Selling the "Big Agenda"

The Bush administration has more than doubled the amount of tax money spent on public relations firms to sell its agenda to the American people.

Back in 2001, the administration spent $37 million. Last year, the they shelled out $88 million. All told, the Bush administration has spent $250 million of your money to convince you to support their agenda. That compares with $128 million the Clinton administration spent in its second term to sway you to their way of thinking.

Some $240,000 of the Bush administration's spending went to commentator Armstrong Williams to promote the "No Child Left Behind" law. He failed to disclose the connection, leading to investigations by the FCC, Congress, and Education Department as they look into possible payola and "covert propaganda" crimes.

Another $41,500 went to syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher to promote a $300 million dollar marriage plan the administration had. She also failed to disclose the connection in her syndicated columns.

Mr Williams' contract was through the Ketchum PR firm, the largest PR contractor to the administration. They took in $97 million of your tax dollars in the last four years.

Currently, the Republican Party is raising private donations to help with the PR effort at the White House. (USA Today)