Words have meaning. The Trump administration and its sycophants are using words as ammunition in their quest to reshape the country to the liking of its favored theocrats and oligarchs.
An agency charged with overseeing the nation’s health told it’s planners to avoid using seven words in budget requests, including “vulnerable,” “entitlement,” “diversity,” “transgender,” “fetus,” “evidence-based” and “science-based.”
Another division of Health and Human Services was told to avoid “entitlement,” “diversity” and “vulnerable.” “Obamacare” is to be used instead of the Affordable Care Act.
Confronted with news accounts of their edicts, the political functionaries at the Center for Disease Control/ Health and Human Service are issuing non-denial denials featuring words like “mischaracterization”
“Sexual risk avoidance” is the new term to be used by the State Department in place of sex education, a reflection of the administration’s emphasis in funding abstinence-only programs overseas.
“Climate change” is no longer considered a national security threat, according to the administration’s National Security Strategy. Now our nation’s priority is “balancing energy security with economic development and environmental protection.”
Those two “C” words are already verboten at the Agriculture and Energy Departments.
Language may not seem like a weapon of mass destruction, but don’t be fooled, says The Debrief’s Vicky Spratt. It’s the most powerful tool any politician has:
Language is a means of control in politics, that’s why North Korea’s founding father Kim Il-sung banned all declarations of love in books, film and music. He was able to change the meaning of the word and ensure that public declarations of affection were only to him.
When it comes to censorship or selectively speaking, the old adage out of sight out of mind definitely applies. If you remove a word from a country’s vocabulary or change its meaning then, in theory, it no longer poses a threat to your position in power.
Then there are the words misused in defending the administration’s policies and actions.
In recent days Defenders of the Trump (mostly seen on Fox News) have ratcheted up their rhetoric, moving past “witch hunt, illegitimate, corrupt, and on the brink of becoming a banana republic.” comparing the FBI to the KGB and calling for the “cleansing” of law enforcement officials.
Now the Special Counsel’s investigations are being referred to as an attempt to undo the 2016 election, or, Jesse Watters puts it, a coup.
From the Washington Post:
Fox News host Jesse Watters told viewers the investigation into Trump’s campaign “has been crooked from the jump.”
“But the scary part is we may now have proof the investigation was weaponized to destroy his presidency for partisan political purposes and to disenfranchise millions of American voters,” Watters said. “Now, if that’s true, we have a coup on our hands in America.”
As counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway spoke to Watters, a chyron appeared on the screen with the words “a coup in America?”
I’ve interviewed coup plotters, torture victims, generals, politicians they toppled & dozens whose lives were destroyed by actual coups & coup attempts
This language is so dangerous for democracy—and it’s precisely what you see before purges (which Fox News hosts are advocating) pic.twitter.com/CAFvAZaNUj
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) December 17, 2017
This escalation of rhetoric is leading many, including California Democratic Congresswoman Jackie Speier, to openly discuss rumors of President Trump firing special counsel Robert Mueller in the days leading up to Christmas after Congress leaves Washington for the winter recess.
Meanwhile, at the White House, Trump’s lawyers are using soothing words to convince the President all is well, and the investigations into his affairs will end soon.
From CNN:
Trump’s legal team has told the President he will likely be cleared of wrongdoing in the coming months, according to a senior White House official and sources who have spoken with Trump. That optimism has left some of the President’s friends and advisers worried the deadline could come and go, leaving Trump frustrated and more prone to rash behavior than ever before, including potentially firing Mueller. A number of Trump’s allies have warned him that any attempt to fire Mueller could be a fatal blow to his presidency.
Three sources familiar with the President’s recent conversations about the investigation said Trump has become convinced that he will receive a letter of exoneration, which would be unusual. One source worried Trump would have a “meltdown” if that doesn’t happen.
“He’ll try and fire Mueller and then be impeached,” this person predicted.
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Should Trump fire Mueller, there are mass demonstrations already organized in 400 cities. Nearly 3000 people have already indicated an interest in participating in San Diego events, should they be needed. See here for more info.
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Women’s March in San Diego last January. Credit: Wikimedia
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Doug Porter
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I would like to give you esoteric feedback for your analysis today of current events as they implode. I am unable to do anything more than struggle with my own “what-ifs” in this, the disintegration of democracy. Merry #%{£¥+@ Christmas.