Posted on 10/26/2010 1:54:42 PM PDT by neverdem
By funding numerous rightwing organisations, the mega-rich Koch brothers have duped millions into supporting big business
The Tea Party movement is remarkable in two respects. It is one of the biggest exercises in false consciousness the world has seen and the biggest Astroturf operation in history. These accomplishments are closely related.
An Astroturf campaign is a fake grassroots movement: it purports to be a spontaneous uprising of concerned citizens, but in reality it is founded and funded by elite interests. Some Astroturf campaigns have no grassroots component at all. Others catalyse and direct real mobilisations. The Tea Party belongs in the second category. It is mostly composed of passionate, well-meaning people who think they are fighting elite power, unaware that they have been organised by the very interests they believe they are confronting. We now have powerful evidence that the movement was established and has been guided with the help of money from billionaires and big business. Much of this money, as well as much of the strategy and staffing, were provided by two brothers who run what they call "the biggest company you've never heard of".
Charles and David Koch own 84% of Koch Industries, the second-largest private company in the United States. It runs oil refineries, coal suppliers, chemical plants and logging firms, and turns over roughly $100bn a year; the brothers are each worth $21bn. The company has had to pay tens of millions of dollars in fines and settlements for oil and chemical spills and other industrial accidents. The Kochs want to pay less tax, keep more profits and be restrained by less regulation. Their challenge has been to persuade the people harmed by this agenda that it's good for them.
In July 2010, David Koch told New York magazine: "I've never been to a..."
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
American Hero YouTube, please share this awesome election video with others. Last week it was at 531 views; now it’s nearly 174,000.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLlF5YMf7Yc
“Pay no attention to that Soros behind the curtain!!”
Monbiot, idiot extraordinaire.
He calls himself a writer? He used evey jingoistic slime he could find in the Dummies playbook.
Pathetic.
Ah, the Guardian never disappoints to disappoint. I’m pleased to see the hard left fully decloak and openly speak its hatred to that “democracy” thing.
The left sees conspiracies in everything it doesn’t like- Except its own very real conspiracy against liberty.
The Tea Party is the most encouraging thing I’ve seen in my life.
Gosh, he writes as though he thinks this is somehow a bad thing. Seems reasonable to me. That's kind’ve the way we've always done it. And I've always thought highly of The Heritage Foundation not to mention the smaller government idea. Hm...m...odd. I guess it's only a good thing if you say it for Tides Foundation and big government. (Slaps forehead) By George! That's it! It's only a good thing if it's for your side. Geez — so simple.
Where’s my check? Don’t we get paid for being patriots?
Anybody got the Koch brothers phone #? I haven’t been paid.
Thought that was the green party?
As if George Soros, billionaire’s, ties to MoveOn.org meant nothing.
Tell the limey to pay attention . Europe is in the beginning to collapse . This fool has more than the tea party to worry about .
Tell the limey to pay attention . Europe is in the beginning of a collapse . This fool has more than the tea party to worry about .
Then maybe they could spend a few dinar to find out who's funding the Islamic terrorists in their midst in jolly old England.
What has big business ever done for us little people besides CREATING GOOD PAYING JOBS!!!
Morons Moonbats!
*** Gosh, he writes as though he thinks this is somehow a bad thing. Seems reasonable to me. That’s kindve the way we’ve always done it. ***
I was just thinking how lucky conservatives are if it is true that the Koch brothers are funding these resources. Some framework/organization is what conservatives needed. It’s for sure they were never going to get it from the Republican Party. These guys are the Miracle Gro for the grass roots.
Monbiot wouldn’t know Astroturf if it bit him on the ass. I suppose dozens of SEIU and Acorn sponsored buses bringing Paid Protesters to “protests” against whatever Bammy doesn’t like, isn’t covered under his Astroturf definition.
I want to see his article on NOV 3rd . Right after all the Astroturf VOTES ..
George Joshua Richard Monbiot (right) (born 27 January 1963) is an English writer, known for his environmental and political activism
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