This morning as I was driving around I listened to an interesting conversation on “Media Matters Radio” regarding the outrageous, and outright LYING of Bill O’Reilly which has been in the “news” for the past week or so – following O’Reilly’s condescending remarks toward the now disgraced Brian Williams due to Williams’ lies being exposed.  Much of what I heard revolved around the different responses to their “lead” anchors being caught in outright lies between NBC news and Fox “news.”  And, I “get” the need for the conversation and the outrage (which, for me has been ongoing without this exposure) toward Fox as they scurry around trying to “paper over” the FACT that these O’Reilly lies have been brought into the “light of day.”

What I didn’t hear in the discussion (I only was able to listen to about 30 minutes of it) was a reference to the Fox “mantra” of following – pretty much to a tee – the Joseph Goebbels “Big Lie Theory” which was the propaganda scheme used during the rise of the Third Reich in Germany during the 1930’s.  O’Reilly, and the rest of the “journalists” on Fox “news,” lie all the time.  The station (which SHOULD be named “GOP TV”) is the brainchild of Roger Ailes – dirty trickster circa Richard Nixon – and, it is an integral part in the right wing movement in America to essentially make our constitution nothing more than a piece of paper.  They’ve been “brainwashing” their audience for decades now and they’ve succeeded in turning good working Americans against each other through their constant promotion of divisiveness and HATE.  The other day I managed to watch for a few minutes (here and there) to discover the day’s “key derogatory term” and it was “liberal this” and “liberal that” constantly on a day when they were attempting to defend the right wing of Congress for threatening to shut down Homeland Security over the immigration issue – and, the President’s action in the face of their inaction.  (I also think they were defending O’Reilly on that particular day – hence the attack on “liberals” – as if only liberals would challenge him)

This CRAP has been going on for years and it will continue to be a blight on this nation until  “we the people” wake up to the FACT we are being subjected to a CONSTANT barrage of lies that are intended to do exactly what they’re doing – pit one good American against another.  Liberal v (true) conservative.  (And, if you don’t “get” the parentheses around “true” read some of my previous posts – I, in NO WAY, consider the leaders of the republican party “true” conservatives.  In my mind, they are greedy, racist, selfish, wackos who have gained POWER due to the unlimited funding of the “invisible” group of benefactors [I usually call them “puppet masters”] which are now publicly identified as the “Koch Brothers” and their network)

I have some really good friends who are smart and good people who are not able to see what has happened to their republican party.  They’ve been lifelong members (or supporters) and they continue to believe that people like O’Reilly and Sean Hannity are telling them the truth.  When I give them factual support of my positions (during out political dialogue – and, by the way, despite the fact we don’t see things the same, we can have great and productive discussions) their response is never about the facts, it’s always about the messenger.  (And, I’ve learned, you can find a lot of stuff about people on the internet :o)  That is the “strategy” that has been put forth by the republican party since the days before Ronald Reagan.  It’s all based on personal attacks – and, unfortunately, the TRUTH is not one of the requirements in these attacks.  I still remember the “Willy Horton” adds coming from the campaign of the first President Bush and, of course, his son did him one better with the “Swift Boating” of John Kerry in 2004.  Unfortunately, this stuff is very effective.

While I think it’s great that this discussion of Bill O’Reilly’s integrity (or lack of integrity) is in the forefront of the present “news” cycle, I wish it would lead to the necessity of the bigger discussion regarding the propaganda scheme the republicans have been using since the days of Reagan.  I don’t believe O’Reilly’s going anywhere – Fox will not “suspend” him as NBC did to Williams (I hope I’m wrong – but, certainly don’t expect to be) just like Clear Channel does nothing to stop Rush Limbaugh who’s been spewing LIES and HATE for the last 30 years.  Make no mistake about this – O’Reilly, Limbaugh, Hannity, and the many others who are willing to say whatever they’re told to say by the people with all the money – these people are an integral part in the so-called “permanent republican majority” that is the “dream” of Karl Rove, the Koch Brothers, and others who want America to be a fascist oligarchy (ie – a corporate/government partnership).  People like O’Reilly make these outrageous public comments that do not even resemble the TRUTH because they are so used to LYING that they get to the point where they actually believe their own lies.  (see the reference below to pathological lying) Therefore, they can look you in the face and defend themselves.

For example, although I haven’t listened to O’Reilly lately, it would not surprise me if he’s actually defending himself to this day.  One of the LIES, as I heard it this morning, related to O’Reilly claiming he saved a cameraman “with bullets flying by their heads” during the Falklands War off the coast of Argentina in the 1980’s.  He wasn’t in the Falklands and the only thing I’ve read he’s famous for during that time is being sent home by his employer (CBS news) for endangering his cameraman by insisting the cameraman turn on the lights of his camera against the company directive – for the cameraman’s safety! He also has claimed he was “outside the door” when George de Mohrenschildt (CIA operative who befriended Lee Harvey Oswald) killed himself.  He wrote this in his book and claimed it on the air – However, O’Reilly was in Dallas Texas at the time of the suicide.  If you read the book “Family of Secrets” (about the Bush clan and their connections to the CIA – among other information) there’s no mention of O’Reilly being at the residence at the time of de Mohrenschildt’s alleged suicide  in this book – which tells more about de Mohrenschildt than any other source I’ve read.  Honestly, I believe if one were to parse and research an untold number of comments coming from O’Reilly this LYING would not be surprising – or unusual.  And, I’m guessing that his (and Roger Ailes) defense against those who believe he should face accountability – especially since he, himself, suggested such in regards to Williams, will be that he’s being attacked by “liberals.”

So, back to my main point.  I really wish this would lead to the discussion that seems to me to be the one that is necessary.  What is the agenda of Fox “news.”  Obviously, at least in my view, they are not a “news” outlet.  They are the chief arm of the GOP propaganda “machine” that has been brainwashing unsuspecting Americans since the days of Ronald Reagan.  As I remember it, Limbaugh came on the scene somewhere during the middle of Reagan’s administration (my initial turnoff to him was when he compared himself to God) and Fox wasn’t far behind.  They’ve succeeded in turning the word “liberal” into something with a negative connotation with many of their viewers/listeners and they’ve succeeded in turning good Americans against each other over “wedge issues” that are irrelevant to most people’s daily lives.  And, they’ve played an integral part in allowing people like Karl Rove, Charles and David Koch, Ailes, and others to push a right wing agenda that actually turns people against the government that they, themselves, desperately want to have COMPLETE control over.

If you really believe America is not susceptible to a fascist regime – look beyond the surface of what’s going on in today’s politics.  And, if you believe, as republicans would have you, that it is the democrats who are the problem – look up the phrase “political projection” – the republican operatives are expert at this AND they have used the “Big Lie Theory” to expertly subvert the minds of many good well meaning Americans plus (and expertly, I might add – they are very good at this) a majority of state governments and they’ve got their sights set squarely on the White House in 2016 (to go along with their control of the courts, the Congress, and the so-called “liberal media”).  With the help of “Citizens United,” the gutting of the voting rights act, UNLIMITED funding, and other covert strategies (along with democratic ineptitude) – they just might succeed.  And, for those of us who don’t believe “liberal” is a dirty word, the consequences could be catastrophic.  These people have even convinced their base that it’s “liberals” who are threatening their constitutional rights – they truly believe the “end justifies the means,” and their goal is a stranglehold on the major institutions in America.  I’ll finish by saying again, Bill O’Reilly’s lies are nothing new, let’s discuss the “Big Lie Theory” that is the driving force behind Fox “news.” (GOP TV)  Lets discuss the TRUTH about what a corporate/government partnership really is.

Facts about pathological liars: Pathological liars often confuse truth and falsehoods and, during a structured interview, are inconsistent in their responses. Pathological liars may believe their lies are the truth. Pathological liars are intelligent, manipulative and may be self-centered. It is unknown if pathological lying is controllable by the individual. It is possible that a pathological liar may believe his lies to the point that he is delusional.