….it turns out that the tea parties don’t represent a spontaneous outpouring of public sentiment. They’re AstroTurf (fake grass roots) events, manufactured by the usual suspects. In particular, a key role is being played by FreedomWorks, an organization run by Richard Armey, the former House majority leader, and supported by the usual group of right-wing billionaires. And the parties are, of course, being promoted heavily by Fox News.
But that’s nothing new, and AstroTurf has worked well for Republicans in the past. The most notable example was the “spontaneous” riot back in 2000 — actually orchestrated by G.O.P. strategists — that shut down the presidential vote recount in Florida’s Miami-Dade County.
Remember those great election-2000 days?…..Remember the so-called grassroots Republican riot in Florida, stopping the recount? Wikipedia offers a short refresher…..
The Brooks Brothers riot was a demonstration by Republican congressional staffers at a meeting of election canvassers in Miami, Florida on November 19, 2000, organized for the purpose of bringing about the cancellation of a hand recount in which 10,750 ballots remain uncounted in the recount of the 2000 United States presidential election. The name refers to a traditional brand of suits associated with conservative business attire like that of the protesters.[1] The crowd was reported to have been directed by Congressman John E. Sweeney,[2] a Republican from New York.
How extensive was the Republican Party's orchestration of the "grassroots" protest?…..
In Florida, the Bush campaign quietly organized "rent-a-rioters" and flew them to Florida from all over the country. While disingenuously portraying the protests as "spontaneous grass-roots efforts," the Bush campaign sent special squads of GOP Congressional staffers who, in several instances, led violent attacks on Democratic observers, smashed windows, and tried to force their way into vote-counting rooms. This was not civil disobedience intended to show disagreement, but a concerted attack designed to threaten and intimidate.
Under the direction of House Republican Whip Tom DeLay (of Texas, mind you), staff members of GOP Congressmen were quietly approached with offers of all-expenses-paid trips to Florida, "all paid for by the Bush campaign." In addition to staying in swanky beach-side hotels, part of their reward would be an exclusive Thanksgiving Day party in Ft. Lauderdale. Source
It wasn't a grassroots protest then, either….
Indeed, all on-the-scene reports coming out now indicate that the Miami protest was carried out by rent-a-rioters flown in by the Republican Party. GOP spokespeople have said that at least 750 Republican activists have been sent into South Florida from around the country to oppose the recount, with the party picking up the tab for a number of them.
When George W. Bush took the presidency back in 2000, Karl Rove boasted that they would be "creating reality now." Only perception mattered, according to Rove, truth be damned. Rovian dogma is still the exclusive playbook for Republicans.
Wednesday's faux-Tea Parties, just like the Brooks Brothers Riot of 2000, are not grassroots protests at all, but GOP orchestrated creations of reality.
And just like CNN, back in 2000, breathlessly and with mind-numbing repetitiveness about "breaking news"…..played along with the idea that the Brooks Brothers Riot was, you know, spontaneous…….so too now, with the Astroturfing Tea Parties. It's quite a "grassroots" protest when Fox is actively promoting and participating in the Parties on Wednesday.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Just part of the VAST right wing conspiracy–Eh reverand? (please note lack of caps rev) Its ALWAYS FOX or billionaires-huh? You and your liberal friends can just keep kidding yourself- kepp supporting the socialists as we all go broke.Yeah- Apollo Obama himself freed the captain of that ship too
As with most folks attending on Wednesday – I have a job. I am taking 1/2 day vacation because I dont want to miss it.
Fox is the only on REPORTING on the Tea Parties. I guess if that counts as 'support' – so be it.
The libs can mischaracterize this all they want. But this is the first time in my 50 years that I have hit the street to protest. And lots of my friends are doing the same… 2010 cannot come soon enough
Not a conspiracy when everything is out in the open.
I would advise all travelers to avoid those socialized highways going up to Cleveland. Wouldn't want to compromise your, you know, principles.
Glad you're excited, here_in_Akron, and your friends too.
About 2010 though……I would advise holding off on too much Republican excitement. I'm sure you don't want to be let down and all.
And no, Fox is doing more than "reporting"…..they're PROMOTING.
Rev, is that a bad thing that they may be promoting? Is that any worse than every peice of news media except fox and AM conservative radio was promoting the election of Obama?
What's the problem, Reverend? If Obama's profligate spending pulls us out of the ditch these exercises in freedom of speech and assembly will not be remembered for long.
I just love the hypocracy coming from the libs and their preemptive strikes against the tea-parties. Didn't MoveOn.org, ANSWER, Billionaire George Soros, and ACORN orgainize "grassroots" protests against the war? I guess its not grassroots if it doesn't support the liberal agenda.
Power to the people!!!!
Like I said, it's not that I mind the faux Tea Parties. You know me, live and let live.
What I really find offensive is the phoniness, the plastic nature of the whole thing. The irony of protesting using Tea Parties because of not liking the results of electoral democracy. Nothing to do with the original Boston version.
I have always known that Fox was the teevee network of the Republican Party, and they are proving it, yet again. So, no surprises…..except for the gullibility of conservatives still getting duped by the propagandists at Fox.
Back in 2000, Democrats, when they bitched about the Supremes choosing the president after a close election, were told to "get over it." Obama won in a landslide.
I really don't understand the point of the tea parties myself. Is it because the republicans don't like the election results? It certainly is not taxation without representation (like during the original tea party) as most people voted for the democrats and Obama too.
Guess I need to watch Fox News to see what is all about – but then again that would mean I would have to watch Fox News which is something I don't like to do!
Fake or not, I don't really care about the whole thing. But hey if it is your thing, by all means have fun! Seems like a waste of a half-day vacation though.
First speech, then guns, now assembly. When will it end?
Apparently not at privacy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoGPfXai0b0&feature=player_embedded
It is about taxes Rev. It's like the war and Bush. Were they holding up signs stating that the war must be stopped or were they holding up signs that said hang Bush? Both. Were the libs mad at Bush for the war, yes.(even though the dems voted to go also.) Are the conservatives mad at Obama because he is spending us into oblivion? Absolutely. Aren't you mad that this spending is going to break America or is it okay that Obama spends this much because Bush increased the debt.
Again like little kids. "he had a big piece of cake, I want one too." or "it's my turn(let's see how I can f it up)"
It is not a good idea to overtax the job makers(rich, investors, business owners) to make a more comfortable living for more leaches.(those who choose not to work or to change career paths if need be.) We already have programs in place for those people, no matter what the political twist. It just results in higher prices. (have you been to Giant Eagle or even Marx lately?) Do you think it is okay for the state to increase taxes like it is. Properety tax values are higher than folks can sell their home for. How about raising taxes $24 for a lb of loose tobacco. Here are poor people that can't afford to buy a pack of cigs(probably their only enjoyment in life)so they have to roll thier own. Then Obama and Nancy and Harry drop a $24tax on them. WOW! thanks alot for pounding me without a kiss. Or the labor employees(as usual the criminal labor leaders not effected. Talk about a ponzi scheme.), who are getting a really raw deal by losing their retirement benefits and getting their wages cut and losing their safety net. All demanded "take-aways" by Lord Obama et al. Would they vote Dem again? LOL if they are stupid. We could go on and on with the broken or misled promises made to the people to get this chimp elected. It must be nice to have George Soros, The labor leaders and ACORN as his circus ringmasters.
I found an article explaining what the tea parties are for and I didn't need to go to Fox News to find it:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090414/pl_afp/uspoliticstaxprotest_20090414142551
This article also supports the Reverend's blog entry, here are some items from the article:
"The tea parties don't represent a spontaneous outpouring of public sentiment. They're AstroTurf (fake grass roots) events, manufactured by the usual suspects,"
Some question the entire premise of the protests — that Obama's attempt to fix an economy shaped under his Republican predecessor George W. Bush has anything to do with colonial-era British taxes.
Krugman, writing in his New York Times column, said tea parties were the work of a party hijacked by hard liners and financed by "the usual group of right-wing billionaires."
Not the one in Cleveland David. This isn't just about taxes, it is about Obama spending us into oblivion. This is the 1930' or 40's when FDR spent to revive our economy( which ultimately failed and we had to get involved in WWII to get us out of that mess.) We are no longer a strong industrial nation since our govt decided to send our jobs out of the country.
This attack on these tea parties is nothing but the Obama/Soros/Reid/Pelosi Lib Media villanizing a protest. Trying to make it anti-Obama which it isn't. There are many Americans going to these protests that are Democrats. Real democrats, not the new progressive socialist/communist democrats. Again the libs are lying to their constituents to advance the cause of socialism.
I wonder what country people are living in if they don't understand what the Tax Day Tea Parties are about. We're $11 trillion in debt and giving trillions more to bail out financial companies, including foreign banks. Obama has proposed the largest budget in history, which the CBO estimates will double the national debt in four years and triple it in eight. The CBO estimates Obama will run up over $9 trillion more in debt. The dollar is being devalued, which is a hidden tax on every single American. The administration is signalling a preference for a second TARP bailout. And we haven't even gotten to the $2 trillion expense of cap and trade, nor have we gotten to the enormous costs of Obama's health care plan. There is also a massive $55 trillion unfunded entitlement liability coming very, very soon. America IS GOING BANKRUPT.
But all some people want to do is talk about Fox News. Christ almighty.
"What country?" The U.S.
King….you know I respect your Libertarian streak and your concern for fiscal responsibility. We share some common ground and that's all good.
While it may be true that YOU are attending a Tea Party to protest a lack of what you see as fiscal irresponsibility……the majority of protestors thus far in previous Tea parties, have demonstrated that their primary complaint is that Obama is president.
Obama has outlined his plan to cut the deficits over time. He has also mentioned several times that government is injecting demand into the system TEMPORARILY…..until the private sector kicks in again. No socialistic takeover.
Your solution has been to CUT spending, not just freeze it like GOP Congressional figures have recommended. I have to agree with Obama here, because it is true that cutting spending NOW would be the worst thing imaginable. There's a time for cutting government spending, I agree…..but this ain't it.
And hey….I expect a full Cleveland Tea Party report.
And thanks to David for the link….and his comments.
The GOP is trying to find itself. That's fine…and necessary. The point I'm making about the Parties is that anything "grassroots" must begin with the …..um….grassroots. David's link and the Krugman piece, and the stuff I posted calls the whole "grassroots" thing into question.
What makes me angry is the fact that pricks like Armey and Gingrich and Fleischer are exploiting common conservative voters in some foolish PR campaign protest to jumpstart an unpopular political party.
The GOP needs to offer new thinking, new policies, fresh ideas…….not more of the same old Rovian perception and gimmick public relations politics. Until the GOP does just that….they will continue to be out of favor with the majority of Americans. A million Tea Parties won't change that.
No socialist take over Rev? Are you kidding? In the banks, in the corporations, in education, in our healthcare in our energy programs. All to be controlled by government. Set-up to fail by government to be taken over by government. They have even hinted to us that they want to socailaize these programs. There wont be a private sector takeover because they won't be able to afford it.
They are now telling Americans that it is more important to find work that you find fulfilling than to find work that pays well. They are telling Americans not to expect your property to go up in value. They want GM to build an electric car. It will cost $40K can you buy that at $16 per hour? The types of jobs they want making available to Americans. I understand you are all infatuated with the new chimp in charge and the fact that you stand by your party no matter who the leader is and you all hate Bush and this is your job, but you need to really look at what is going on. This didn't just start with Obama.
Average, how did us getting into WWII get us out of the depression? Because we made all those tanks and planes, guns, uniforms, etc…
Jimmy James -Part of it maybe. The end of that war caused an industrial revolution around the world.
Sorry I meant "this isn't the 30's or 40's.
Did Gm deserve the bailout? You Ask me I would say NO.. why? When Honda and Toyota were out inventing new cars, GM was busy boasting about its pride and Showing off its hungry hungry Daughter the Hummer