General Discussion

Triana

(22,666 posts) Fri Nov 15, 2013, 09:15 AM Nov 2013

Astroturf “Fix the Debt” Caught Ghostwriting for College Students

Our friend Jon Romano, press secretary for the inside-the-beltway PR campaign “Fix the Debt” and its pet youth group, The Can Kicks Back, have been caught writing op-eds for college students and placing the identical op-eds in papers across the country.

This is the latest slip-up in Fix the Debt’s efforts to portray itself as representing America’s youth. Previously, they were caught paying dancers to participate in a pro-austerity flash mob and paying Change.org to gather online petition signers for them.

The newspapers involved in the scam were not amused.

Gainesville Sun to Fix the Debt: “Lay Off the Astroturf and Outright Plagiarism”

The identical op-eds were discovered by Florida’s Gainesville Sun. The paper’s scathing editorial on the topic makes for an entertaining read.

THE REST (it's all a worthy read!):

http://ourfuture.org/20131114/astroturf-fix-the-debt-caught-ghostwriting-for-college-students

6 replies

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Highlight:

Astroturf “Fix the Debt” Caught Ghostwriting for College Students (Original Post) Triana Nov 2013 OP

These jackasses are everywhere. DirkGently Nov 2013 #1

I caught the NRA doing this once Blue_Tires Nov 2013 #2

This sort of thing has been around for a while starroute Nov 2013 #3

Good find! Triana Nov 2013 #4

Ah, yes -- it was Jim Dyke who pioneered astroturf letter to the editor starroute Nov 2013 #5

Not the first time 'astroturf' and 'fix the debt' have appeared together muriel_volestrangler Nov 2013 #6

DirkGently

(12,151 posts)

1. These jackasses are everywhere.

Reply to Triana (Original post)

Fri Nov 15, 2013, 10:29 AM

Nov 2013

Peter Peterson, enraged that anyone might have retirement benefits that don't pay fees to someone on Wall Street.

Blue_Tires

(55,445 posts)

2. I caught the NRA doing this once

Reply to Triana (Original post)

Fri Nov 15, 2013, 10:49 AM

Nov 2013

with a pro-"guns on campus" LTTE, except there was no record that the "student" had ever been enrolled at the university I was working for at the time...

starroute

(12,977 posts)

3. This sort of thing has been around for a while

Reply to Triana (Original post)

Fri Nov 15, 2013, 11:27 AM

Nov 2013

I recall discussions of it here during the Bush administration, and a little googling turned up this old thread from 2005. It seems to have begun with identical letters to the editor in 2004 and advanced to op-eds the following year.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5123349

Triana

(22,666 posts)

4. Good find!

Reply to starroute (Reply #3)

Fri Nov 15, 2013, 12:19 PM

Nov 2013

Unbelievable the insidiousness of the effing propaganda from these people.

starroute

(12,977 posts)

5. Ah, yes -- it was Jim Dyke who pioneered astroturf letter to the editor

Reply to starroute (Reply #3)

Fri Nov 15, 2013, 01:01 PM

Nov 2013

See this thread from 2007 for extensive discussion:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3216077

Back then, Dyke was the RNC communications director. He then went on to co-found the American Center for Voting Rights, which pushed fake claims of "voter fraud." Most recently he's been involved with Karl Rove's American Crossroads. (http://americancrossroadswatch.org/?q=node/5)

muriel_volestrangler

(101,385 posts)

6. Not the first time 'astroturf' and 'fix the debt' have appeared together

Reply to Triana (Original post)

Fri Nov 15, 2013, 07:24 PM

Nov 2013

In fact, it can be hard to find the capitalised 'Fix The Debt' without 'astroturf' somewhere nearby. But they were particularly blatant about it this time.

For bonus points, check back on the names used to spread the BS around the country. They'll be interns for Repubs in DC next year.

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