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January 18, 2010
Cass Sunstein's Covert Propaganda Strategy
Posted by Dave Blount at January 18, 2010 10:37 AM
They more you learn about Comrade Obama's insane Regulatory Czar Cass Sunstein, the more terrifying it is that people like this are now running the country. Lew Rockwell reports on Sunstein's strategy for producing covert government propaganda for the sake of dispelling "conspiracy theories":
Cass Sunstein has long been one of Barack Obama's closest confidants. Often mentioned as a likely Obama nominee to the Supreme Court, Sunstein is currently Obama's head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs where, among other things, he is responsible for "overseeing policies relating to privacy, information quality, and statistical programs." In 2008, while at Harvard Law School, Sunstein co-wrote a truly pernicious paper proposing that the U.S. Government employ teams of covert agents and psuedo-"independent" advocates to "cognitively infiltrate" online groups and websites — as well as other activist groups — which advocate views that Sunstein deems "false conspiracy theories" about the Government. This would be designed to increase citizens' faith in government officials and undermine the credibility of conspiracists. The paper's abstract can be read, and the full paper downloaded, here.
Sunstein advocates that the Government's stealth infiltration should be accomplished by sending covert agents into "chat rooms, online social networks, or even real-space groups." He also proposes that the Government make secret payments to so-called "independent" credible voices to bolster the Government's messaging (on the ground that those who don't believe government sources will be more inclined to listen to those who appear independent while secretly acting on behalf of the Government). This program would target those advocating false "conspiracy theories," which they define to mean: "an attempt to explain an event or practice by reference to the machinations of powerful people, who have also managed to conceal their role."
Ironically, this definition of a conspiracy theory would apply perfectly to Sunstein's plan to silence conspiracy theorists, proving that some conspiracy theories are true. For another example, some have been warning for years that the global warming crisis is not just a delusion, but a deliberate hoax intended to enrich unscrupulous scientists and swindlers like Al Gore, and to vastly expand government power. No doubt Sunstein would like to discredit those who discredit this swindle.
On tips from J, Doralee, and Incitatus.
