an attempt to squash the growing unease of the masses who recognize that something is wrong even if they do not know what exactly.

My guess too, the "masses" are dumb but powerful, if they turn to fury before the stage is appropriately set fot their taming or culling, things will get UGLY for TPTB, beside everybody else...

Actually,  It is the thing that the Admin et al, are terrified of.  

Americans In The Streets.   Since the 60's & 70's with demonstrations and all.  What you see on how the "Message" is handled in the MSM was learned during Watergate, Vietnam war demos etc.  

Hmm.  Who was there to learn the lessons?  Cheney, Rumsfeld, and their staffs.

The Message will be managed, the populace will be lulled.

Anything and everything NOT to have the masses being angry and in the streets.

They will do EVERYTHING to displace the hoi poli's aggression to "Someone" else and NOT them.

Commies, Islamfacists, Terrorists, Evildoers... Someone Anyone, but NOT TPTB.

John