Our big brothers Nick and Norm

I saw a pair of new commercials from the Office of National Drug Control Policy during 24 last night. Anyone else see them?

http://www.mediacampaign.org/mg/television.html

Watch "Ploy" first, then watch "Okay." This is the most blatant example of doublespeak I've ever seen in television commercials. The message of these commercials is basically "It's true because we said it's true." It almost doesn't matter to me whether or not drug money actually does fund terrorism. What terrifies me is the technique the government is using to make its point.

This is what the government thinks of us, that we should believe what they say because they say it. Subtler forms of this have been going on in America since its founding, of course, but this is the first time I've been literally chilled by an example of it on my television screen. I had the feeling last night that I was watching a line being crossed. I had the feeling I was looking Big Brother in the eye, or vice versa.

(And doesn't that second fellow look a lot like Dick Cheney? Dick Cheney and Vince Vaughn, that's who they look like.)