Possible weapons-grade plutonium type idea I'd like to run by you-

[Guaranteed]

I mentioned this briefly in another thread, but it got no response. I'm actually wondering if Dean has already thought of it. I'm thinking that the Repukes probably did something like it in the 90's, while they were consolidating their power.

Anyway, we all know about our little problem with the media. What makes it so difficult for us to effect them is our lack of grassroots organization. When people can band together on a massive level, the media have to listen, lest we start uttering the dreaded "B" word...

Remember what we did to Sinclair? And that wasn't even at full-strength.

Here's the deal. Give Dean awhile- I could only guess as to how long it would take (but the more time we give him, the stronger our grassroots will become). If it gets to the point where we have to (and I get the feeling we're already there), we begin picking out individual news outlets and boycotting them on a **PARTY-WIDE** level, using our grassroots network to implement it. Addressing each outlet one at a time will make it easier on our constituents, since I can't imagine anyone but the most dedicated of us (like us here on DU) entirely shutting off the TV and/or canceling all magazine and newspaper subscriptions. But, one outlet at a time we can do. It's much scarier that way for them, too.

We'd need a list of "demands"- maybe we should call them "grievances"- examples of OBVIOUSLY important, and very real, news stories that were not reported by the MSM would be of great help. Examples of egregious propaganda and bias- LOL we could send them a truckload. And we could even demand the firings or resignations of certain people. Bye bye, RuffRuff.

FURTHER- and this is the best part- we can time it to begin during sweeps. Killer.

Do you have any idea how BADLY we could hurt them if we did this correctly, on a party-wide, grassroots level? Imagine a 25,000,000+ American boycott of a news organization. Weapons-grade plutonium, indeed. And we have the opportunity to do just that if we are able to get our grassroots up and running like they could be. What we did to Sinclair would look like child's play.

Taking back the media, one news outlet at a time.

Again, this can't be done right away. Dean needs time to get the network together, to make it strong and effective. But, once we do, the sky's the limit. This is nowhere near the FULL extent of the power that we could wield with our numbers. The possibilities are endless.

What do you all think? Isn't this much like what the Repukes did? Would it work?

[NAO]

1. This idea depends on the progressive coalition of 2004 remaining cohesive

The progressive coalition of 2004 was the high-water mark of progressive activism and the peak of unity within the Democratic Party.

John Kerry got more votes than ANY candidate in ANY previous election EVER. Only * in 2004 (allegedly) got more votes than John Kerry.

For chrissake, Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn ENDORSED A DEMOCRAT! That has NEVER happened before. It is a once in a lifetime event. My greatest hope is that the progressive movement that arose in 2004 will not be dissipated by the election outcome. I hope that people will not use the outcome as an excuse to splinter into third parties.

A third party candidate will not win a presidential election and will ensure defeat for the party whose ideals they embody. (It works both ways - Ross Perot both lost the 1992 election and ensured GHW Bush's defeat and Clinton's victory. ANY third party candidate defeats the party whose ideals they are closest to because they divide the votes of that party while the opposite party remains united.) The only way to work toward our ideals is to co-opt the part closest to them. Again, the Evangelical Christian/Neo-Conservative success has shown the way. They did not win by creating a "Christian" Party and/or a "Hard Right" Party. They won by making the dull, centrist Republican party INTO a Hard Right Christian Party.

But if we are to remain politically effective, the momentum and unity and involvement of 2004 must be maintained.

[Guaranteed]

2. No one's leaving, not with Dean becoming Chair.

If that hadn't happened, the party probably would have split. But I think Dean's getting ready for another shot in the arm. He's got to keep us up and motivated, hopeful- meanwhile, working behind the scenes to put that network together.

Then it's time for some payback.

You're entirely right- we have to keep that momentum, that coalition. I'm still so proud of how we handled Sinclair. I think just that may have opened people like Kerry's eyes- we HAVE power. It needs to be TAPPED, though.

[calimary]

29. You're ABSOLUTELY correct, and I LOVE the boycott idea.

It DID work against the Sinclair people.

They're best when there are loads and loads of people all over everywhere, all saying the same thing - IN THEIR OWN WORDS, NO ASTROTURF!

Your idea of targeting them during sweeps is DELICIOUS.

It can be local, regional, or national.

Sometimes, though, I have this vision of a peaceful protest - maybe a candlelight protest at night, or something at - say, HIGH NOON, of crowds and crowds of people surrounding the building or complex of whatever station or newspaper it is. Sort of like a picket line. PEACEFUL. Everybody orderly. Everybody nice and respectable. But just masses and masses of people. Crowds that their employees have to pass through to get to work - which we of course would VERY politely let them do. The point is to be UNIGNORABLE. UNIGNORABLE, in this case, in a face-to-face way, maybe to match a boycott that's going on, online and on the phone that is NOT face-to-face. This could be at the local station - maybe the Pox "news" affiliate, or nationally, in New York City or Atlanta. Or at the HQ of some major sponsor of theirs.

The point is - BIG gestures. So they CAN'T overlook us. And ANY way that hits 'em in the pocketbook is the best of all.

Or how 'bout something even scarier? License Challenges? I think one of the Sinclair stations was supposed to be coming up for renewal maybe at the end of this year? I'm doing this from memory so I'm not sure about this. But it might be worth keeping tabs on this angle, if any DUers have a law background.

Look: ANYTHING that costs them money, or forces them to spend money unnecessarily, is a threat. Sponsorship boycotts? That's potential loss of revenue. Listener/viewer boycotts? THAT, too, is a potential money-loser, because when they lose audience share, they can't charge as much for commercial time. Also, anything that generates unfavorable publicity is grief, too, because it could drive BOTH the audience AND the sponsors away - which is doubly costly. It all boils down to money.

We DO NOT HAVE some bigtime fat-cat like dick cheney calling the NBC brass to complain about the tone of voice Katie Couric used to interview some bushie and order them to order her to behave herself better. Michael Moore said she confessed to him about this during a commercial break after interviewing him, and said intimidation tactics from this White House and its operatives are for real.

What we DO HAVE - is the vast potential for HUGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE whose activism can be, and should be, harnessed and put to work. And sometimes that many people can roar louder and more frighteningly than ten dick cheneys.

If I may, BullGooseLoony, I humbly submit this Motivation Thread to help fire people up and reassure them, from one who's seen it first-hand, that the roar of the listeners IS heard.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1587721

And, as you get motivated, here are some other great ideas to which to apply that new motivation:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1584144#

Let's ROLL!

[calimary]

31. I just found this GREAT post by KharmaTrain in another thread:

Some suggestions...for what it's worth...from one whose worked in radio for 30 years and kinda knows his way around the place.

Demonstrating at the station or trying to contact ownership is a waste of time. Most of these stations are owned by Cheap Channel...who is controlled by Loewry & Mark Mayes...heavy Bushbots. They're now attempting to mainpulate Progressive Radio and AAR, but I'll leave that for another post at another time...that story is developing.

Here's some more realistic suggestions:

1.) Find a public or community radio station. Most of these stations run on donations and volunteers...and most are usually in very short supply at these stations. An ideal target is one that's owned by a Junior College. Here's a great place to set up shop to do a Progressive talk program that will gain one very valuable on-air experience...especially the major "wall" of what to say or do when no one is calling.

2.) If you want something bigger...there are stations in the area that will sell airtime...generally for about $100 a week for an hour (depending on the power of the station and the time the show is on). As a broker, as long as you don't violate basic FCC obscenity rules, the station can't prohibit what you say or is in breach of contract. 10 people at $10 a week and you're on the air.

3.) Approach a large media buyer in the market...a large car dealer or bank or some business that does a lot of advertising. You can either pitch them on supporting (either through direct advertising or as a "silent partner"...you'd be surprise how many will be interested in that route) a talk show. Or, if they advertise on hate radio, to organize some people and take your demonstrations there. Nothing worse for business than a showroom full of irate people scaring away customers.

Just some thoughts....best of luck.

It's in the following thread from the Texas forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=180&topic_id=9706&mesg_id=9906

Thought this belonged here, too.

[Guaranteed]

3. HELLO....HEllo....Hello....hello........

ECHO....Echo....echo....

[drm604]

4. LOL I thought you were going to suggest that the party build a nuke!

Especially when you said "lest we start uttering the dreaded 'B' word...".

Boycotts could work. What about nationwide strikes?
I'm involved in Dean's "Democracy for America" group and, while our local organization is small, it seems to be doing well nationwide. Maybe things could be coordinated through DFA.

[Guaranteed]

5. Oh, most definitely. Dean's going to have DFA AND the DNC's

resources, now. My guess is he's going to start out touring the country, big time. He needs to get email addresses, too, phone numbers.

He's gotta make this thing huge. A juggernaut. Then roll right over them.

[drm604]

6. DFA has a lot of potential

We meet in a restaurant and people are always coming over to our tables and telling us how glad they are to see people meeting and discussing these things. They act like we're some kind of heroes (which we're not). At our last meetup a man came over and said (in a lowered voice) that he was visiting from Ohio (we're in Pennsylvania) and that he wanted to make sure that we understood what had happened in Ohio and that Bush only won because of the repression, obstructionism and dishonesty of Blackwell and other Republicans. We assured him that we were aware of all that and gave him some info so he could look up (or start) a local DFA group where he lives.
My point in all this is that there are a lot of upset people out there who know the truth but are afraid to say it unless they see someone that they know is safe to talk to. I say this because they approach us almost guiltily and lower their voices when they talk to us. This happens all the time, SO THERE IS A LOT OF POTENTIAL OUT THERE! People just have to know that they're not alone and that there are others just like them all around. I think I'm going to start advertising in the events sections of the local papers, posting flyers at supermarkets etc. to see what happens.

[Guaranteed]

7. Keek! nt

[drm604]

8. Kick Kick Kick...

[Nite Owl]

9. It could work if there was cooperation at the

leadership level. If dems refused to make appearances for example. Will the Washington types go along with us? On that list of grievances must be included what was NOT reported, what they skim over and do not discuss if they talk about it at all. It's more than what they do report it's the news that gets ignored as well. CNN would be a good place to start. They need us more than we need them. They made not only a poor moral decision but a poor business decision when they lurched right. The right wing fundies aren't going to give up their FOX news for CNN and now they are losing their base besides doing the wrong thing.

[Guaranteed]

10. Yup, it's just like the Dem leadership.

But I think the most important thing is to make sure that our grassroots really, truly followed through, and understood how important it was.

If we could put that movement together solidly, we could take it back. In fact, I think that's what we HAVE to do.

[ArkDem]

11. I think I hear the sound of crickets....

[Guaranteed]

14. I know, and I honestly don't get it.

This is basically what the Repukes did.

[babylonsister]

12. I think, in theory, this is a great idea.

And pick an outlet, any outlet, and I'd tune right out with the rest of you. (CNN would be my preference because, as has been stated on DU before, so many people think they're the "voice of the people" :puke: ) But what if CNN DID get a truckload full of mail, e-mail, etc., with our list of gripes, and folks did tune out. They could still refuse to acknowledge what's going on, as they're so practiced at this behavior. Though perhaps the remaining outlets would relish reporting on their competitor's bad luck.

[Cha]

15. coverupnewsnetwork would be my

target of choice.

The fascist spread the word that cnn is liberal and the sheeple eat it up.

[Guaranteed]

16. Not during sweeps (they'd have to acknowledge).

During sweeps would DESTROY them.

And I agree- CNN would be target #1.

We wouldn't even bother with Fox. It would hardly affect them, I'd guess. Unless their advertisers were too stupid to realize that they truly ARE RW propaganda.

[calimary]

30. What you should also do, in connection with this, is CC: EVERY letter

to a second (and maybe third or fourth) party. That way, it's nothing that one organization can receive and make like nothing's going on. Others have been clued in about it. OUTSIDERS have been tipped off, also. The target of the letter realizes that the complaint isn't running through a vacuum, and they're looking bad to - maybe - the local newspaper or newspaper media critic, their top two competitors - maybe the news AND sales departments should get a heads-up about it (kind of an ALERT! ALERT! Vultures circling over the opposition... type of thing), that kind of thing.

It's VERY important to make sure they know that others in their market are being notified that they're doing something that's pissing off their listeners. Who knows? You could provoke some REAL competition in the market. One of those competing stations may have a creative programming or promotion exec who decides this might be a wicked little promo campaign - that lets them poke the offending station in the eye. I mean it. You never know what this may provoke.

Maybe one of those outlets that gets CC'ed the complaint is one of the top radio stations - one that has a news department, or maybe if your community has a newsradio station or a station with local talk shows. SOMETIMES, also, there's a talk radio team of would-be muckrakers or mad-dogs who go out an make a bit stink in front of somebody's office building or their front lawn if they're some slum lord. Here in L.A. we've got the "John and Ken" team that goes out every now and then when they've got a hard-on about something. Unfortunately, they slant conservative. Their station carries limbaugh, after all. But maybe there's an Air America station in your area? Maybe they have a local update? Somebody who could do a quickie interview with one of your campaign's organizers and get the word out - in this case to a sympathetic audience?

The bottom line (and it IS all about the bottom line, incidentally) is - the only way nothing will happen if if nothing is attempted.

[Cha]

13. WE keep trying and something's

going "to work"! I've wanted something like this to happen for so long..we're all finally getting it..that we won't get anywhere until we can hold the media responsible.

The fascist media has had a free ride for too long.

[Guaranteed]

17. Yup. The thing is that it's this type of idea that is the true point

of any grassroots movement. The idea is to get a whole LOT of people all on one page- you're creating an ARMY.

And then you bully people with it. :P

;)

Let's do it.

[Cha]

21. Let's Do It!

Let's blow them away! Can you imagine the joy on Dean's face when he finds out what millions of Dems and Independents are doing about the fascist media? :P

[Guaranteed]

24. There's really nothing else we can do.

That's the most important point of all.

We HAVE to do it this way.

[Cha]

25. It is our topmost priority!

And the whoremedia has made it easy for us to see that.

Target: Fascist American whoremedia..

[Guaranteed]

26. Wow...I just read your sig!

And there you go. :)

[Laura PourMeADrink]

18. I love the idea. Many of the outlets are down since the election

and I can't help but think we had something to do with that. I say get rid of that smirky ass Jennings first. And Wolf for sure. Couple the boycott with complaint letters too.

[Guaranteed]

19. You really don't like Jennings?

I always thought he was one of the best.

HATED Brokaw. And of course just about all of the cable news outlets are whores, to say the least.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

20. It started when he had a brief bit on election problems and

he smirked like it was ludicrous. I wanted to smack him. It's really hard to find one to like now

[Guaranteed]

23. The one thing I liked was when he called Bush on distorting

what Kerry said about returning our country to a point where terrorism wasn't such a huge issue.

Do you remember that? There's a clip around somewhere...it got a lot of us really riled up.

It was extremely fair of him.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

22. Here's how they donate - Most to Dems - Even Fox

http://www.choosetheblue.com/main.php

[babylonsister]

27. Faithful Jennings watcher here Mon-Fri.

I don't agree always and get pissed when what to me are major stories get glossed over or ignored completely, but he's the lesser of many evils IMO. Weekend coverage, for the most part, seems to be more and more about fluff just to fill the time slot.

[Quakerfriend]

28. Yea, we've gotta demand they STOP with the FLUFF

already, and give us the real news! We can put some stipulations on this...sort of like the Mafia does!!:9

[calimary]

32. KICK!

Just Because.