Disinformation Discontent

"A free press, like a free life, sir, is always in danger."
--Ed Hucheson (Deadline USA)

In the 1930s FDR was able to convince the American public to swap their gold for pieces of paper. One reason that sham likely 'worked' was that there were limited avenues for other views to bubble forth. Yes, there were contradictory voices like Garet Garrett at the Saturday Evening Post and Isabel Paterson at the New York Herald Tribune, but their reach was largely isolated by geography and subscription base.

It seems unlikely that FDR could have realized such a coup today. Witness the widespread pushback to Fed chairman Ben Bernanke's propaganda campaign. He and others are making the rounds trying to convince the public that the Fed is not printing money via its Quantitative Easing campaigns. Hundreds of thousands of outlets have contested Bernankes claims.

Hard to keep the toothpaste in the tube today with so many alternative media sources. Bad for government propaganda, good for freedom.

There have been rumblings in the FCC and other government agencies may pursue initiatives to restrict this freedom in some manner--in the name of 'security' or 'balance.'

How the public responds to further government attempts to limit freedom of expression may signal just how strong the flame of liberty still burns in this country.