The opinions in this article are the opinions of the author and are not necessarily the opinions of Dr. Mike Spaulding or other contributing writers on this site. I (Dr. Spaulding) particularly disagree with Pastor Baldwin’s views related to Israel.

Frustrated by its sudden and surprised inability to propel Hillary Clinton to the White House, the mainstream media (MSM) introduced a new term into the public lexicon: “fake news.” Basically, “fake news” is anything that contradicted the sacrosanct spillages from the news and opinion desks of the MSM. But Russia and Vladimir Putin were specifically targeted by the MSM and the White House as the source of all of this “fake news.” Thankfully, the vast majority of the American people no more believed that accusation than they did the MSM’s hysterical predictions that the earth would tilt off its axis if Donald Trump was elected.

No matter. In the name of “national security,” big-government toadies in Washington, D.C., have quietly created what in essence is “The U.S. Ministry Of Propaganda.” While most people are reveling in the election of the man they think will be their political and economic savior, and as they were rightly focused on the celebration of Christ’s birth, President Barack Obama signed S. 2943, the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017” (NDAA) into law on Friday, December 23.

These defense authorization bills are the cubby holes of choice for big-government politicians to hide mammoth Police State-type projects and still convince the people back home that they believe in “limited” government. After all, it’s a defense funding bill. Who can be opposed to that? Democrats and Republicans alike approve these bills with little or no opposition. But these bills almost always contain draconian legislation that EXPLODES the size and scope of government. And I mean oppressive government. This latest NDAA is no exception.

Back in March of this year, the bill that became part of the NDAA just signed by Obama was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Ted Lieu (D-CA). The bill was called “Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act of 2016 (H.R. 5181).” The Senate version was sponsored by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and called “Countering Information Warfare Act of 2016 (S. 2692).”

Of course, one must have a bogeyman to justify the passage of such a bill, and the usual red herrings were pulled out of the sack for this bill as well: Iraq, China, and especially Russia. Gee! Why does that surprise me? Again, it was Russia that the MSM blamed for all of the “fake news” during this past election.

Quoting ZeroHedge.com, “Long before the ‘fake news’ meme became a daily topic of extensive conversation on such discredited mainstream portals as CNN and WaPo, H.R. 5181 would task the Secretary of State with coordinating the Secretary of Defense, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Broadcasting Board of Governors to ‘establish a Center for Information Analysis and Response,’ which will pinpoint sources of disinformation, analyze data, and–in true dystopic manner–“develop and disseminate” ‘fact-based narratives’ to counter effrontery propaganda.

“In short, long before ‘fake news’ became a major media topic, the US government was already planning its legally-backed crackdown on anything it would eventually label ‘fake news.’

“Fast forward to December 8, when the ‘Countering Disinformation and Propaganda Act’ passed in the Senate, quietly inserted inside the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report.

“And now, following Friday’s Obama signing of the NDAA on Friday evening, the Countering Disinformation and Propaganda Act is now law.”

“And so, with the likes of WaPo having already primed the general public to equate ‘Russian Propaganda’ with ‘fake news’ (despite admitting after the fact their own report was essentially ‘fake’), while the US media has indoctrinated the public to assume that any information which is not in compliance with the official government narrative, or dares to criticize the establishment, is also ‘fake news’ and thus falls under the ‘Russian propaganda’ umbrella, the scene is now set for the US government to legally crack down on every media outlet that the government deems to be ‘foreign propaganda.’

“Just like that, the US Ministry of Truth is officially born.”

See the report here: Obama Quietly Signs The “Countering Disinformation And Propaganda Act” Into Law

Folks, you and I both know that the MSM in America is the biggest disseminator of “fake news” on the planet. For all intents and purposes, the MSM is the Propaganda Ministry for the always lying government in Washington, D.C. But now with the MSM being totally discredited during this past election, the big-government sycophants in DC have created an OFFICIAL ministry of propaganda–or “truth” as some are calling it.

Can you imagine those crooks, thieves, and liars on Capitol Hill setting themselves up as the guardians and protectors of truth? Pardon me while I puke!

As of December 23, ladies and gentleman, the federal government has authority from Congress to shut down any news service, any website, or any information clearinghouse in the country that proffers what the government considers to be “propaganda.” And remember, this was passed by both Republicans and Democrats.

So, kiss the First Amendment goodbye, folks, because it’s G-O-N-E.

And since Russia is involved in this discussion, what happened to that Russian military plane that crashed into the Black Sea two minutes after taking off in good weather from Sochi? Yes, accidents happen, but this crash raises all kinds of red flags (no pun intended) in my mind–especially when occurring so close together with the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey.

As I posted on my Facebook page shortly after it happened, the assassination of the Russian ambassador in Ankara has the smell of the CIA all over it.

The plane was carrying members of the Alexandrov Ensemble, widely known as the Red Army Choir. This musical group was world renowned and considered a national treasure in Russia. It was undoubtedly Russia’s most prestigious musical group. Everyone on board the plane was killed. These were many of the finest musicians, singers, and dancers in Russia. They were on their way to Syria for a performance. The crash has left the group decimated and the entire country in mourning.

Is it a total coincidence that these two tragic events happened simultaneously with the verbal attacks against Vladimir Putin and the country of Russia by America’s MSM, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and the U.S. Congress and intelligence agencies?

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is quoted as saying, “In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.”

As an example of the global peace appeal of the Alexandrov Ensemble, listen to this rendition of “God Bless America” following the attacks on 9/11:

Alexandrov Choir Sings ‘God Bless America’ In Tribute Posted By Russian Embassy In US (VIDEO)

In addition, watch these brief remarks recently delivered by President Vladimir Putin and compare them to anything you have heard come out of the mouth of any U.S. President in your lifetime.

Putin Criticizes Western Countries For Abandoning Christian Roots

Are the globalist neocons who control U.S. foreign policy and who are the indefatigable purveyors of American hegemony around the world trying to incite Russia into global war? If so, Donald Trump’s talk about a new nuclear arms race sure isn’t helping.

Through the years, many are said to have repeated it, but it seems the first record of it being said was by the Greek tragic dramatist Aeschylus (525 BC-456 BC): “In war, truth is the first casualty.”

It would appear that the warmongers in Washington, D.C., have already laid the legal cornerstone for the next war’s first casualty. And it also seems likely that Russia could be the next bogeyman they use to strike the match.

I realize the neocon and neolib warmongers in DC don’t have much use for God, but the Almighty has protected the United States from ITSELF since the end of World War II. This country has fought unjust and illegal wars of aggression one after the other (mostly on behalf of the Zionist State of Israel), and, as much as God HATES this national sin, He has not YET allowed America to succumb to the full weight of its consequences.

But I remind everyone of the sage counsel of Thomas Jefferson: “Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.”

God will NOT allow this country to continue unabated in its bloodthirsty warmongering, nation-building, regime-changing, and international-bullying ways forever. The innocent blood of millions cries out from the ground for divine justice.

I have no clue as to whether President-elect Donald Trump truly gets it. Does he remotely understand the moral imperative of just war? I have no idea. Does he have any idea of just how wicked and evil the foreign policy of the United States has been over the past three decades? Does he have any concept of the relationship between a nation and God Almighty, especially as it pertains to unjust war? I haven’t a clue.

Judging by many of the people Trump has chosen to surround himself with in this new administration, I seriously doubt it. Judging by the way he wants to continue to aid and abet the murderous behavior of the State of Israel against the Palestinians (including thousands of Palestinian Christians), I seriously doubt it. Judging by his seeming intention to want to reignite a nuclear arms race with Russia (we already have over 7,000 nuclear weapons–more than enough to blow up the entire planet; how many more do we need?), I seriously doubt it.

Donald Trump is going to have but a short window of time to prove to the world (and to Heaven) that his presidency is going to reverse the calamitous course America has been on for far too long. We will see. We will see. We will see.

But 2016 ends and 2017 begins with the government in Washington, D.C., officially creating a brand new “Ministry of Truth” (or “Ministry of Propaganda,” as I call it) in which any and all speech considered “propaganda” by the government can, and most assuredly will, be shut down. Strike the match of war, ladies and gentlemen, and watch First Amendment dissent go up in smoke. As of December 23, it is the law of the land.

Is all of this a precursor to war? It probably won’t take long to find out.

© 2016 Chuck Baldwin – All Rights Reserved

This article appeared originally on News With Views December 29, 2016, here.