Emblem: Corporate lobbying arms "the power to change the debate"
Tracy Emblem // San Diego News NetworkJanuary 28, 2010
"Propaganda" is a form of communication aimed at emotionally influencing the public's attitude toward some cause or position as opposed to impartially providing information.
There are grassroots, tax-exempt organizations that actually educate and open up public dialogue with information to allow for well-informed decisions. There are also others with grassroots-sounding names fueled by corporate lobbyists who use the powerful and effective tools of fear and distrust to swiftly shut down debate. Some of these "public policy" sounding organizations claim to be non-partisan "think tanks" but are puppet organizations of corporate lobbyists.
For example, Source Watch identifies Employment Policies Institute (EPI) as one of several front entities formed by lobbyist Rick Berman, Berman & Co., a Washington, D.C. public affairs lobbying firm for the restaurant, hotel, alcoholic beverage and tobacco industries.
Berman's Web site boasts: "Berman and Company isn't your average PR firm. Our mission is to "˜change the debate,' not simply contribute to it."
According to Source Watch, during the Clinton administration health care reform debate Berman created a front group called the "Partnership on Health Care and Employment." PHCE then used Berman's EPI "study" claiming that the Clinton plan would wipe out 3.1 million jobs. Source Watch reports that EPI's study was cited in television "commercials sponsored by the Republican National Committee, which continued to air even after Berman admitted that his study had actually been produced before the Clinton administration even formulated the details of its health plan."
While the renewed health care reform debate unfolded in Congress recently, EPI once again launched a multi-million dollar highly effective television, print and radio campaign to agitate and rally the public against any real health care reform. Berman showed the power to change the debate.
Richard Berman has been a regular front man for business and industry in campaigns against consumer safety and environmental groups. Through his public affairs firm, Berman and Company, Berman has fought unions, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, PETA and other watchdog groups in their efforts to raise awareness about obesity, the minimum wage, the dangers of smoking, mad cow disease, drunk driving, and other causes. Berman runs at least 15 industry-funded front groups and projects, such as the Center for Union Facts and holds 16 "positions" in those organizations.
Each year, Berman, using his front groups to spread misinformation, spends millions of dollars distracting the public with misleading ads.
As a result of his largesse, in 2006, Richard Berman used $2,000,000 in cash to buy this $3.3 million house.
