Republicans steal Barack Obama's internet campaigning tricks

Source: The Guardian UK

Both groups are proud of their internet-fuelled achievements over the past few months. But there is another, more traditional, layer to their work which they are less prone to brag about — the powerful individuals and corporations that bankroll them.

FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity are sister groups who came from the same parent body — a campaign called Citizens for Sound Economy, which split in two in 2004. It was set up by one of America's richest men, David Koch, an oil tycoon who has funded rightwing causes for decades.

FreedomWorks receives funding from the tobacco conglomerate Philip Morris, as well as from Richard Scaife, another business tycoon, who for years helped fund dirt-digging investigations into Bill Clinton. Local branches of Americans for Prosperity have also received tobacco money; the group has opposed smoke-free workplace laws and cigarette taxes.

In the environmental area, too, there has been an affinity between the groups and the corporate interests that back them. ExxonMobil was a sponsor of Citizens for Sound Economy, and both FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity have campaigned vigorously against Obama's plans to reduce CO2 emissions through a cap and trade scheme, working closely with the American Petroleum Institute


Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/18/republicans-internet-barack-obama

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The Guardian Uk tells the story of the real backers of the teabagging birthing racist Beck followers.

The main purpose of that group is to keep people thinking government is the problem, that is about it. It does not matter what part of government, as long as as many people possible keep thinking the problem is government, then the big money is happy. Government is how people can push back against despotism. If it is representative and willing to enforce laws on corporations then it can stop how the profit motive alone puts people in positions of having to choose to do bad just to be able to compete in a sector.

For example if pollution that kills people is allowed, then every business has to do it to stay competitive. If pollution is illegal and enforced, then companies do not have to pollute to deliver products. Same thing with any other activity society thinks people should not do.

Here is another example, Capitalism market economy requires scarcity. If there is a shortage of product then price goes up, so with monopoly control, and no government interaction by a social organization like government, then things like starvation makes for profit. Oil shortages make for profit. Even lowering the amount of doctors allowed into colleges increase profit. Anytime the monopoly Central control Capitalism is allowed to modify the market just for profit of a few, it creates what is made to create, societal suffering, and money for the people at the top.


People blame government for the bail out, why not the people that are bribing government, or blackmailing government. People blame government for deficits, why not blame the people the Republicans fronted for for years, Wall Street, Big Oil, and Big Money. If corporations can control who gets in government, then they can rotate in new patsies to be thrown under the bus when needed. While they watch as people actually go against the only organizations that can push back against The Money governmental systems of the private sector central control.

They play both sides. Get some government to hurt people, then pay to get people to yell at government for hurting people, and use that to get rid of the government that wants to help people.

The Baucus bill is another example, they want to get Corporate Democrats to put up a crap bill, get Corporate Republicans to oppose it, then if it gets passed, they can get all the money give aways. And then spend millions showing how crappy the bill is, and while people see that it is a crap bill, The people will blame the Democrats including those that want to do good things for society. They play both sides to get people to hurt themselves.

The system is really simple to understand, and its limitations are impossible to argue against, that is why the slogans and fighting against education is the main goal of the far right. They have to get people from knowing anything so they can be made to hurt themselves.

I'd recommend it if possible!

"People blame government for the bail out, why not the people that are bribing government, or blackmailing government. People blame government for deficits, why not blame the people the Republicans fronted for for years, Wall Street, Big Oil, and Big Money. If corporations can control who gets in government, then they can rotate in new patsies to be thrown under the bus when needed. While they watch as people actually go against the only organizations that can push back against The Money governmental systems of the private sector central control."

I believe this is because the owners or clients of the corporate media, aka; messengers to the American People have an inherent self interest in promoting the myth that "We the People" and our government are the problem, corporations and their right to make profit reign preeminent in virtually all their considerations.

That continuous 24/7 barrage of propaganda by disinformation, obfuscation, ignoring of critical issues and/or information, slanted half-truths, or out right lies is a powerful force, particularly when it comes from authority figures or institutions, that support your ideals or views on key issues.

I believe a negative subliminal undercurrent of the First Amendment comes in to play here. How could the people, press or religious leaders; out right lie to the people, they're protected from the government by the very First Amendment, therefor government must be the adversary and yet the Preamble clearly implies our government is of "We the People." I would call this a superficial conundrum and that's why the corporate media have honed the fine skill of keeping a large percentage of the American People on the superficial level.

The corporate media and their corporate commercial buying clients want the American People to forget, this is all about us, the government is or should be We the People and we shoot ourselves in the foot whenever we allow the Republican Party or their propaganda mouth piece; corporate media to successfully demonize government.

I'm not suggesting that government can't over step it's bounds or run drastically off course however when that occurs it should be corrected by We the People with our actions and decisions based on sound logic and good information, not slanted propaganda; meant to demonize government in and of itself.

I doubt most of them can figure out an ATM, much less a computer.

The stupidity hurts.

Limbaugh or O'Reilly, the Right will not be able to use the net to encourage the spread of information and open conversation like the Left.

It is http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2004/07/b122948.html">Murdoch hand in hand with http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Prosperity">American's for Prosperity who are running the RepubliCON party now.

BTW, Murdoch is planning on http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/06/rupert-murdoch-website-charges">charging his website users next year.

of describing who the astroturfers really are.

Wish more US journalists and pundits would call out the strong right wing organizations stirring up fear and hatred to protect private corporate profits.