made law.” To which today I add that I am not a member of any political party, so don’t lump me in with jackasses like kitty and all the other RINOs. I love to read The Bible and believe that its lessons are important for me to know. I echo Hillary Clinton when she said about 6 years ago "I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you disagree with this administration somehow you're not patriotic. We should stand up and say we are Americans and we have a right to debate and disagree with any administration." This means that when a man handed out “Do Not Tread On Me” flags at a rusty carnie-mon town hall last night, that black conservative had every right to do so and should not have had to visit the emergency room in order to have the injuries he was dealt by union goons seeking to silence his strong voice for freedom treated. That example of community organizing - chicago style has no place in this debate, but is a stark example of what the communist loons will stoop to in order to impose “hope and change” on the rest of us. I imagine that once obumassiah places his Czar in charge of healthcare, patriots like Kenneth Gladney will simply be denied care and left in a hall to die, just like the golden calf voted to do to American Citizens when as an illinois senator he voted against The Born Alive Infants Protection Act (or whatever that bill was called).”
“And for the benefit of all you psychophantic remoras out there just waiting to snitch on me to your nazi masters, I am Gill O’Teen, (gill.Oteen07041776@gmail.com). Don’t Tread on Me!!”
Later I added:
“It occurs to me that some of you don’t know how to send snitch reports to the amerikan gestapo. I would like to help you meet your goal of totally trashing my country and certainly don’t want to get between your lips and obumassiah’s buff posterior. “If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to: flag@whitehouse.gov” That sentence within the quotation marks is from The White House (Berghof) Website.”
But now I learn that I was in the wrong. Yesterday, the golden calf himself assured all his serfs that the purpose of Linda Douglass’ efforts is only to engage those of us who do not understand his glorious plans in free debate. Here is his tripe, which was read from the teleprompter towards the end of the indoctrination and the transcript was freely stolen by me from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/us/politics/12obama.text.html?pagewanted=12&_r=1:
“Question: Thank you, Mr. President, for coming to Portsmouth. My name is Michael Layon (phonetic spelling). I'm from Derry, New Hampshire, District 1 in the congressional district. I'm one of the people that turned myself in on the White House Web page the other day for being a skeptic of this bill. I'm proud to have done so.”
“THE PRESIDENT: Before you ask this question, just because you referred to it, can I just say this is another example of how the media ends up just completing distorting what's taken place. What we've said is that if somebody has -- if you get an e-mail from somebody that says, for example, "Obamacare is creating a death panel," forward us the e-mail and we will answer the question that's raised in the e-mail. Suddenly, on some of these news outlets, this is being portrayed as "Obama collecting an enemies list."
“Now, come on, guys. You know, here I am trying to be responsive to questions that are being raised out there”
Layon, “And appreciate it.”
obumah: “And I just want to be clear that all we're trying to do is answer questions.”
Knowing obumassiah’s record for straight talk, I know I will sleep better tonight.
Gill O’Teen ✝✡
gill.Oteen07041776@gmail.com
Don’t Tread on Me!!
Pingback| 8.12.09 @ 2:24PM
FamilyFoundationBlog.com » Blog Archive » From Of All Places, The ACLU: Another Reaso links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
I Conner Klast| 8.12.09 @ 2:28PM
I realized that anew Obama job program was to hire staffers to read e-mails at their ratsite, Flag@WhiteHouse.com. Therefore, in the interest of sparking our recovery I urge all readers everywhere to write them and inform on those "unamerican" who oppose his heath plan. My choice was space aliens controlling our minds but submit your own and know a college grad somewhere will have to read it. Jobs for everyone!
Marc Jeric| 8.12.09 @ 3:41PM
Upon hearing that the White House is establishing an enemy list I was reminded of my youth spent in a communist country. There government thugs employed by outfits like KGB, UDB, ans STASI were compiling similar enemy lists, real but mostly potential, in view of manning their Gulags. I have immediately sent my name, accompanied by several of my opinions, to that White House e-mail address in the hope of increasing government efficiency so sorely lacking in all other of their endeavors.
A. Brooks| 8.12.09 @ 4:02PM
the previous administration cannot be blamed for the next eight-- yes Obama will e elected, as Clinton was, years.
but all the same, so many are relieved Cheney isn't president anymore.
Alan Brooks| 8.12.09 @ 5:22PM
that is, re-elected. ('e elected' is voting by computer, and we're not ready for that and wont for a long long time. A very long time. if ever)
again, whatever O.'s flaws, so many are relieved the RINO administration is gone. Ask around.
look, if Palin were elected POTUS, she would likely be assassinated. as the other blog entry pointed out, war is not ending altogether.
and neither is assassination. JFK probably wasn't the last.
Rothschild Micro Chip is next| 8.12.09 @ 7:13PM
THE ANTI-CHRIST
In our study of prophecy we lay much stress on the "Second Corning of Christ," forgetting that there are two other comings of "individuals" that are just as momentous as Christ's coming. The first is that of the Antichrist, and the other is that of Satan.
In both the Old and New Testament we are told of a "Mysterious and Terrible Personage" that shall be revealed in the "Last Times." He is described under different names and aliases, and it is only by a careful examination and comparison of these names, and the Person they describe that we see that they refer to one and the same individual. These names are-
In the Old Testament.
Ezekiel 28
"Prince of Tyrus" and "King of Tyrus"
Daniel 7,8,9,11
"The Little Horn.", "A King of Fierce Countenance.", "The Prince that Shall Come.", "The Wilful King."
In the New Testament.
2 Thessalonians 2,
"The Man of Sin.", "Son of Perdition.", "That Wicked."
1 John 2:18,
"Antichrist"
Revelation 13
"The Beast."
Jesus also made a prophetic reference to him. John 5: 43 when the Jews rejected Jesus is their Messiah, when the Antichrist comes they will accept him.
43. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
His Personality.
The Apostolic Church believed that Antichrist was to be a "person," the embodiment of human blasphemy and wickedness, but toward the close of the Twelfth Century many began to look upon the Pope as Antichrist, and this view has been largely advocated by Protestant commentators. The arguments in favour of this view are ingenious and plausible, but they are hard to reconcile with the Word of God. This view makes Antichrist a "System" rather than a Person, and would see in the "Papal System" the Antichrist. But this is disproved by the Word of God. The Papal System although it plays a major part in bringing the Anti-Christ to power, is NOT the Anti-Christ.
The Apostle John says in 1 John 2:22 and 1 John 4:3;
22. Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
3. Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in THE FLESH (His Deity) is not of God; and this is that spirit of Antichrist.
Judaism has denied that "Jesus is the Christ," and Unitarianism that He has "come in the flesh," but the Papacy never. The Church of Rome has always confessed "I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord."
All Protestant commentators insist that the "Papal System" is described in Revelation 17: 4, 5.
4. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5. And upon her forehead was a name written, mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.
This is undoubtedly true, but this "Woman," the "Mother of Harlots," is represented as riding upon a "Beast," universally admitted to be the Antichrist. If the "Beast" is the Antichrist, the "Woman" cannot be, and that they are separate and do not signify the same thing is clear.
Again the Antichrist, as the "Man of Sin" is described in Daniel 11:36,37 and 2 Thessalonians 2:4 as follows;
36. And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
However false and impious the claims of the Papacy, it always recognises its subordination to God, and the Pope's highest claim is that he is the "Vicar of Christ." Following on we must also look at Revelation 13:3-4.
3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
The Papal System worships the Virgin and the Saints, but it is not true that it worships the Devil. Now look at Revelation 14:9-11.
5. If any man worship the Beast and His Image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall; drink of the wine of the Wrath of God.....and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone;......and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever…and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the Beast and His Image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
If the Papal System is the Antichrist, it follows from the above that all its worshippers, instead of being saved, are doomed to eternal torment. Again, the Lord, who destroys Antichrist at His Coming, comes to Jerusalem, not to Rome, the seat of the Papal System.
While there are many things in the history of the Church of Rome, and in the conduct of her Popes that foreshadow the Antichrist, yet it is clear from the preceding scriptures that the Papal System is not the Antichrist, and that these scriptures can only be fulfilled in the person of some Individual yet to appear.
The Antichrist is not a Rival or Counterfeit Christ, he is an Opposing Christ. This is clearly seen when we compare him with Christ in a series of Contrasts.
Christ came from Above. John 6: 38
Antichrist comes from the earth. Revelation 13: 1.
Christ came in His Father's name. John 5: 43
Antichrist comes in his own name. John 5: 43.
Christ Humbled Himself. Phil. 2: 8
Antichrist Exalts himself. 2 Thessalonians 2: 4.
Christ Despised. Isaiah 53: 3; Luke 23: 18
Antichrist Admired. Revelation 13: 3, 4.
Christ Exalted. Philippians 2: 9
Antichrist cast Down to Hell. Isaiah 14: 14, 15; Rev. 19: 20.
Christ to do His Father's will. John 6: 38
Antichrist to do his Own will. Daniel 11: 36.
Christ came to save. Luke 19: 10
Antichrist comes to Destroy. Daniel 8: 24.
Christ is the Good Shepherd. John 10: 4-15
Antichrist is the Idol (evil) Shepherd. Zechariah 11: 16,17.
Christ is the "True Vine." John 15:1
Antichrist is the "Vine of the Earth." Revelation 14:18.
Christ is the "Truth." John 14: 6
Antichrist is the "Lie." 2 Thessalonians 2:11.
Christ is the "Holy One." Mark 1: 24
Antichrist is the "Wicked One." 2 Thessalonians 2: 8, (R.V. says Lawless)
Christ is the "Man of Sorrows." Isaiah 53: 3
Antichrist is the "Man of Sin." 2 Thessalonians 2: 3.
Christ is the "Son of God." Luke 1: 35
Antichrist is the "Son of Perdition." 2 Thessalonians 2: 3.
Christ, "The Mystery of Godliness," is God manifest in the flesh. 1 Timothy 3: 16
Antichrist, "The Mystery of Iniquity," will be Satan manifest in the flesh. 2 Thessalonians 2:7.
Richard Baker| 8.12.09 @ 7:15PM
Alan Brooks:
Only liberals casually regard Presidential assassinations. Remember the stamps of Bush with a pistol to his head and the book/movie regarding same? Even the Kenyan shouldn't be assassinated. Removed yes, assassinated no. Obviously, you aren't old enough to remember the national trauma/shock after JFK.
Mary White| 8.12.09 @ 7:49PM
Assassination is WRONG. Even if it were not, consider the consequences: From duplicitous Obama, we go to dummy Biden and then to nutcase
Pelosi. Biden knows how to pick his successors.
jordan 6 rings | 8.12.09 @ 8:31PM
My choice was space aliens controlling our minds but submit your own and know a college grad somewhere will have to read it. Jobs for everyone!
diep cockrill| 8.12.09 @ 8:54PM
To Mary White: It's so darn true, and it's so hilarious the way you expressed your opinion! I agreed with your comment 100%. Enough smoke & mirrors created by one jerk, we don't need more hoof-in-mouth or nutcase to turn our country into a bigger circus.
angelan simpson | 8.13.09 @ 4:36AM
Very interesting topic, I was reading everything and I liked a lot, Keep it.
Cellulite
Texas Dar| 8.13.09 @ 11:03PM
Obviously, you aren't old enough to remember the national trauma/shock after JFK.
"Shock-&-Awe".......................... !
I was in 6th grade back then. I reamber that people just walked around wondering what to do next.
They had no guidance. They dident know what to say much less what to do next. The one they trusted was dead..............................................
All he wanted to do was Take Down The Monster. He knew what we dident. And tryed and payed for it with his life.
Ron Paul is getting very close to joining him. "God Bless His Sole" for standing up for us.
This fall will be close to the death of JFK. The goverment has a bag of tricks just waiting for us.
Be it a sleeper-cell with 10-15 Suitcase-Nukes. Swine-Flu Shot. Collaps of the dollar. The One Hour Melt-Down ( Google-It ) or just a bag-full-of-Shit, burnning on your front porch step.
Only a few reamber. Many will know what it feels like, and very soon.
Its all in the Bible, and the weather forcast aint far off too......................................!
Its the feeling you get comming out of the mall day after "Turkey-Day" and you have no clue WhAer-TF Yr car is.
Yes, I can reamber seeing men cry becouse thier life-line was gone.
Now "The Wizzered of "O-BamaOz" is just like JFK, but this time he comes with Fork-Toung.
After you watch The Obama Decption, you will under stand whats realy going on "Behind the Curtin" in the land of Oz.................................!
If the sheeple dont wake up, and soon, there will be nothing to wake up for.
Check-It-Out ! "Kick Them All Out.Com" The Real Answer-2-Change in 2010.
If were still here. God, we need help down here, and "Quick".........................................
viviani richards| 8.14.09 @ 2:01AM
the previous administration cannot be blamed for the next eight-- yes Obama will e elected, as Clinton was, years.
Buy Resveratrol
viviani richards| 8.14.09 @ 2:04AM
I like Obama he is my favorite president of America.i agree that in Europe, almost all their news sources are left-wing.
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samrose20 | 8.28.09 @ 4:50AM
Well I like Obama's way of working and the confidence with which he delivers his speech...but no one can beat JFKennedy...and aftr the sudden demise of TedK everything feels so bad....grt loss
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-.....?C=1829429
Eursoc | 10.19.09 @ 3:19PM
Excellent reporting.
Fernando | 5.28.10 @ 8:07PM
I totally agree with you
poptropica | 4.9.10 @ 9:34PM
I’ll have a Poptropica full written walkthrough very soon, but in the meantime, here are some answers to some of the frequently asked questions about Mythology Island. Having trouble? Post a question in the comments and I’ll try to answer it!
Getting Hercules to Help You Poptropica
Hercules won’t help you until you have all five items from Zeus’ quest. Once you have the five items, bring them to Athena. Zeus will appear and steal them. The big jerk! Once this happens, talk to Athena and she will tell you that Hercules will help you. You’ll need to have the magic mirror from Aphrodite because Hercules doesn’t want to have to walk. He’s so lazy!
Getting the Hydra Scale poptropica
You can see how to do this in the videos, but basically you need to jump up when the Hydra is about to strike. He will rear one of his heads back to attack and his eyes will bulge out. poptropica
When this happens, jump up in the air and then try to land on top of his head. That head will get knocked out. When all five heads get knocked out, the Hydra will be asleep and you can click on him to get one of the scales. poptropica
I’ll have a full written walkthrough very soon, but in the meantime, here are some answers to some of the frequently asked questions about Mythology Island. Having trouble? Post a question in the comments and I’ll try to answer it!poptropica
eyelash extensions | 6.14.10 @ 10:55AM
in the meantime