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Don’t you love a farce?
My fault, I fear
I thought that you’d want what I want
Sorry my dear
But where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns
Don’t bother
They’re here
— Stephen Sondheim, Send In The Clowns
I guess I find it reassuring that the current efforts to muzzle free speech are being conducted by clowns. The announcement of a Department of Homeland Security Disinformation Governance Board sounds ominous — and the Republicans have certainly been given a handy club engraved with “Orwellian” with which to pummel hapless Democrats, who seem unable to recognize that, between this and melting down at the prospect of Elon Musk owning Twitter, they’re pantsing themselves and painting their collective ass bright red.
Politico’s media editor rather amusingly skewered the absurdity of last week’s moves:
The idea that the Biden administration would pulp the First Amendment and institute an authoritarian regime through its agents at DHS is immediately dismissible if only because it is one of the most ineffectual departments in the president’s Cabinet. Had Biden given the task to Agriculture or Commerce or another department with a better GPA in governing, we should be afraid. But DHS couldn’t stamp out disinformation or erect an American Reich if we reallocated to it all of the arms we’re currently shipping to Ukraine. It’s peopled by a confederacy of dunces and botch-artists, incapable of carrying out its current mission.
Nobody seems to know what this board is actually supposed to do, which even The Washington Post finds vaguely embarrassing. WH spokesperson Jen Psaki has no clue, and her response is (presumably unintentionally) rather amusing itself:
“I really haven’t dug into this exactly. I mean, we, of course, support this effort, but let me see if I can get more specifics.”
As I read this: I have no idea what the fuck is going on, what this is or who’s doing it or why. But I support it.
At least they tapped somebody of genuine gravitas to run the show — one Nina Jankowicz.
Wait, what?
Oh, hell yes! The woman who calls herself “The Mary Poppins of Disinformation.” No, seriously.
You can just call me the Mary Poppins of disinformation 💁🏻♀️ https://t.co/eGV9lpctYn pic.twitter.com/WVQFA2bPmq
— Nina Jankowicz 🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@wiczipedia) February 17, 2021
She’s quite the entertaining singer. Here, a few years ago, she asks Santa who she has to fuck to be rich, famous and powerful. Well, Santa delivered on the fame…
Ms. Jankowicz’s has what I think we’re supposed to consider an impressive CV:
Nina Jankowicz studies the intersection of democracy and technology in Central and Eastern Europe. She is the author of How To Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict(Bloomsbury/IBTauris). Ms. Jankowicz has advised the Ukrainian government on strategic communications under the auspices of a Fulbright-Clinton Public Policy Fellowship. Her writing has been published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and others. She is a frequent television and radio commentator on disinformation and Russian and Eastern European affairs. Prior to her Fulbright grant in Ukraine, Ms. Jankowicz managed democracy assistance programs to Russia and Belarus at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. She received her MA in Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and her BA from Bryn Mawr College.
So, there’s that. She was also against (dis)information promoting masks before she was for it, hectored parents who let their kids go on dates during COVID, and dismissed the Hunter Biden laptop story, though it proved to be “real” and not Russian disinformation. She has not yet circled back on that one. I’m sure she will at some point. She’s been busy.
Then there’s this:
THAT Chris Steele is responsible for the dodgy dossier that kicked off the whole Russiagate flim-flam. I guess she’s right — he’s well-positioned to provide context on the evolution of disinfo. So there’s that.
I can’t help thinking that maybe, despite that impressive CV, Nina Jankowicz may just be a partisan hack. If I had a job opening for a disinformation hall monitor, I think I’d make one of the qualifications the ability to recognize it when you see it, but…
Like I said at the top, maybe we should be reassured by all of this. I mean, if guvmint people are pursuing information control, I’d rather they be clowns than highly competent operatives. But there’s also something disquieting about the realization that the whole shebang in Washington, DC, is a clown show.
*
In other censorship-related news, I see that some high school library in Florida has pulled Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander from the school library —presumably on account of the sexy bits. Hint: Banning books for the sexy bits makes them more attractive to teenagers who want to read the sexy bits.
Don’t you love a farce?
Matthew says
Maybe she should be a singer than a whatever she does.
Ugly Hombre says
https://preview.redd.it/zby004oliiw81.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=db7ccb01745b6123ef0905159aa3ab68d640e554
So Biden is starting a Disinformation Board to lie even more to the American people? Lets see-
Is Trump a Russian Agent? lol
Are the Donkeys importing millions of criminal illegal aliens into the country?
Are the Donkys raiding V/A funds to pay for their illegal alien import schemes?
Is the nasty stuff on Humpers laptop real? Was it Humpers laptop?
Is the Putin price hike- Biden Bull Chit?
Is Biden a Chicom tool?
Did Humper lie on a federal form?
Does “Build Back Bolshevik” add zero to the national debt?
Did the Chicom virus come from a Chicom Lab.? Or a bat chit cave.
Is inflation at nine percent under Biden?
Was it one point seven under Trump?
Did Joe know about Humpers Chinese and Russian big dollar deals?
We will keep it a eazy to manage number and stop there, Fact check it Jena.
“A few years ago, she asks Santa who she has to fuck to be rich, famous and powerful”
-The American people?
All under heaven is fooked up. The Donkeys never sleep= they gave a batchit crazy Chekist Babuska the job of over seeing the first amendment.
FUBAR..
Gregory+Walker says
Frank Sinatra’s version of this wonderful song — my favorite — “Send in the Clowns” —
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOUrnUktTjU
Ugly Hombre says
So the incompetent dum chits in the Biden Administration are putting there Orwelian Disinformation Gestapo board on hold, due to the disinformation that was spread by their incoming disinformation czar, Jena the Babushka- who was selected by the bald headed android , (who is running cover for the Bidenite illegal alien border invasion), to run the New Democrat’s Ministry Of Truths Constitutionalist purge. Doubt it? So Trump was a Russian agent? Exposed to the light- Ms.Jena has decided seek cover.
https://nypost.com/2022/05/18/biden-admin-pauses-disinformation-governance-board-report/
“The board had been the subject of weeks of backlash from Republicans, libertarians and even some liberals, who likened the scheme to the Ministry of Truth from George Orwell’s classic novel “1984.”
The American people have no confidence in the Biden admins apparatchiks truthfulness at any level they are proven hardened liars- in spades.
“The Washington Post reported that DHS had decided to stop the board’s work on Monday and Jankowicz had drafted a resignation letter as of Tuesday morning. The outlet added that she had been given the option to stay on in a call with DHS officials Tuesday evening. ”
Wonderbar.
“The Biden administration had quietly announced the creation of the board last month, saying it was meant to fight the spread of “disinformation” spread by agents of Russia, China and Iran that “can affect border security, Americans’ safety during disasters, and public trust in our democratic institutions.” Amid the backlash, DHS insisted that the board “does not have any operational authority or capability,” and was meant to preserve rather than limit free speech.”
Bullchit- So…Is Trump a Russian agent.?, Did the Biden clown crew know about the baby formula disaster that they created? Did Trump start the “Disinformation Board”? Did Bush start the “Fast and Furious” gun running operation?
Don’t forget to vote- if you don’t vote you can’t bitch after you take out a loan to fill up your jalopy and get your vittles.
Verily Pards, the Bidenite regime is “Mega Fubar” to the 9th power. Wonder if any of the eighty one million voters who asked for it- are checking their six.?
Probly not.
Ugly Hombre says
There back!
https://nypost.com/2022/06/16/kamala-harris-leads-latest-biden-disinformation-team/
“The Biden administration on Thursday created a new internet policy task force — this one led by Vice President Kamala Harris — with goals including “developing programs and policies” to protect “political figures” and journalists from “disinformation,” “abuse” and “harassment.”
The action follows the Department of Homeland Security’s disastrous April rollout of its Disinformation Governance Board, which was paused after outrage over the perceived step toward government-led internet censorship.”
The Ministry Of Truth aka “D.G.B”. — morphs into the “Internet Task Force”– New Speak never sleeps.
“In the United States and around the world, women and LGBTQI+ political leaders, public figures, activists, and journalists are especially targeted by sexualized forms of online harassment and abuse, undermining their ability to exercise their human rights and participate in democracy, governance, and civic life,” the memo says.
“Online abuse and harassment, which aim to preclude women from political decision-making about their own lives and communities, undermine the functioning of democracy.”
“The new task force’s members include other Biden heavy hitters, such as Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.”
More Wonderbar!
”On a Wednesday evening press call, a Biden administration official said the new task force contrasts with the Disinformation Government Board in that “we are particularly focused on online activities that are illegal conduct, such as cyber stalking or non consensual distribution of intimate images, or targeted harassment.”
However, the memo establishing the panel describes a broader mission and specifically invokes criticism of public figures — who in the US legal system have a more difficult time suing for defamation to allow room for political speech, and also because they sought out the spotlight.”
Thats good news- for Elon and others as well I guess.?
Have to wait and see…