We have paid staff members for all of the campaigns posting here. As well as paid staff members for most of the radio talkshow hosts, many of the print media outlets, and some of the cable and network news channels. I even remember a post from a paid staff member of the Bush administration trying to convince us that amnesty wasn't amnesty. I value all of their participation, whether they choose to remain anonymous or whether or not I agree with their positions or candidates. I give them credit for thinking the chattering masses on an internet forum are worthy of attention.
Well, at least us workin-for-free FReepers can compete against these shills, stave them off.
When push comes to shove, our resident heavy hitters always seem to show up for the kill.
I like metaphors more than I should. Go Mitt!
You’ve illustrated my point here. It’s one thing for private citizens to post here, quite another for these paid people. They should identify themselves. To not do so is highly deceitful. If I had been, say, on Fred Thompson’s campaign staff (which I was accused of being), in the interest of honesty and full disclosure, I would feel compelled to reveal that fact, since I would not be speaking for myself as a private, unaffiliated citizen. I don’t view these tactics of having paid staffers hiding behind anonymity as any different than having campaign “plants” in an audience.