Astroturf: when "concerned citizens" are just rubes

The Center for Media and Democracy explains astroturfing here, but in a nutshell, it goes like this: public relations agencies frequently receive money from corporate or political organizations to engineer social movements.

These rascals then go about to manufacture “a group of concerned citizens” who believe in a political party or corporation’s agenda.

These aren't folks "naturally" coming together for a common cause. These aren't folks "organically" organizing themselves because of any true belief or shared value system. It’s not a collection of rag-tag volunteers in a church basement, giving up their time, money, resources and energy to make a difference in this world.

Oh, hell no.

There's just a shit-load of cash; a shit load-of telemarketers calling folks asking and leading questions; some folks giving their opinion; and a shit-load of p.r. spin after the fact.

It's manufacturing a social movement that really doesn’t exist -- and it’s been a mostly Republican tactic.

Until now.

This trend is now being met by full-on, flat-out resistance from public relations agencies that think the practice is dishonest, unethical and, perhaps, even illegal.

More information is here: The New Public Relations

It is also interesting to note that several affluent Democratic operatives have started organizing themselves, as well. In secret.

To what end? Who the hell knows? I don’t expect a Democrat to act any better than a Republican these days. Democrats have not been especially thoughtful of late – unless you place value on being a pandering, popularity contestant.

It is, I suspect, simply the times we live in -- when folks will do just about anything to win. Whether it’s an election or an argument, when folks resort to lying, stealing, conniving and destroying other people for the sake of victory, isn’t that victory stained, tainted and tarnished?

If you have to manufacture “the truth” because you cannot prove the merits of your argument…aren’t you just a big, fat, fucking, phony liar?

Republicans have been manufacturing resistance for decades to counteract Democratic arguments -- and now Democrats are so pissed they didn’t think of it first, they’re going to start doing the same thing?

Trouble is, folks: with all this shit-slinging, who's gonna slosh through the feces to find the truth?

And when absolutely nobody is living up to their principles, who the hell is going to believe the truth, even when they hear it?

The point of this rant is that democracy relies on giving the public accurate information an allowing them to make choices.

Deceit, dishonesty and democracy don’t mix well, y’all.

It’s just bullshit -- masquerading as freedom.

And living in a shit hole stinks.