Early Voting Starts Monday: Poats Continues to Challenge Developer-backed Incumbent Owen!
Early voting starts Monday for FBISD, cities, water district
By Barbara Fulenwider
Early voting for city council, school district and water/sewer board members starts Monday, May 1. Missouri City and Stafford are holding elections to fill city council and a water/sewer board seats and Fort Bend ISD residents need to fill two board seats.
In the highly contested FBISD races there are eight candidates and no incumbents vying for the Position 2 and Position 6 trustee seat. Candidates for the Position 2 seat, which Sue Hauenstein is leaving, are Sonal Bhuchar, a physical therapist; Steven Dieu, an assistant attorney general; James Walker, an accountant, and Hal Jay, a business owner and former trustee. All four candidates live in Sugar Land.
Candidates for Position 6 seat, being vacated by Bruce Bain, are Steve Smelley, sales manager, former FBISD trustee and Missouri City resident; Rodrigo Carreon, an electrician who lives in Fresno; Wayne Howard, retired coach for the district who lives in Sugar Land, and Liz Mitton, communications consultant and Sugar Land resident.
In Missouri City, Mayor Allen Owen is being challenged for his seat by Greyling Byron Poats, an insurance agent who has lived in Missouri City about 25 years. Owen, manager of 12 Wells Fargo Bank branches in Fort Bend County, has been a Missouri City resident for almost 30 years.
__________________
Click title link above for entire story from the FBStar...
posted by responsible_dvlpmnt at Wednesday, April 26, 2006
10 Comments:
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Earlier FBNow.com thread on this race:
1 Refreshingvoice - Mar 11, 03:40 pm
This is great news to hear that after so many years of singular control by out of area special interests through it’s current administration Missouri City will now have an election. I believe Mr. Owen just finished cancelling one last year.
Good luck Mr. Poats!
2 JLS - Mar 12, 09:22 am
Good luck Mr. Poats and rock that boat!
3 William but you can call me "Bill" - Mar 12, 03:12 pm
YES
4 Chris Calvin, Ph.D. - Mar 12, 06:32 pm
I noticed Owen didn’t waist anytime getting a release out. I guess the city secretary got Poat’s papers to him quickly so he could get out a fast response. I also think it’s almost humurous touting/defending his friendships with the nearly 60% campaign contributions from developers since ‘99. Add the other related building groups from Houston and you notice most of his contributions came from out of area folks (including law firms in the land business). That means having had virtually no opposition since the early 90s he has been collecting these contributions for what reason? On top of this he has uninvestigated city ethics complaints in the council minutes that he and the city administration conveniently ignore that are related to his advocacy of the 2700 apartments slated for Mo-City soon which benefits one of his top givers (JDC a matter of public record). . . interesting. It must be nice to have those friends and for some of those developer friends, like Johnson Development Co. of Houston, to silence the opposition to their land useage through SLAPP suits on homeowners in this area. I believe JDC is the number 2 giver for Owen (‘99-’05).
Must be nice to have rich friends like that and to support their projects with impunity. GET out and vote folks!!!
..Ck all facts here by viewing the MoCity streaming video minutes of July 18th 2005 & February 20th 2006 (open sessions). Get the contributions list through the city secretary or the state elections ethics site for confirmation.
5 maized&cornfused - Mar 12, 07:07 pm
Is this the same person that told residents if they don’t like what is going on in MC then they could move?
Wasn’t it reported that he didn’t want a property tax cap? or was that someone else too?
Now that there will be an election we must be getting the kinder/gentler version.
I can’t wait to watch this race heat up.
6 voterwise - Mar 13, 08:06 am
That is correct maized&cornfused. It was Owen who received complaints for this comment he directed at a Mr. Die of Missouri City at a city council session on June 6th over the Johnson Development apartment controversy issue. I think you can still view the minutes at http://www.ci.mocity.tx.us/council/cminutes/minagndtocfp.htm.
7 poatsformayor - Mar 13, 03:24 pm
Visit http://voteforpoatsmayor.blogspot.com/
to visit Mr. Poat’s V-Campaign Headquarters and get support materials, and additional information. Join us today in our bi-partisan efforts to take back local control here in Missouri City!
go to http://voteforpoatsmayor.blogspot.com/
8 maized&cornfused - Mar 13, 07:31 pm
Thank you voterwise. Maybe Mr. Poats should have shirts/buttons that say, “IF you don’t like what is happening in Missouri City then VOTE!”
9 voterwise - Mar 14, 08:52 am
That’s a great idea maized. I will suggest it too and maybe they can add it to the buttons. If enough people get involved maybe we can change Missouri City from the politics as usual crowd, if not then this is a good start to waking the community up (maybe the county too).
10 JLS - Mar 15, 07:33 am
I’m gonna vote and I don’t like what’s happening in Missouri City! It’s too bad more aren’t running against this bunch!
11 voterwise - Mar 19, 05:08 pm
Owen is also the candidate who recently lead the mayor and council group to endorse all incumbents. Not a big surprise considering he is one but not the usual operating procedure of this group. See related article here in FBNow.com.
12 JLS - Mar 22, 07:54 am
Why did Mr. Owen oppose the proposed property tax cap last year?
13 Mr. Concerned - Mar 22, 10:00 pm
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, I WAS AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN 05 AND THE MAYOR ASKED THIS VERY NICE AND PATIENT LADY IF SHE DOES NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF 2700, THATS TWO THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED APTS IN HER NABORHOOD, THAT SHE SHOULD SELL HER HOUSE AND MOVE ON. BY THE WAY THE NABORHOOD IS SIENNA PLANTATION.
14 Burt Levine - Mar 22, 11:14 pm
Sienna is NOT in MC so therefore has ZERO relevance in the argument abt voting agnst the incumbent mayor but Sienna can make history in voting aginst its incumbent state rep this fall as it should’ve voted for its own Sienna citizen Rubal when he ran agnst Olivo for State Rep. in 2002.
15 jls - Mar 23, 08:32 am
Well Mr. Levine we are in the ETJ of Mo-City and as anyone knows our developer agreement (master-plan) is enforced by the city. This makes it our business. We can support anyone we need too. Kinda like supporting those folks in Arcola that are fighting the special interest that will impact our quality of life when they get their airport expansion (special project) forced through on us. We can’t vote for them either but we are impacted by their decisions and can contribute time, money, etc. to defeating their council people too. In addition we can support, or not, county officials that are in bed with this same crowd (out of area special interest). It’s a bit myopic to view the jurisdictions in a one dimensional manner as you have suggested. Sienna homeowners know who their friends are and who the special interest are back in our area. That is why the special interest in our community are pushing so hard and one of their leaders is Mr. Owen (just ck his contributions list). Good luck Greyling!
Try again levine>
16 Gerry Hookstra - Mar 23, 10:09 am
Good Luck Greyling!!! I’m going to do everything I can to spread the word and gain voter support for you.
Those who pay taxes and are allowed to vote ARE NOT as dumb as some might think. They do question campaign contribution percentages. They do question total disregard for ethics complaints. And they do questions overwhelming approval of special interests, especially when it comes at their expense.
Furthermore, the mayorship was never intended to become an ‘heir to the throne of Missouri City’ proposition. Nor was it ever expected that so little regard would be given to the ‘Voice of the Average Joe or Joann.’
The time has long since come to do away with the motto: “Whom ever has the money makes the rules.” It’s time to give control back to the voters!
17 jls - Mar 23, 11:06 am
Give ‘em hell Greyling!
18 voterwise - Mar 24, 09:17 pm
Gerry,
I agree that the taxpayer and voters need to wake up and make a change in Missouri City. Anyone that has been in politics as long as Allen needs to be retired by the electorate. Did it really take him 12 years to come up with a “hopeful” plan to reduce the taxes here?
19 jls - Mar 26, 09:25 am
More people need to volunteer and get out in the subdivisions and talk to the voters that will make this decision on May 13th. I’ve volunteered and have recruited a few others. Get out and let people know who is really working behind some of our politicians! We need to take back local control.
20 Burt Levine - Mar 26, 03:33 pm
I hope those excited abt the Missouri City Mayor’s race make the right decision to vote for Wayne Howard and Steve Dieu for Fort Bend ISD. Your concerns regarding developers and taxes apply as much if not more so to the FBISD races in that FBISD is the county’s largest employer, biggest taxer and I hope those in MC going to vote in the FBISD races do take their vote for Mayor serious as well.
21 jls - Mar 27, 07:09 pm
We’ll do our best to educate them Burt don’t you worry. Just follow the money!
22 voterwise - Mar 29, 05:17 am
Didn’t Owen as recently as late ‘05 tell a local newspaper that they shouldn’t report negative events in a community because it could hurt home sales? Not very trust inspiring!
23 refreshingvoice - Mar 31, 03:41 pm
It would seem to me Mr. Levine that this problem is a county wide issue. With continued low voter turnouts it doesn’t seem to me like the reform movements will have much of a chance. As long as the sleeping public stays uninformed and non-voting, more than likely it will be easy for a small group to control this area. Hopefully this won’t always be the case here.
24 politicsasusual - Apr 4, 11:21 am
I wanna wish anyone running against Mr. Owen good luck. Defeating old style machine politicans isn’t easy and you will have to turn out the vote to accomplish this.
25 JED. - Apr 11, 03:49 pm
Greyling, like you, I think that the people deserve better. We need a whole new crew of fair-minded, well-intentioned legistrators (throughout the Nation), whose primary purpose is to provide for the welfare of the People!!! GOOD LUCK
26 MyVoteCounts - Apr 12, 02:39 pm
I take my hat off to you Greyling. It’s about time we got a Mayor who’s for “THE PEOPLE”. It’s also time to add some “COLOR” to the Mayor’s office. Go Greyling!
27 Chris Calvin, Ph.D. - Apr 13, 08:13 pm
MVC-
This is a very interesting comment you make with your special emphasis. Let me guess. Race is an issue for you in voting? Are you perhaps one of Owen’s backers?
28 - - Apr 22, 10:55 am
Just thought you Sienna residents should know that I was driving on hwy 6 in front of your subdivision and viewed an interesting sight. The grounds workers were pulling up what looked like “Poats for Mayor” signs while leaving the Allen Owen sign in place facing highway 6. Just thought you all would like to know this tidbit.
29 voterwise - Apr 22, 07:11 pm
Don’t worry we will keep getting the message out door-to-door even if they keep pulling the signs (and we will do it without pulling their signs)! Set a higher standard than his Houston backers! This is only the start of reform for this area and possibly the county. We’re gonna wake the electorate up and get them to the polls!
TAKE BACK LOCAL CONTROL!
Related piece in FBNow.com:
When Schoolhouse Bullies Grow Up
Having spent a few years on school playgrounds, I’ve had the opportunity to observe childhood behavior during free play extensively. One disturbing reoccurring theme in this environment is the emergence of those who attempt to dominate or physically bully other children.
It is a problem that faculty, staff and administration spend a great deal of time on. Government programs have even been funded with much research ongoing, yet still the problem persists.
One of the first interventions monitors use in any situation, where bullying may occur, is to remove the victim and confront the bully over the behavior. This seems like such a simple solution, until we realize that the children are learning this inappropriate interaction from us adults.
As you would expect, this rather simplistic intervention only solves the problem temporarily. The actions usually continue, but only in less obvious areas of the playground. A more covert behavior emerges as the child adapts (because through compliance, by the victim, it is rewarded).
Over the last year and a half I’ve had the opportunity to witness first-hand adult bullying and like many children on the playground have hoped that someone in authority will come and intervene. Of course, in the adult world, bullying is often allowed and encouraged.
Even Stanford professor Jeff Pfeffer’s 1992 seminal work “Managing With Power,” and countless other leadership texts, seem to be encouraging the bullying mentality of those “with the most gold get all the power.”
Legislation and the courts are easily subverted in this process and become part of the adult game. Those with less power are merely expected to comply and even apologize for their efforts to “call the bullies” on their behaviors.
In the current local elections we see the culture of political-business co-optation in more of the adult gaming processes. In Missouri City, like many other communities, we have an entrenched mayoral incumbent heavily backed by large Houston land corporate interests, who have decided that they need this mayor and council until they are finished with their area projects.
The message seems to be that we can have our local government back when they are finished with their work/profit taking here. How do local voters, taxpayers, and residents deal with such antics on the adult playground? The simple answer is you don’t, but I believe most of us still have an infantile memory of schoolhouse justice. At least enough to expect that something can be done.
The answer, for me and many others, seems to be in the political process itself (voting). As I write this piece a sign war is going on between the local incumbent mayor’s backers (bullies) and local residents of this community (victims) supporting his opponent.
I’ve never replaced so many yard signs in my life, not even when the developer was pulling our “No More Apartment” signs here in the controversial ‘05 issue that led to the SLAPP suit and eventual TX Supreme Ct. case. What can be done about this? . . Nothing, maybe, but I’m writing to let you all know my sense of infantile schoolhouse justice! . . . =-)
Chris Calvin, Ph.D.
Missouri City
Related comments from FBNow.com:
1 Prescott E Small - Apr 24, 12:43 pm
Unfortunately it is part to of our nature and the nature of all living organisms to operate and live in an environment of the Alpha_____.
But, as far as we know, we are the only species on the planet that is aware of this behavior that can do something about it.
Voting is definitely an option.
Bullies also have a tendency to pick on individuals when they are vulnerable and alone.
The mistake bullies make is to pick on too many individuals.
This might be that type of case.
What needs to happen is enough individuals that have been bullied will have to stand up, approach the bully and tell them “Go to hell, we aren’t taking this crap anymore!”
Now that can be done at the ballot box. But it can also be done here in Op-Ed Articles like this one. Through letters to the bullies in mass quantities. Through lots of phone calls.
Then, if need be, through class action in the form of a law suit.
Sometimes to stop a bully you have to punch them in the nose.
2 Chris Calvin, Ph.D. - Apr 24, 04:16 pm
I agree with you Mr. Small! If people keep networking the clique grows smaller and the masses seem to multiply until you have a reform effort.
On a side note, one of the “bullies” (a Houston based developer) called our candidate (Poats) this morning urging him not to put anymore signs in, that they have rules. I guess those “rules” do not apply to their benefactor mayor Allen Owen who signs are all over their development (along with other area candidates). Is this more selective enforcement?
3 Burt Levine - Apr 24, 06:28 pm
Dr. Calvin A) 4×8 signs are for commercial areas and yard signs are for homes that hopefully for the candidate have at least two voters w/ a history and liklihood of voting living there. Yard signs in front of a business next to an opponent’s 4×8 who has permission to put his 4×8 there does not make me sympathize with the challenger that can not get his act together enough to get 4×8s or the support of someone to permit or authorize him to put it there and B) Why on your candidate’s signs for Missouri City Mayor do you need to take up valuable font space by informing voters that Missouri City is in Texas. Isn’t that a fact you’d hope your voters would’ve learned before registering to vote in Missouri City? A private property owner has THE right to permit whoever he backs to plant signs on his property and not those he does not back. I’d hope you agree that choice and private property right is part of what makes this America? I would not want to live in a country where a property owner is forced to host signs of candidates he did not back in philosophy or principle.
4 Chris Calvin, Ph.D. - Apr 25, 07:56 am
Burt,
It’s interesting that you call them “my signs”. I seem to recall I’m a volunteer and am not personally responsible for every sign someone puts out. Of course I have noticed your signs in many of the same areas and they haven’t been pulled (and are yard signs).
I did not order or design these signs nor do I run this campaign. I am a volunteer and BTW you seem to have a great deal of information on the “sign pulling” which I find interesting (thanks for your comments they are very telling).
5 jls - Apr 25, 08:12 am
Burt,
Where did you get all the details on the signs? I don’t see any of that in the article above. Are you perhaps in the sign biz?
More from FBISD candidates forum thread below:
Anonymous said...
If a mega-developer bases its company in San Antonio or even Houston they are "out of area special interest" (do not vote in our local elections). If they are a small company just trying to get by and live here and don't use questionable business and political tactics I think that speaks volumes (i.e. the good guys). Not all developers sue their own customer base, etc...
4:46 PM
Anonymous said...
. . . ;-)
4:47 PM
Anonymous said...
Looking at Lisa Rickert's 2004 campaign reports, she raised a total of $7,030 with the following contributors noted:
Andy Meyers Campaign Fund - $100
Christopher Breau (Null Lairson district vendor) $100
Lynn Humphries (Allen, Boone, Humphries) $100
James Patterson Campaign - $50
CC Lee (engineer/architect Houston)- $200
Linebarger Googgan Blair & Sampson LLP (district vendor) - $500
Mark McGrath (Null Lairson district vendor) - $250
Pete Moerbeck (Surfside CA)- $150
John Null(Null Lairson district vendor) - $450
Grady Prestage - $100
Randy Reimer (Null Lairson vendor)- $100
Charles Rencher (commercial real estate) - $100
Lina Sabouni (architect district vendor)- $200
Alan Sandersen (CPA & wanna be district vendor) - $100
Chuck Yaple (Null Lairson vendor) - $100
Allen Boone & Humphries LLP (lawyers) - $500
Fort Bend Business Alliance PAC - $1000
James Thompson Campaign $100
James Pezant (Slidell LA) $100
Deidre Scinta (CPA Houston) $200
Lewis Smith (anti-tax political activist) $500
This accounts for $4,900 of her total or 69%. Is THAT broad based support? I think not! Rickert relied on milking district vendors and wanna be vendors to fund her campaign. But I'm sure that was just fine with you guys......
8:03 PM
Anonymous said...
I see so you are trying to smear Mitton with Rickerts campaign report? How is that not disinformation and your justifying Smelley's taking because Rickert took? Also I noticed rather than collapse the repeat givers you simple play it again for effect?
How is an anti-tax political activist, you mention above, even relevant in this discussion?
--One good thing is you are encouraging people to "follow the money trail" and through this previous posting indirectly demonstrate disapproval for your own candidates inability to take the pledge (as stated in the FB Sun article--see above thread and renew the dialogue in that comment section).
--You and your group have also assumed wrongly that posters here voted for or supported Rickert.
--I think we can be tickled that you have stopped threatening people with lawsuits and are now discussing the real issues that influence many of our area politicians. Welcome to the club!
3:19 AM
Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats..Go Poats.!
You all might find this funny, but Allen, Humphries & Boone are a Houston based law firm (formerly of Vincent & Elkins--I think they still share the same building) that have their hands in almost everything in FB county (mostly land related i.e. ECO, developer controlled MUDs and some resident controlled ones too along with many large land development co. client lists). So if you see the same givers behind many of our leading politicians, don't be so surprised and ask yourself should I support candidates taking this money and claiming "not to be for sale" or support candidates not taking this money and acting independently while listening, without strings, to their voters, taxpayers.
Question: What would you consider a conflict of interest?
i.e. The MUD-ECO scandal in '05 (same law firm for both the company and many of the MUDs involved). Notice how this "investigation" no longer gets coverage?
-Was the mgr. who was terminated for this alledged criminal scheme ever arrested? If not why? Was the problem much larger than one mgr? etc...
Didn't chief county judge Bob Hebert help initiate this investigation ("damage control"). Doesn't this same law firm contribute to Hebert, Healy, Owen and many, many other politicians in this area?
These are the strings--how about some of the answers?
What is defined as conflicts of interest folks?
Of course it doesn't matter with the right contributions now does it!
This just showed up on an internal discussion board in Sienna and seems a very unfair smear attempt on a mother and hard working candidate. No doubt which side released it. I encourage voters to look at those that would smear someone by association like this. Is a car salesman any better?
______________________________________________________
I attended the candidate forum also and was intrigued when I heard
that Liz Mitton had a PR background. Her website states that she has
25 years in the PR industry. That truly concerns me. Do we really
want someone in the position of the school board whose background is
PR? The info below will explain why. It is long but I guarantee
enlightening if you'll just take the time to read it. If Liz Mitton
is truly concerned about our kids, she didn't need to venture out of
the field she was already in to help in an area that endangers
everyone on a daily basis, especially our children, and that's the
food industry. A little background on the public relations field:
HOW IT ALL GOT STARTED
In their book Trust Us We're Experts, Stauber and Rampton pull
together some compelling data describing the science of creating
public opinion in America. They trace modern public influence back to
the early part of the last century, highlighting the work of guys
like Edward L. Bernays, the Father of Spin.
From his own amazing 1928 chronicle Propaganda, we learn how Edward
L. Bernays took the ideas of his famous uncle Sigmund Freud himself,
and applied them to the emerging science of mass persuasion. The only
difference was that instead of using these principles to uncover
hidden themes in the human unconscious, the way Freudian psychology
does, Bernays studied these same ideas in order to learn how to mask
agendas and to create illusions that deceive and misrepresent, for
marketing purposes.
THE FATHER OF SPIN
Edward L. Bernays dominated the PR industry until the 1940s, and was
a significant force for another 40 years after that. (Tye) During
that time, Bernays took on hundreds of diverse assignments to create
a public perception about some idea or product. A few examples:
As a neophyte with the Committee on Public Information, one of
Bernays' first assignments was to help sell the First World War to
the American public with the idea to "Make the World Safe for
Democracy." (Ewen) We've seen this phrase in every war and US
military involvement since that time.
A few years later, Bernays set up a stunt to popularize the notion of
women smoking cigarettes. In organizing the 1929 Easter Parade in New
York City, Bernays showed himself as a force to be reckoned with. He
organized the Torches of Liberty Brigade in which suffragettes
marched in the parade smoking cigarettes as a mark of women's
liberation. After that one event, women would be able to feel secure
about destroying their own lungs in public, the same way that men
have always done.
Bernays popularized the idea of bacon for breakfast.
Not one to turn down a challenge, he set up the liaison between the
tobacco industry and the American Medical Association that lasted for
nearly 50 years. They proved to all and sundry that cigarettes were
beneficial to health. Just look at ads in old issues of Life, Look,
Time or Journal of the American Medical Association from the 40s and
50s in which doctors are recommending this or that brand of
cigarettes as promoting healthful digestion, or whatever.
During the next several decades Bernays and his colleagues evolved
the principles by which masses of people could be generally swayed
through messages repeated over and over, hundreds of times per week.
Once the economic power of media became apparent, other countries of
the world rushed to follow our lead. But Bernays remained the gold
standard. He was the source to whom the new PR leaders across the
world would always defer. Even Josef Goebbels, Hitler's minister of
propaganda, closely studied the principles of Edward Bernays when
Goebbels was developing the popular rationale he would use to
convince the Germans that in order to purify their race they had to
kill 6 million of the impure. (Stauber)
SMOKE AND MIRRORS
As he saw it, Bernay's job was to reframe an issue; to create a
desired image that would put a particular product or concept in a
desirable light. He never saw himself as a master hoodwinker, but
rather as a beneficent servant of humanity, providing a valuable
service. Bernays described the public as a 'herd that needed to be
led.' And this herdlike thinking makes people "susceptible to
leadership." Bernays never deviated from his fundamental axiom to
"control the masses without their knowing it." The best PR happens
with the people unaware that they are being manipulated.
Stauber describes Bernays' rationale like this:
"the scientific manipulation of public opinion was necessary to
overcome chaos and conflict in a democratic society." -- Trust Us, p 42
These early mass persuaders postured themselves as performing a moral
service for humanity in general. Democracy was too good for people;
they needed to be told what to think, because they were incapable of
rational thought by themselves. Here's a paragraph from Bernays'
Propaganda:
"Those who manipulate the unseen mechanism of society constitute an
invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.
We are governed, our minds molded, our tastes formed, our ideas
suggested largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical
result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast
numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to
live together as a smoothly functioning society. In almost every act
of our lives whether in the sphere of politics or business in our
social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the
relatively small number of persons who understand the mental
processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the
wires that control the public mind."
A tad different from Thomas Jefferson's view on the subject:
"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate power of the society
but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened
enough to exercise that control with a wholesome discretion, the
remedy is not take it from them, but to inform their discretion."
Inform their discretion. Bernays believed that only a few possessed
the necessary insight into the Big Picture to be entrusted with this
sacred task. And luckily, he saw himself as one of that elect.
HERE COMES THE MONEY
Once the possibilities of applying Freudian psychology to mass media
were glimpsed, Bernays soon had more corporate clients than he could
handle. Global corporations fell all over themselves courting the new
Image Makers. There were dozens of goods and services and ideas to be
sold to a susceptible public. Over the years, these players have had
the money to make their images happen. A few examples:
* Philip Morris
* Pfizer
* Union Carbide
* Allstate
* Monsanto
* Eli Lilly
* tobacco industry
* Ciba Geigy
* lead industry
* Coors
* DuPont
* Shell Oil
* Chlorox
* Standard Oil
* Procter & Gamble
* Boeing
* Dow Chemical
* General Motors
* Goodyear
* General Mills
THE PLAYERS
Dozens of PR firms have emerged to answer the demand for spin
control. Among them:
* Burson-Marsteller
* Edelman
* Hill & Knowlton
* Kamer-Singer
* Ketchum
* Mongovin, Biscoe, and Duchin
* BSMG
* Ruder-Finn
Though world-famous within the PR industry, these are names we don't
know, and for good reason. The best PR goes unnoticed. For decades
they have created the opinions that most of us were raised with, on
virtually any issue which has the remotest commercial value, including:
* pharmaceutical drugs
* vaccines
* medicine as a profession
* alternative medicine
* fluoridation of city water
* chlorine
* household cleaning products
* tobacco
* dioxin
* global warming
* leaded gasoline
* cancer research and treatment
* pollution of the oceans
* forests and lumber
* images of celebrities, including damage control
* crisis and disaster management
* genetically modified foods
* aspartame
* food additives; processed foods
* dental amalgams
* autism
LESSON #1
Bernays learned early on that the most effective way to create
credibility for a product or an image was by "independent third-
party" endorsement. For example, if General Motors were to come out
and say that global warming is a hoax thought up by some liberal tree-
huggers, people would suspect GM's motives, since GM's fortune is
made by selling automobiles. If however some independent research
institute with a very credible sounding name like the Global Climate
Coalition comes out with a scientific report that says global warming
is really a fiction, people begin to get confused and to have doubts
about the original issue.
So that's exactly what Bernays did. With a policy inspired by genius,
he set up "more institutes and foundations than Rockefeller and
Carnegie combined." (Stauber p 45) Quietly financed by the industries
whose products were being evaluated, these "independent" research
agencies would churn out "scientific" studies and press materials
that could create any image their handlers wanted. Such front groups
are given high-sounding names like:
* Temperature Research Foundation
* International Food Information Council
* Consumer Alert
* The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition
* Air Hygiene Foundation
* Industrial Health Federation
* International Food Information Council
* Manhattan Institute
* Center for Produce Quality
* Tobacco Institute Research Council
* Cato Institute
* American Council on Science and Health
* Global Climate Coalition
* Alliance for Better Foods
Sound pretty legit don't they?
CANNED NEWS RELEASES
As Stauber explains, these organizations and hundreds of others like
them are front groups whose sole mission is to advance the image of
the global corporations who fund them, like those -listed on page 2
above. This is accomplished in part by an endless stream of 'press
releases' announcing "breakthrough" research to every radio station
and newspaper in the country. (Robbins) Many of these canned reports
read like straight news, and indeed are purposely molded in the news
format. This saves journalists the trouble of researching the
subjects on their own, especially on topics about which they know
very little. Entire sections of the release or in the case of video
news releases, the whole thing can be just lifted intact, with no
editing, given the byline of the reporter or newspaper or TV station
- and voilá! Instant news - copy and paste. Written by corporate PR
firms.
Does this really happen? Every single day, since the 1920s when the
idea of the News Release was first invented by Ivy Lee. (Stauber, p
22) Sometimes as many as half the stories appearing in an issue of
the Wall St. Journal are based solely on such PR press releases..
(22) These types of stories are mixed right in with legitimately
researched stories. Unless you have done the research yourself, you
won't be able to tell the difference. So when we see new "research"
being cited, we should always first suspect that the source is
another industry-backed front group. A common tip-off is the word
"breakthrough."
THE LANGUAGE OF SPIN
As 1920s spin pioneers like Ivy Lee and Edward Bernays gained more
experience, they began to formulate rules and guidelines for creating
public opinion. They learned quickly that mob psychology must focus
on emotion, not facts. Since the mob is incapable of rational
thought, motivation must be based not on logic but on presentation.
Here are some of the axioms of the new science of PR:
* technology is a religion unto itself
* if people are incapable of rational thought, real democracy is
dangerous
* important decisions should be left to experts
* when reframing issues, stay away from substance; create images
* never state a clearly demonstrable lie
Words are very carefully chosen for their emotional impact. Here's an
example. A front group called the International Food Information
Council handles the public's natural aversion to genetically modified
foods. Trigger words are repeated all through the text. Now in the
case of GM foods, the public is instinctively afraid of these
experimental new creations which have suddenly popped up on our
grocery shelves and which are said to have DNA alterations. The IFIC
wants to reassure the public of the safety of GM foods. So it avoids
words like:
* Frankenfoods
* Hitler
* biotech
* chemical
* DNA
* experiments
* manipulate
* money
* safety
* scientists
* radiation
* roulette
* gene-splicing
* gene gun
* random
Instead, good PR for GM foods contains words like:
* hybrids
* natural order
* beauty
* choice
* bounty
* cross-breeding
* diversity
* earth
* farmer
* organic
* wholesome
It's just basic Freud/Tony Robbins/NLP word association. The fact
that GM foods are not hybrids that have been subjected to the slow
and careful scientific methods of real cross-breeding doesn't really
matter. This is pseudoscience, not science. Form is everything and
substance just a passing myth. (Trevanian)
Who do you think funds the International Food Information Council?
Take a wild guess. Right - Monsanto, DuPont, Frito-Lay, Coca Cola,
Nutrasweet - those in a position to make fortunes from GM foods.
(Stauber p 20)
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD PROPAGANDA
As the science of mass control evolved, PR firms developed further
guidelines for effective copy. Here are some of the gems:
* dehumanize the attacked party by labeling and name calling
* speak in glittering generalities using emotionally positive words
* when covering something up, don't use plain English; stall for
time; distract
* get endorsements from celebrities, churches, sports figures,
street people - anyone who has no expertise in the subject at hand
* the 'plain folks' ruse: us billionaires are just like you
* when minimizing outrage, don't say anything memorable
* when minimizing outrage, point out the benefits of what just
happened
* when minimizing outrage, avoid moral issues
Keep this list. Start watching for these techniques. Not hard to find
- look at today's paper or tonight's TV news. See what they're doing;
these guys are good!
SCIENCE FOR HIRE
PR firms have become very sophisticated in the preparation of news
releases. They have learned how to attach the names of famous
scientists to research that those scientists have not even looked at.
(Stauber, p 201) It's a common practice. In this way, the editors of
newspapers and TV news shows are themselves often unaware that an
individual release is a total PR fabrication. Or at least they have
"deniability," right?
Stauber tells the amazing story of how leaded gas came into the
picture. In 1922, General Motors discovered that adding lead to
gasoline gave cars more horsepower. When there was some concern about
safety, GM paid the Bureau of Mines to do some fake "testing" and
publish spurious research that 'proved' that inhalation of lead was
harmless. Enter Charles Kettering.
Founder of the world famous Sloan-Kettering Memorial Institute for
medical research, Charles Kettering also happened to be an executive
with General Motors. By some strange coincidence, we soon have Sloan-
Kettering issuing reports stating that lead occurs naturally in the
body and that the body has a way of eliminating low level exposure.
Through its association with The Industrial Hygiene Foundation and PR
giant Hill & Knowlton, Sloane-Kettering opposed all anti-lead
research for years. (Stauber p 92). Without organized scientific
opposition, for the next 60 years more and more gasoline became
leaded, until by the 1970s, 90% or our gasoline was leaded.
Finally it became too obvious to hide that lead was a major
carcinogen, which they knew all along, and leaded gas was phased out
in the late 1980s. But during those 60 years, it is estimated that
some 30 million tons of lead were released in vapor form onto
American streets and highways. 30 million tons. (Stauber)
That is PR, my friends.
JUNK SCIENCE
In 1993 a guy named Peter Huber wrote a new book and coined a new
term. The book was Galileo's Revenge and the term was junk science .
Huber's shallow thesis was that real science supports technology,
industry, and progress. Anything else was suddenly junk science. Not
surprisingly, Stauber explains how Huber's book was supported by the
industry-backed Manhattan Institute.
Huber's book was generally dismissed not only because it was so
poorly written, but because it failed to realize one fact: true
scientific research begins with no conclusions. Real scientists are
seeking the truth because they do not yet know what the truth is.
True scientific method goes like this:
1. form a hypothesis
2. make predictions for that hypothesis
3. test the predictions
4. reject or revise the hypothesis based on the research findings
Boston University scientist Dr. David Ozonoff explains that ideas in
science are themselves like "living organisms, that must be
nourished, supported, and cultivated with resources for making them
grow and flourish." (Stauber p 205) Great ideas that don't get this
financial support because the commercial angles are not immediately
obvious - these ideas wither and die.
Another way you can often distinguish real science from phony is that
real science points out flaws in its own research. Phony science
pretends there were no flaws.
THE REAL JUNK SCIENCE
Contrast this with modern PR and its constant pretensions to sound
science. Corporate sponsored research, whether it's in the area of
drugs, GM foods, or chemistry begins with predetermined conclusions.
It is the job of the scientists then to prove that these conclusions
are true, because of the economic upside that proof will bring to the
industries paying for that research. This invidious approach to
science has shifted the entire focus of research in America during
the past 50 years, as any true scientist is likely to admit. If a
drug company is spending 10 million dollars on a research project to
prove the viability of some new drug, and the preliminary results
start coming back about the dangers of that drug, what happens?
Right. No more funding. The well dries up. What is being promoted
under such a system? Science? Or rather Entrenched Medical Error?"
Stauber documents the increasing amount of corporate sponsorship of
university research. (206) This has nothing to do with the pursuit of
knowledge. Scientists lament that research has become just another
commodity, something bought and sold. (Crossen)
Excerpts from Dr. Tim O'Shea
I don't know about the rest of you but there is no way my vote is
going this route.
I find it interesting that if Mitton had been a medical doctor that no doubt the poster of this above would have quoted the TUSKEGEE SYPHILIS STUDY which was funded by the U.S. gov't and conducted by licsensed medical professionals (doctors and nurses) and condoned for decades by the medical establishment as guilty by association. Of course the truth is often far from the individual during elections and Ms. Mitton has more than proven her honorable intentions through her repeated efforts at real grass-roots reform. The comparisions above are not only typical of the opposition but the type of smear used by very dishonorable souls with not so hidden agendas. I wonder what camparison they will use for her dedicated mother role and school involvement?
Here's some funny news on the political sign wars. Someone called Wells Fargo's regional office and complained about the local bank executives (remember Allen Owen, our mayor, is a bank executive with the local branches) about some of the local branches only allowing Allen Owen, Steve Smelley & Hal Jay signs on the bank property. The regional executives apparently ordered the Smelley, Owen & Hal Jay signs removed. I drove by later and one branch had already removed them.
We thank the regional WF executives from Houston on a fair and wise decision!!!
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