http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/2009/08/facebook-cred/ Economics, Politics, Entertainment and Life in Academia Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:37:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/2009/08/facebook-cred/comment-page-1/#comment-3427 ProfSwitzer Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:43:33 +0000 http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/?p=986#comment-3427 Perhaps Howard Dean should have used one of them as an example instead. I guess it depends on your definition of "grassroots." And any definition you come up with will rule out the vast majority of liberal "grassroots" efforts these days too. Health Action Now, an arm of the AARP, which prints signs for people to take to the meetings, is sponsoring and organizing people. Health Care for America Now calls for people to contact their representatives and help pass health care reform; their address is on K Street in Washington with all the other lobbyists. The Obama administration is sending e-mails to people who have donated to his campaign asking them to get out and make sure they help him. Are any of those "organic?" No, they're "sponsored" and "organized." It's irrelevant. People have questions and concerns and want their representatives to hear them. The ones who are yelling are doing themselves a disservice, and the SEIU people roughing up others aren't helping their cause either. But when representatives can't answer simple questions about a bill (then say "there is no bill" when in fact there are several of them) that is going to change 1/6 of our economy, and can't provide any specifics at all, I think it's understandable for people to get a bit testy. Perhaps Howard Dean should have used one of them as an example instead. I guess it depends on your definition of “grassroots.” And any definition you come up with will rule out the vast majority of liberal “grassroots” efforts these days too. Health Action Now, an arm of the AARP, which prints signs for people to take to the meetings, is sponsoring and organizing people. Health Care for America Now calls for people to contact their representatives and help pass health care reform; their address is on K Street in Washington with all the other lobbyists. The Obama administration is sending e-mails to people who have donated to his campaign asking them to get out and make sure they help him. Are any of those “organic?” No, they’re “sponsored” and “organized.” It’s irrelevant. People have questions and concerns and want their representatives to hear them. The ones who are yelling are doing themselves a disservice, and the SEIU people roughing up others aren’t helping their cause either. But when representatives can’t answer simple questions about a bill (then say “there is no bill” when in fact there are several of them) that is going to change 1/6 of our economy, and can’t provide any specifics at all, I think it’s understandable for people to get a bit testy.

]]> http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/2009/08/facebook-cred/comment-page-1/#comment-3423 Benjamin Seghers Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:10:44 +0000 http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/?p=986#comment-3423 Are these angry mobs that are disrupting town-hall meetings really grassroot efforts? When you visit sites like Recess Rally or FreedomWorks, you see they're nothing but astroturf. They're being sponsored and organized by large Republic lobby groups and other corporate interests. There's nothing organic about it. Are these angry mobs that are disrupting town-hall meetings really grassroot efforts? When you visit sites like Recess Rally or FreedomWorks, you see they’re nothing but astroturf. They’re being sponsored and organized by large Republic lobby groups and other corporate interests. There’s nothing organic about it.

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