Blackwhite is doubleplusgood doublethink
May 27, 2009
The White House is sending out email.
Remember this date: Saturday, June 6th, 2009. We will look back on that day as the moment when the fight for real health care reform began in your neighborhood — perhaps even in your own living room.
On June 6th, in thousands of homes across the country, we’ll gather to launch our grassroots campaign for health care. We’ll watch a special message from the President. We’ll build the teams and draw up the plans for winning health care reform the same way we won the election: Building support one block, one neighbor, one conversation at a time. And we’ll put those plans into action.
These kickoffs are so crucial that President Obama will join confirmed hosts and attendees on a live conference call.
Here is the definition of grassroots: “A grassroots movement (often referenced in the context of a political movement) is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it is natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures.”
That means if the White House is organizing a movement, it is by definition NOT a grassroots movement. The Obama administration campaign calling their program a “grassroots campaign” is a deliberate corruption of the definition of the term grassroots. It’s not just a fudge either, it is an act of conciously labeling a campaign the precise opposite of what it actually is.
This may seem like no big issue and maybe it isn’t. It is, however, representative of the manner in which the Obama Administration ignores facts and objectivity in their never ending political campaign. Reality means little. In fact, it can be a problem. The Obama administration campaign mitigates the problem throught the use of Orwellian “blackwhite speak.”
[Blackwhite] is an example of both Newspeak and doublethink. It represents the active process of rewriting the past, control of the past being a vital aspect of the Party’s control over the present.
The ability to blindly believe anything, regardless of its absurdity, can have different causes: respect for authority, fear, indoctrination, even critical laziness or gullibility. Orwell’s blackwhite refers only to that caused by fear, indoctrination, or repression of one’s individual critical thinking (“to know black is white”), rather than caused by laziness or gullibility. A true Party member could automatically, and without thought, expunge any “incorrect” information and totally replace it with “true” information from the Party. If properly done, there is no memory or recovery of the “incorrect” information that could cause unhappiness to the Party member by committing thoughtcrime. This ability is likened to the total erasure of information only possible in electronic storage.
So remember party members and proles alike, when the president organizes an event using millions of dollars, it is a “grassroots movement.” When a million Americans spontaneously organize tea parties coast to coast it is, as David Axelrod said, “unhealthy” and obviously orchestrated by a dark cabal of far right wing puppeteers.
So mark your calenders citizens. On June 6, President Obama will organize a doubleplusgood grassroots campaign where all will bellyfeel Barack’s goodspeak emanating from their telescreens.
McLaren :
Date: May 27, 2009
…the nightmare continues, as it gets more intense.
How can there be this many stupid people? What happened?
James :
Date: May 27, 2009
Here’s a couple of these leftist groups. They’re all democrats.
http://grassrootscampaigns.com/index.php
http://www.moveon.org/
Whether it’s universal healthcare, telling banks how to run their business, or creating “green” jobs, it’s always financed with capital taken by force from those who work to create civilization, with benefits distributed based on “need.” Based on a kindergarten concept of property rights – that if you have something others want, you should share.
“Progressive” means leftist.
Their Orwellian names have “freedom”, “peace”, “justice”, “social responsibility” in them, but what they represent is the opposite. Hmmmm, nothing on the list about respecting property rights. Must not be important to them.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=List_of_progressive_organizations
Roy Ryder :
Date: May 27, 2009
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
This proves that axiom.
Van-a-gram :
Date: May 27, 2009
notamobster :
Date: May 27, 2009
“Whoever can conquer the street will one day conquer the state, for every form of power politics and any dictatorship-run state has its roots in the street.” ~Joseph Goebbels
“grassroots”???
Mad Brad :
Date: May 27, 2009
Somehow I feel obligated to let a Mobile Infantryman address this issue…
Morals— all correct Moral Laws— derive from the instinct to survive. Moral behavior is survival behavior above the individual level.
Correct morality can only be derived from what man is—not from what do-gooders and well-meaning Aunt Nellies would like him to be.
If it has to be done, a man – a real man – shoots his own dog himself; he doesn’t hire a proxy who may bungle it.
While a judge should be benevolent in purpose; his awards should cause the criminal to suffer, else there is no punishment – and pain is the basic mechanism built into us by millions of years of evolution which safeguards us by warning when something threatens our survival. Why should society refuse to use such a highly perfected survival mechanism?
joe buzz :
Date: May 27, 2009
The FBI got into this guy’s grassroots
movement…..
Roy Ryder :
Date: May 27, 2009
I’ve had a few grassroots movements myself. However, it was usually after playing some tough football where I ate a lot of turf.
BaconNeggs :
Date: May 27, 2009
June 6th. of course is D-Day.
Coincidence? I think not.
Incidentally Obama and Sarkozy are going to turn June 6th into their own private show as they hijack D-Day and strut the beaches of Normandy with blanket coverage by the French media.
The British have been snubbed and its causing a big stink in Britain.
Check link below http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1188528/ROBERT-HARDMAN-This-insult-Queen–living-head-state-actually-served-war.html
McLaren :
Date: May 27, 2009
FINALLY! We finally have a president who commands respect from around the world. I’m so proud.
Dennis G :
Date: May 31, 2009
You ARE joking, right? After 8 years of such terminology as Healthy Forests Initiative, Clear Skies Act, War on Terror and Culture of Life, you’re calling President Obama orwellian??? What a hoot!
I can’t speak for the president, but I suspect that health care reform was referred to as “grassroots” because it’s been demanded by millions of Americans for years.
As for the inane “tea parties” at which a relatively small number of dupes have been conned into protesting “tax increases” that they’re not even getting, that non-story exists only because it was concocted by rightwingnutball organizations with big bankrolls, and heavily promoted by media sycophants.
I’m all for legitimate criticism of this or any other president, but this ain’t it by a long shot.
R.D. Walker :
Date: May 31, 2009
Dennis: What Bush did or didn’t do has nothing to do with the farce that is Obama’s White House organized and led “grassroots” movement. If you don’t think criticism of the misuse of a term to a degree that reality is exactly the opposite of what it implied is legitimate, then you are very foolish. It is not only legitimate, Obama’s use of the term “grassroots” in this context is objectively false.
All Americans at all income levels are are getting tax increases. They have already seen tax increases on certain products like tobacco. Obama has promised more increases on even the lowest income Americans. Obama’s cap and trade plan will be the largest, most regressive tax increase in history. Right now the administration is discussing a VAT tax that will be a tax on every American at all income levels. Furthermore, the inflation that Obama’s massive spending bills will create will be the most insidious and painful tax of all. You have to engage in willful ignorance to believe that taxation isn’t going to greatly increase under Obama. It will and only the stupid and willfully ignorant argue otherwise.
In any case, the tea parties were about more than taxation. They were about opposition to the sunning expansion of government in our public and private lives. That is no small affair.
I know you will continue to dismiss us and argue that we are just fringe elements. In your heart, however, you know we aren’t. You know that Obama was elected on ethereal ideals of hope and change. When the real impacts of inflation and taxation hit the American people, they will awaken from their Obama induced trances and throw the little creep out on his ass. At some point even delusional cultists like you will wake up.
Obama is temporary. Get used to it.
Dennis G :
Date: May 31, 2009
Very good with the tweaking of facts and jumping to conclusions. I expected no less, and my wife told me I was wasting my time to try to inject a little reason into such a forum. Guess I need to listen to her more often. By the way, I don’t really know anything “in my heart”. I for one use a larger, more capable, and rather higher placed organ to do my thinking with.
James :
Date: May 31, 2009
Dennis G,
George Bush did Healthy Forests Initiative, Clear Skies Act, and others that were opposite their titles. That was wrong. My businessman cousin calls Bush a “Huge social spender.” My sister calls him “Corrupt.” Bush passed that expensive Medicare Prescription Drug Act. Bush bailed out banks urged on by that corrupt former Goldman Sachs CEO Paulson sitting on his shoulder like a tweety bird. Bush didn’t do his job. The Republicans were supposed to reduce scope of government. Did they ever bother coaching Bush, “Hey, stupid, that’s the wrong decision?”
When change is desired, anything is indiscriminately voted in (Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals talks about that), and now we have a corrupt lawless president who breaks contracts, expands government, rewards his labor union friends, erodes property rights, socializes industry, befriends dictators, and ignores the constitution. ***** has spent more in his first 2 months than the entire 8 years of Bush.
As the woman at the Tea Party said “We’re tired of all of them.”
R.D. Walker :
Date: May 31, 2009
You didn’t inject any reason. You argued that it wasn’t legitimate to criticize the White House for calling a program they are are orchestrating a “grassroots movement.” You attempted to argue that, since the Bush Administration made similar Orwellian assaults on the language, it was somehow justified.
You then argued that, since some subset of Americans desire socialized medicine, any program planned and organized by the White House can be justifiably called a grassroots movement. Of course by that argument, any political campaign organized by any administration can be properly referred to as “grassroots.” As long as some Americans have asked for what the White House is selling in their campaign, it is a grassroots movement. You have thereby reduced the meaning of the word “grassroots” to exactly nothing.
What Obama is doing by referring to a program created by and run by the White House as a “grassroots movement” is distorting the meaning of the term to the point that it actually has no meeting.
In your post you also made the erroneous claim that most Americans won’t receive tax increases under Obama. This is demonstrably false. In fact Obama himself concedes that cap and trade will cause electric rates to – in his words – “necessarily skyrocket.” This tax increase on energy producers will be passed on to rate payers in the greatest tax increase in American history. When Obama says that nobody making less that $250,000 per will see their taxes increase “a single dime,” he is parsing his language in a very legalistic way and referring only to income taxes. Even Americans who pay no income taxes will face huge tax increases under Obama. Obama isn’t even concealing this, he is simply refusing to label these particular taxes as taxes. You are deluding yourself if you believe otherwise.
When you say that you think with your brain rather than your heart, you are, of course, literally correct. You are, however, allowing the emotional appeal of HopenchangeTM to override your ability to arrive at well reasoned conclusions.
Dennis G :
Date: May 31, 2009
No, the reference to Bush was not to “justify” anything Obama does. It was just to provide some perspective on the invective, to marvel about the frothy-mouthed rage over a single instance that was, at the very worst, an incorrect choice of words. Again, you’re drawing unwarranted conclusions; I never identified myself as an Obama enthusiast (although obviously I consider him far preferable to his predecessor). And any time you invoke the “socialized medicine” straw man, you already have four strikes against you in any discussion about reason or spin.
R.D. Walker :
Date: May 31, 2009
Look pal, this site isn’t known for its enthusiastic support for George Bush, but you brought him up as some kind of a defense for Obama’s Orwellian use of the term “grassroots.” That Bush assaulted the language does not forgive Obama for doing the same.
Furthermore, this isn’t our only criticism of Obama in this vein; though it is the primary topic of this post. This site is thick with posts criticizing Obama for twisting the language to his ends. In fact, Obama hit the ground running with a new marketing spin for just about everything. From “man caused disasters” to “overseas contingency operations,” to “prolonged detention,” to all manner of Orwellian Newspeak, Obama is the master.
Finally, we didn’t “invoke the “socialized medicine” straw man” as you pretend. That particular “man” isn’t of straw; it is the basis of Obama’s faux grassroots movement and the reason this post was made.
Dennis G :
Date: May 31, 2009
That’s interesting. I’m combing through your site and I’ve yet to find a single case you’ve quoted of genuine Obama newspeak. Nor have I found a single authentic justification that you (or anyone else) have presented for referring to Obama’s (or Clinton’s) healthcare proposals as socialism. I congratulate you on doing such a thorough job of concealing the evidence. (And of course redefining words for your convenience.)
R.D. Walker :
Date: May 31, 2009
Then you aren’t looking very hard.
Many posts here on Obama and his Orwellian ways.
Here are many discussing socialized medicine.
Dennis G :
Date: May 31, 2009
More of the same. Thanks, I needed that.
Dennis G :
Date: May 31, 2009
Simple advice: if you’re going to label someone a socialist (or anything else) it’s a good idea to first do some basic research on the meaning of the term. Consult an encyclopedia if nothing else. And as a sidebar you might find this interesting: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/13/AR2009031301899.html
James :
Date: May 31, 2009
Other People’s Money
The very root of the problem with socialized healthcare is not that it’s ethical, but it’s immoral and unethical.
It is the idea that it’s possible to take money by force from one group of people and distribute it freely as goods and services to another.
The only way I know that 48M non-payers can be government insured is to fund it by taking from others through force of taxation. How can that NOT be socialism?
R.D. Walker :
Date: May 31, 2009
Look Denny, I am not interested in playing your little semantics quiz game. There is state socialism, national socialism, utopian socialism, libertarian socialism, democratic socialism, Marxist socialism, syndicalist socialism, Christian socialism and probably a dozen other flavors of socialism.
The bottom line is I will not suffer a ploy in which you narrowly define the word “socialism” so that it doesn’t apply to Obama and, based on that exercise, tell us that our concerns about his leftist policies are unfounded.
Now run along. Serious people are having discussions here.
Dennis G :
Date: May 31, 2009
I never said, of course, that your concerns were unfounded. Concern is always warranted. Dementia is not. Even when it’s serious. Tootles.
James :
Date: May 31, 2009
Belittlement and ridicule as a tool to neutralize opposition is a tactic from Alinsky’s book.
McLaren :
Date: June 1, 2009
Dennis: I don’t see anybody frothing at the mouth, except possibly Joe Biden when he’s yelling at his fellow senators.
Most Americans don’t want to be taxed to pay for their neighbor’s health care. True, some do. Perhaps you are one of those who feel some entitlement to your neighbor’s income. But to claim that there is a White House-generated “grassroots” campaign for redistribution of money to pay for a fraction of America’s uninsured, is completely insane.
As for the inane “tea parties” at which a relatively small number of dupes… Prove it.
…have been conned into protesting “tax increases” that they’re not even getting,… Prove it.
…that non-story exists only because it was concocted by rightwingnutball organizations with big bankrolls,… Prove it.
…and heavily promoted by media sycophants.
Finally, prove it.
Dennis G :
Date: June 3, 2009
James: Fair enough. So why don’t you tally how often it’s been used by the perpetrators of this slime-site.
MxLaren: Sure, I could spend a lot of my precious time trying to educate you, digging up the same facts available to anyone with the unbiased curiosity and intellectual honesty to pursue them. Or I could walk away and leave you to sip your Kool-Aid. Which you’re clearly bent on doing anyway. Hmmm… tough call!
R.D. Walker :
Date: June 3, 2009
DGL: I love ridicule and the Obamanation makes it so easy. Obama is just that ridiculous.
Golly, should we call you on your bullshit assertions or just accept them because you say so? Hmmmmmm… tough call.
I million people went to tea parties and they are the opposite of dupes. They are some of the 48 million who, in voting against Obama, are not dupes.
Every American will get tax increases under Obama. 100%. Even those who currently pay no taxes. You have to be a dupe to believe otherwise.
You are both a dupe and delusional if you believe that the million people who attended tea parties were manipulated into attending. Frankly, the amateurish nature of the event was evident when compared with any slick left wing protest.
You come on this site, make bullshit claims and then shy away from backing them up. Typical drive by troll.
Dennis G :
Date: June 6, 2009
So you’re suggesting that Dick Armey is a liar? His wingnut group is one of several responsible for organizing the tea party farce, and he essentially admitted as much (while denying it at the same time, natch). Or surely you’re not suggesting that Fox Noise is less than accurate and honest? They’ve fessed up (as if they needed to) to relentlessly rousing the rabble for this cause. I guess the same information doesn’t carry quite the same weight when it comes from someone who’s not one of your True Believers, eh?
You remind me of some Christian backers of George Dumbya whom I once attempted to inform that the Bush Family had enjoyed a long, cozy relationship with the virulently anti-Christian (and anti-American) Sun Myung Moon. They responded with hostility and derision, even though the Bushes themselves have been rather open about the fact. They were attacking me for attacking the Bushes by agreeing with them. Being a fanatical ideologue can get really bizarre at times, can’t it?
No wonder. You have made it clear on these pages that you are giddy from inhaling the flatulence of Adam Smith and Ayn Rand. So it’s not surprising that you would demonize anyone who doesn’t bow at the shrine of St. Ronald. (And speaking of whom, The Gipper is a good place to start if you want to see textbook examples of genuine Orwellianism.) It’s not surprising that you try to dismiss an actual grassroots effort as a nefarious plot by the White House, and embrace as a grassroots effort a blatant chunk of astroturf. It’s not surprising that you would redefine at your leisure such terms as Orwellian and socialist in order to make your chosen demon fit your Procrustean bed. And it isn’t surprising that your chosen demon should be in fact the most forthright president in recent memory.
I had just hoped it would be otherwise. I came to this site hoping despite the odds to find some intelligent adult criticism of President Obama. Instead, I simply found the same vitriolic stream of non sequiturs I could get from Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity, Beck, O’Reilly, etc., etc., etc., etc. So I will not waste any more of my computer’s electrons by returning. My parting advice is this: Get a job and/or a hobby. A mind (even an addled one) is a terrible thing to waste.
R.D. Walker :
Date: June 6, 2009
I am saying I went to a tea party. I know dozens of people who went to them. Many of the people on this forum went to them. Nobody told us to go. We went because we wanted to go. Unlike the outrageous farce that is an Obama
AdministrationCampaign orchestrated “grassroots” movement, it was and is a real grassroots movement. There were about 300 people at the party I attended. There were no organizers. There were no orders or instructions given. It was a pure, textbook example of a grassroots event.Dick Armey didn’t have dick to do with why I or any other people here attended. He didn’t have anything to do with why people on this forum attended. I didn’t even hear his name associated with it until moonbats like you started bringing it up. Frankly, I think you are delusional.
It takes a special kind of weapons grade idiocy to claim that a program being organized, coordinated and run by the White House right before our eyes is a “grassroots” movement. It takes a special kind of self delusion to then tell the actual people who attended tea parties of their own volition that they were directed to do so.
You’re not coming back? Great. Please don’t. Your trolls are not even interesting. Your debate skills are childlike. Your logic non-existent. We are looking for a better quality troll here.
We will continue – along with thousands of other right bloggers – to erode the power of this president though criticism, ridicule and exposure. We may only represent one raindrop in the deluge that is falling, but we will not let that dissuade us. We won’t rest. Ever.
James :
Date: June 6, 2009
Dennis,
Adam Smith has worked out well for the past 220 years. I’d say harnessing self interest via free trade and property rights has been proven.
I don’t read anything rational in your posts. Attacking, bitterness, on a child’s emotional level, but out of an adult – sort of.
A lot of unfounded criticism.
This is the pattern when liberals are confronted with reason, all this flak comes back, and no substance.