Faking the voice of the people

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0131/p11s01-coop.html?mostViewed

from the January 31, 2003 edition

WASHINGTON – What happens when the voice of the people gets as fake as a television laugh track?

That's what's happening to the "letters to the editor" column in scores of newspapers today, thanks to a tactic known as "AstroTurf." Borrowing a trick from lobbyists, interest groups are using phony grass roots letter writing campaigns to puff up their support.

This week, the Republican National Committee (RNC) was caught distributing a form letter praising President Bush that ended up printed, often verbatim, in nearly 75 papers, according to "Fight Back Against Killer Astroturf," one of the many Internet "blogs" tracking this story.

Earlier, newspapers in Wisconsin received a number of letters supporting abortion rights that originated on a Planned Parenthood website.

The GOP letter, which begins, "When it comes to the economy, President Bush is demonstrating genuine leadership," was purported to be the genuine feelings of writers from Rutland, Vt., to Palo Alto, Calif. The truth, as Internet sleuths soon discovered, was that the text was posted on a RNC website that even included links to local news outlets.

The website (www.gopteamleader.com), is described as "an online toolbox for Republican activists." Once a visitor registers, they'll receive Republican e-mail updates and even the exciting opportunity "to collect 'GOPoints' by completing Action Items and redeem them for collateral of your choice, ranging from coolers to mouse pads."

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[ComerPerro]

1. Yeah, this is a common trick, and dittohead morons love it

Bush's website has one of these tools. You just click what papers you want to send it to, cut and paste, and then you are done.

The best part is, you can be a total moron and still "write" letters to the editor. And, once you read what you have "written" and are about to send, you can pretend you are intelligent.

Fortuantely, however, the tool at Bush's site (no, not Bush, the letter generator) can be hijacked by liberals. You can type whatever you want, and don't have to paste any of the BS into it.
I have done this many times, writing letters about PNAC, the 9/11 coverups, the deaths in Iraq, etc...

[Atman]

2. It goes beyond the GI's!

Check this out... fake letters of support coming from the Whitehouse staff, too!

NotBannedYet.US - 1st Amendment Zone

[ixion]

3. it is this type of cheating that concerns me... how is an ethical

person, group or coalition supposed to compete with a bunch of unethical cheaters?

Isn't it ironic? We're the ones who supposedly hate America, and they are the ones who are actively trying to destroy everything this country has stood for.

*sigh*

[NNN0LHI]

5. "how is an ethical...

...person, group or coalition supposed to compete with a bunch of unethical cheaters"?

I trust we will all know what to do when the time comes.

Don

[ixion]

6. I hope so, but that's a mighty big trust...

Indeed... I hope you're right, Don.

Kevin

[DBoon]

4. 'GOP points'!!!

Is politics nothing but a marketing game to these people? Is this a bribe or what?

What this is doing is destroying the worth of genuine communications. The noise of manufactured opinion is drowning out the genuine thought.

[ixion]

7. kick

:kick: