Astroturf for all!
Since I do post messages on baseball, I should say that when I mention "astroturf" I refer to a political maneuvering, something that's supposed to appear to be a grassroots following, but is merely artificial and green. Like, say the Republicans getting people to send out identical letters to papers all over the world.
Now, if I actually have a reader who does not know me personally, I may have someone who would say that "Democrats do the same thing." That's bullshit. Sure Democrats use malicious political movement, and the leaders have no spines, and Joe Lieberman is working around the clock to establish himself as the biggest bitch in Washington (no small feat), but Democrats have not taken the subversion of democracy to the same level as the Republicans have.
Don't believe me? Then why don't you become a GOP team leader and see what they're doing first hand? I've been thinking of joining to learn of all the manipulation they're doing, but I'm ambivalent about giving the Republicans my name and e-mail and the like, and besides, Tom's got a handle of it.
Included on his site, is this clever point system Republican strategists have come up with:
The GOP Team Leader site has a number of ways users can earn points. Following is a summary of the points each action is worth:
Contact the Media: 5 points per media outlet you contact (maximum of 20 points per day)
Publish a Letter to the Editor: 2 points per published letter. This is in addition to the 5 points you get for contacting the media outlet
Contact Your Representative: 5 points per representative you contact (maximum of 20 points per day)
Attend a Team Leader Event: 5 points per event
Report on what you hear on Talk Radio Shows: 5 points per report provided
Convert a member of your team to Team Leader: 10 points per conversion
A member of your team logs in for the first time: 1 point per member
Forward An Email Message to Your Team: 5 points per message forwarded
Accumulate enough points and you can get bumper stickers, pda covers, tote bags, even ambassadorships to small countries.
Just kidding, you have to actually give Bush money to receive an ambassadorship.
Since I do post messages on baseball, I should say that when I mention "astroturf" I refer to a political maneuvering, something that's supposed to appear to be a grassroots following, but is merely artificial and green. Like, say the Republicans getting people to send out identical letters to papers all over the world.
Now, if I actually have a reader who does not know me personally, I may have someone who would say that "Democrats do the same thing." That's bullshit. Sure Democrats use malicious political movement, and the leaders have no spines, and Joe Lieberman is working around the clock to establish himself as the biggest bitch in Washington (no small feat), but Democrats have not taken the subversion of democracy to the same level as the Republicans have.
Don't believe me? Then why don't you become a GOP team leader and see what they're doing first hand? I've been thinking of joining to learn of all the manipulation they're doing, but I'm ambivalent about giving the Republicans my name and e-mail and the like, and besides, Tom's got a handle of it.
Included on his site, is this clever point system Republican strategists have come up with:
The GOP Team Leader site has a number of ways users can earn points. Following is a summary of the points each action is worth:
Contact the Media: 5 points per media outlet you contact (maximum of 20 points per day)
Publish a Letter to the Editor: 2 points per published letter. This is in addition to the 5 points you get for contacting the media outlet
Contact Your Representative: 5 points per representative you contact (maximum of 20 points per day)
Attend a Team Leader Event: 5 points per event
Report on what you hear on Talk Radio Shows: 5 points per report provided
Convert a member of your team to Team Leader: 10 points per conversion
A member of your team logs in for the first time: 1 point per member
Forward An Email Message to Your Team: 5 points per message forwarded
Accumulate enough points and you can get bumper stickers, pda covers, tote bags, even ambassadorships to small countries.
Just kidding, you have to actually give Bush money to receive an ambassadorship.
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