Staff Reports
The Biden administration’s approach to “misinformation” in recent years has raised eyebrows, and rightly so. A staggering sum of $267 million has been splurged on studies and programs aimed at controlling the narratives surrounding COVID-19 and its fallout. The hypocrisy is glaring; during the Trump years, the federal spending on similar initiatives barely reached $7 million, highlighting a 44-fold increase under the current administration. This escalation appears less about public health and more about stifling dissent and enforcing a singular narrative.
The “research” funded by taxpayers appears to be a proactive hunt for any dissenters daring to challenge the official party line. Justin Haskins, a prominent voice on the issue, pointed out that a significant portion of this funding has been directed toward crafting “counter-messages.” It begs the question—how did America reach the point where the government is investing in counter-propaganda while cloaking it under the banner of public health and safety? The implications are reminiscent of Orwellian tactics. Government checks on free speech under the guise of combating misinformation are a slippery slope, and the current administration seems eager to slide right down it.
Details emerging from these funded projects are profoundly troubling. The Biden administration’s $2.3 million grant to the University of Pennsylvania to map misinformation in minority communities is more than just an academic endeavor; it signifies government-sanctioned surveillance of Americans’ speech and thoughts. The objective to identify and target so-called misinformation could be a tool for advancing a political agenda, restricting the free exchange of ideas while claiming to promote public health.
This sort of government overreach could have led to chaotic outrage had it been pulled during the Trump administration. Imagine the outcry if the previous administration had allocated large sums to investigate dissenting opinions about its policies, especially on polarizing issues like vaccination. The left would have decried such actions as anti-democratic, and yet, under Biden, it’s presented as wise governance.
NEW: How the Biden Administration Spent Hundreds of Millions on 'Misinformation' Research Is 'Disturbing'https://t.co/vWtSMQxt09
— RedState (@RedState) December 9, 2024
The involvement of contractors like Guidehouse further illustrates this troubling trend. Their services range from monitoring online speech to crafting counter-messages against what they deem misinformation. When the government hires out the job of policing thought, it raises serious alarm bells. How far will the Biden administration go to control the narrative? The line continues to blur between information sharing and outright propaganda, showcasing a startling willingness to silence dissent in the name of safety.
Patriots across America should be wary of these authoritarian practices masquerading as concern for citizen health. A government that feels entitled to monitor, police, and counteract the speech of its citizens poses a significant threat to the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution. The dangers of subsidizing these Orwellian initiatives cannot be understated, and vigilance is necessary to protect the sanctity of free speech from government overreach.
