Sunday, November 28, 2004
Stomp the Weasels (Pt. 1)
Down in comments on the story about the Pope Foundation and its ilk and UNC, I mentioned that I was keeping a little list of the circle-jerk which is the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. This caused Esteemed Reader Granny Insanity to ask:
The American Enterprise Institute (AEI). I mean, duh--the Fountainhead of Fog, is it not? At least some media are starting to identify them as "the conservative-leaning" AEI, which is like saying "the slightly moist Pacific Ocean."
The Heritage Foundation. They fund and publish Townhall, need I say more? Not to be confused with the National Heritage Foundation which is an admirable group which tries to preserve old buildings and such. In fact a Google of their name is not much help because there are so damn many other groups with "Heritage" in their names. This is, btw, the common theme you will see through these groups: their names always sound bland, vanilla, pro-fuzzy-puppies, and generally Virtuous. Be not fooled.
Club For Growth. Not sure whether they should be confused with THIS Club For Growth (the first is a .org and the second is a .com) but from what Google shows they're either one and the same or a bicephalic circus freak. (No offense to real circus freaks intended, the carnie life is a clean and honorable one compared to these folks.) Google has more.
The Claremont Institute. Don't know much about these flakes except they have the attitude towards war that I have towards chocolate: Ain't No Such Thing As Too Much. Here's what Google says.
The Federalist Society. These guys really baffle me, they are judges and other legalistas who do for the rights of an independent, strong judiciary what Phyllis Schlafley does for women's equality: undercut and oppose it at every turn. Bush loves these judges and they love him back. The google on their name will give you more.
The Future of Freedom Foundation. They claim to be so libertarian they think Ayn Rand was a suspicious character, but somehow every time one of their people gets on TV he loves everything Bush is doing. (Um, guys, you want to rethink that "limited government" idea and get back to me?) Smells like a front group IMHO. But Google for yourself to decide.
Competitive Enterprise Institute. Per the Google, it seems these guys are trying to do for the environmental movement what the Federalist Society does for the judiciary: cut its guts out and leave them steaming on the asphalt. "Called "the best environmental think tank in the country" by The Wall Street Journal" which should tell you something.
The Free Market Foundation does things like " Free Market Foundation Co-Sponsored a Conference to Stop Misuse of International
Law in US Courts 27 Oct 2004". As this Google indicates there is another organization with the same name, based in--you ready?--South Africa. Permission for eye-rolling granted.
***
This is a very preliminary gathering. I am far from the first person to have this idea, and those who have been at it longer include MediaTransparency.org, the Disinfopedia wiki on the subject, and any number of others.
What I would like folks to do is look for outfits like the Pope Foundation. These weasels have dens all OVER the damn place and it is our mission to find and mark them.
I am not advocating that these establishments be put out of business, persecuted, boycotted, repressed, depressed, suppressed, or anything else. I just want them identified for the right-wing nutsos that they are. NOT as unbiased, objective commentators, whatever the issue and whatever the medium in which they are given a forum to speak.
Should any of our readers know the arcane art of grant-proposal-writing, or have connections with the MacArthur Foundation folks who hand out the Genius Grants, or a knack for picking good lottery tickets for that matter, let's see what we can do to start our Progressive organizations to match each and every one of them.
If you run across a Weasel-y appearing group in your reading, or know of one in your area, or that has tried to meddle in your school, your church, your college, your business, your profession, hell, your bowling league:--drop a note in "Comments." When this one scrolls out of range just note it "OT" (off topic) and drop in any thread.
Just please don't use the "email us" box on this page if you can help it, that goes to a Yahoo address that nobody checks but Farmer 'cuz none of the rest of us can remember the passwords.
Xan, is your list of groups posted anywhere? It would be very useful to know.Us grannies have to stick together, so by gum, let's start with the list. It was compiled by the scientific method, viz, every time I saw an Expert on TV, whose expertitude was established by his or her connection to a particular institution, and the said Expert used the air time to justify, support, or lend credence to the Bush Administration--a note would be made. It is in no particular order after the first Note of Ignominy:
I know that Dave Johnson has a lot of info on the right posted at his site, but we need a site that just identifies everyone and their financial connections.
I have only been at this for a couple of years, and although I stumble upon things from time to time, I don't know how to do the footwork on my own.
How about giving a tutorial, or mentoring those of us that want to do more but just don't know how? Please?
grannyinsanity
The American Enterprise Institute (AEI). I mean, duh--the Fountainhead of Fog, is it not? At least some media are starting to identify them as "the conservative-leaning" AEI, which is like saying "the slightly moist Pacific Ocean."
The Heritage Foundation. They fund and publish Townhall, need I say more? Not to be confused with the National Heritage Foundation which is an admirable group which tries to preserve old buildings and such. In fact a Google of their name is not much help because there are so damn many other groups with "Heritage" in their names. This is, btw, the common theme you will see through these groups: their names always sound bland, vanilla, pro-fuzzy-puppies, and generally Virtuous. Be not fooled.
Club For Growth. Not sure whether they should be confused with THIS Club For Growth (the first is a .org and the second is a .com) but from what Google shows they're either one and the same or a bicephalic circus freak. (No offense to real circus freaks intended, the carnie life is a clean and honorable one compared to these folks.) Google has more.
The Claremont Institute. Don't know much about these flakes except they have the attitude towards war that I have towards chocolate: Ain't No Such Thing As Too Much. Here's what Google says.
The Federalist Society. These guys really baffle me, they are judges and other legalistas who do for the rights of an independent, strong judiciary what Phyllis Schlafley does for women's equality: undercut and oppose it at every turn. Bush loves these judges and they love him back. The google on their name will give you more.
The Future of Freedom Foundation. They claim to be so libertarian they think Ayn Rand was a suspicious character, but somehow every time one of their people gets on TV he loves everything Bush is doing. (Um, guys, you want to rethink that "limited government" idea and get back to me?) Smells like a front group IMHO. But Google for yourself to decide.
Competitive Enterprise Institute. Per the Google, it seems these guys are trying to do for the environmental movement what the Federalist Society does for the judiciary: cut its guts out and leave them steaming on the asphalt. "Called "the best environmental think tank in the country" by The Wall Street Journal" which should tell you something.
The Free Market Foundation does things like " Free Market Foundation Co-Sponsored a Conference to Stop Misuse of International
Law in US Courts 27 Oct 2004". As this Google indicates there is another organization with the same name, based in--you ready?--South Africa. Permission for eye-rolling granted.
***
This is a very preliminary gathering. I am far from the first person to have this idea, and those who have been at it longer include MediaTransparency.org, the Disinfopedia wiki on the subject, and any number of others.
What I would like folks to do is look for outfits like the Pope Foundation. These weasels have dens all OVER the damn place and it is our mission to find and mark them.
I am not advocating that these establishments be put out of business, persecuted, boycotted, repressed, depressed, suppressed, or anything else. I just want them identified for the right-wing nutsos that they are. NOT as unbiased, objective commentators, whatever the issue and whatever the medium in which they are given a forum to speak.
Should any of our readers know the arcane art of grant-proposal-writing, or have connections with the MacArthur Foundation folks who hand out the Genius Grants, or a knack for picking good lottery tickets for that matter, let's see what we can do to start our Progressive organizations to match each and every one of them.
If you run across a Weasel-y appearing group in your reading, or know of one in your area, or that has tried to meddle in your school, your church, your college, your business, your profession, hell, your bowling league:--drop a note in "Comments." When this one scrolls out of range just note it "OT" (off topic) and drop in any thread.
Just please don't use the "email us" box on this page if you can help it, that goes to a Yahoo address that nobody checks but Farmer 'cuz none of the rest of us can remember the passwords.
