[Count of Monte Fisto]

The Government listening to our private phone conversations and email and using paid shills to manipulate public opinion on the Internet? Why, only tin foil hat wearing, moonbat kooks believe that rot! The nutters have been spouting that nonsense for years.

[cripplecreek]

using paid shills to manipulate public opinion on the Internet

Ancient tactic using modern tools. In the progressive era they were the four minute men who just had something to say and the handful of people placed throughout a crowd to appear numerous and agree. Saul Alinsky called it the diamond technique. Unions still use it today.

"Ellie Light" posted here at FR....and literally hundreds of other places nationwide. There's one who used to show up in every thread about the national popular vote to pimp it with paragraphs long responses that came only seconds apart. I did some searching and found the exact words posted in over 120 different places.