Tracking Government Shutdown Misinformation
People are more likely to believe a big lie than a small one.
This is still a developing story and I’m traveling to Dallas from Austin right now, but I have my Cyabra software hunting down misinformation.
At this point, it seems like some lawmakers and media personalities are coalescing around the idea that the US will continue to pay “Ukrainian salaries but furlough American citizens.”
This is misinformation and it seems like it was popularized by a media personality named Collin Rugg, who tweeted this out, but does not cite any sources.
JUST IN: The United States will pay Ukrainian salaries but furlough American citizens in the impending government shutdown. Your government hates you and loves war. If Congress fails to pass a spending plan, the U.S. government will shut down at the end of the month but will continue to fund salaries in Ukraine. But what about federal employees in America? According to Newsweek, they will be furloughed. Yes, your tax dollars will be used to fund Ukrainian salaries while American citizens are forced to wait for their pay while the government remains closed.
I tried to find any indication that this was actually happening, so I reached out to some journalists currently in Ukraine.
The best I could do was this article from Politico dated 9/21/2023 titled “Pentagon exempts Ukraine operations from potential government shutdown.” Which states that Operation Atlantic Resolve is except from losing funding since it is an ongoing military mission. Operations in Iraq and Syria will not be effected either.
Based on software analysis, the influence of inauthentic profiles on the subject of “House Republicans” or “Government Shutdown” has increased by 270% over the past week, although its influence on the topic remains low. It is also possible that chuting down the government over aid to Ukraine was a homegrown idea that just isn’t resonating with the public.
The most frequently associated terms with this event are “Congress” “Republicans” “House Republicans” “Biden” and “Ukraine.” The sentiments expressed are mostly in the negative realm with the “Republicans” gaining the most amount of negative sentiment. “Ukraine” is not falling as fast in sentiment as “Republicans.” This may indicate that foreign influence is not yet underway. Or that foreign influences do not have the hardpoints to conduct a shaping operation at this time.
Most inauthentic profiles seem to be focusing on the words “House” “Republicans” “Trump” “Senate” and “House Republicans.” There hasn’t been any noticeable inauthentic activity pushing the Ukrainian Funding narrative.
I have software scanning daily to see how this progresses.
It is a gross misunderstanding of the aid provided and how the government actually pays for things. It technically is sort of true, but not for the reasons cited. Civics instruction is in such a terrible state.
Unfortunately many of the House Republicans that are against funding the war in Ukraine are too young to remember The Cold War.