Baby_Hitler said:

Not she, he.

He should have disclosed that he was paying her.


That I was paying her.

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zappaisgod said:

They always have. Speechwriters are paid. Consultants are paid. Press secretaries are paid. Just tell me why Maggie Gallagher is different. William Safire was a speechwriter for Nixon and Agnew. Paid with taxpayer dollars. What is the issue here?

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RandalFlagg said:

zappaisgod said:
They always have. Speechwriters are paid. Consultants are paid. Press secretaries are paid. Just tell me why Maggie Gallagher is different. William Safire was a speechwriter for Nixon and Agnew. Paid with taxpayer dollars. What is the issue here?

There is a difference between someone who is openly employed by an official and a person who portrays themself as an independent commentator. It is unethical for a commentator to not disclose the motives and dealings which might have an affect on what they are saying.

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Quote:

That is disturbing when the government gives money to people and in return those people push a certain argument that falls in line with what the administration wants. It smacks of bribery and propaganda. Now granted, the people who were given money were people who were pretty much already in agreement with the particular policies in question, so it's not like they changed their opinions or anything. But, it is still troubling.

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Do you remember when the government gave certain television production companies money to inject anti-drug messages into some of their shows? It's the same type of shit. Your tax money is being used to try to persuade people's thinking. It isn't right at all and it's one more example of how fucked up the government can be at times.

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Quote:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 - The Bush administration acknowledged on Friday that it had paid a third conservative commentator, and at least two departments said they were conducting internal inquiries to see if other journalists were under government contract. The investigative arm of Congress also formally began an inquiry of its own.

The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed having hired Michael McManus, who writes a weekly syndicated column and is director of a nonprofit group called Marriage Savers. Mr. McManus was paid $10,000 to help train counselors about marriage, an arrangement first reported in USA Today, but officials said he was paid for his expertise rather than to write columns supporting administration policies.

At the same time, the Government Accountability Office told the Education Department it was investigating a $240,000 contract with the commentator Armstrong Williams that came to light earlier this month, requesting that education officials turn over any paper or video materials related to the case. Another conservative writer, Maggie Gallagher, admitted earlier this week having a $21,500 deal with the Department of Health and Human Services.

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