Althouse: "No wonder these people assumed the Tea Party movement had to be some kind of astroturf."

March 22, 2011

"No wonder these people assumed the Tea Party movement had to be some kind of astroturf."

"They were just relying on their own experience."

64 comments:

Toad Trend said...: That's the 'projection' part of liberalism.; 3/22/11, 12:57 PM
kent said...: First desperate, retaliatory bray of "KOCHTOPUS!!!11!" in 5... 4... 3... 2...; 3/22/11, 12:57 PM
Henry said...: Do you think Glenn Reynolds will link back to this post?; 3/22/11, 12:59 PM
vbspurs said...: Astroturfing. Mobys. Clenched commie fists.

This is why politics is such a huge turnoff for your average joe.

Cheers,
Victoria; 3/22/11, 12:59 PM
Chip S. said...: A link from Althouse to a link from Insty linking to Althouse? That's positively Escherian.; 3/22/11, 12:59 PM
Chip S. said...: Now I want to link to Henry's comment.; 3/22/11, 1:00 PM
Unknown said...: I don't really think the woman's a phony (useful idiot, maybe), but Hulsey's being a bit too cute with his solicitude.

Chip S. said...

A link from Althouse to a link from Insty linking to Althouse? That's positively Escherian.

It's incestuous.; 3/22/11, 1:01 PM
cubanbob said...: As don't tread said it's projection. Thieves believe everyone is a thief. They can't believe anyone is intentionally honest, only honest by virtue of stupidity.; 3/22/11, 1:01 PM
Carol_Herman said...: When Nancy Pelosi and her throng of black house members strode up to the Tea Party who gathered to oppose passage to the Obamacare bill ...

Exactly how well did that work out for Pelosi? Seems to me the election, in November, gave her ... her due. The Republicans won in a landslide. She was cast off as House Speaker. And, more states pulled in Republican governors. Just like Wisconsin's Walker.

Before Pelosi, I thought most politicians knew that a smiling, handshaking approach to strangers worked best.

Oh, and on the word "astroturf." Isn't that what Bill Clinton said he put in the back of his open bed truck? Nobody thought Hillary was satisfying him.

Nancy Pelosi did not lay a glove on the Tea Party! Thanks to the Internet. Thanks to Breitbart, who even put money on the table for a video rendition of what those lying liars were charging decent citizens who came to assemble.

Guess the democraps are still stone deaf.; 3/22/11, 1:03 PM
Chip S. said...: edutcher,

linkcest!; 3/22/11, 1:03 PM
Lincolntf said...: This is kind of how I picture the protesters getting ready to head to the Capitol.

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/day-man/17wj26zl4?q=night+man+day+man+sunny

(Clip from the TV show "It's Always Sunny..." so if you don't like offbeat, low-rent humor, don't bother clicking); 3/22/11, 1:04 PM
vbspurs said...: Edutcher wrote:

It's incestuous.

Yes -OR- it's a closed Biblical circle. Instapundit begat Althouse who begat Instapundit who begat Althouse. They continued on this path until one of them begat Andrew Sullivan.; 3/22/11, 1:04 PM
Ann Althouse said...: I know it's a bit ridiculous, but I don't like lengthening what is already a long post.

Sometimes I take comments out of a thread and make a new post instead of adding to the original post when I want to "front-page" something.; 3/22/11, 1:08 PM
kent said...: until one of them begat Andrew Sullivan.

You mean "Afterbirth" Andy: Post-Partum P.I....? ;); 3/22/11, 1:08 PM
traditionalguy said...: I often wondered how much of Soros's money went into creating the AstroTurf Industry. But Ann now has her own New Meadia who is willing to volunteer as her point man to go out and create content for the Althouse Blog. I think Instapundit is jealous.; 3/22/11, 1:13 PM
Toad Trend said...: @kent

'Stillborn' Sullivan.; 3/22/11, 1:15 PM
vbspurs said...: You mean "Afterbirth" Andy: Post-Partum P.I....? ;)

Post-partum P.I., heeee, Kent. How about "Cervix Holmes"?; 3/22/11, 1:16 PM
Anonymous said...: A very good rule of thumb about Leftist accusations is to assume that whatever they are complaining about is the very thing they are engaged in themselves. I don't know if they're that self-clueless, conciously covering themselves, or what, but it's amazing how often they project their own behavior onto their opponents without evidence.

Vast conspiracy - whose side was Journolist on?

Billionaire facilitators - again, whose side is George Soros on?

Violence - how many violent incidents at Tea Party events (where Tea Partiers weren't the victim)?

Uncivil behavior - who stormed goverment buildings and damaged property? (vs who cleaned up trash when they were done)

Racism - Who assaulted and denigrated members of minority groups for their participation in protest activities?

Any objective reading of the public record would prove that those doing the complainers are also the most egregious offenders.; 3/22/11, 1:20 PM
former law student said...: Chip S. said...

A link from Althouse to a link from Insty linking to Althouse? That's positively Escherian.

It's incestuous.

I thought it was the vortex.; 3/22/11, 1:38 PM
Hagar said...: I don't know why George Soros is always brought up as if he was the only Democrat billionaire.

A bit nearer at hand: Claire McCaskill just wrote a check for $287,000 for delinquent county taxes on her airplane???; 3/22/11, 1:39 PM
former law student said...: Billionaire facilitators - again, whose side is George Soros on?

Poor George is only 2/3 of a single Koch brother.; 3/22/11, 1:40 PM
Anonymous said...: Oh Bullshit.

One woman sitting in the rotunda and storing her signs in a legislature's office is not astroturfing.

@vbspurs (or Victoria if I may) I agree with your list of things that turn-off the average person.

I would include the excessive partisan bickering and one up manship. This is one example.; 3/22/11, 1:41 PM
vbspurs said...: Great stuff, kcom.

I mentioned projection, that Lefty trait par non-excellence, in the thread below about the poster lady.; 3/22/11, 1:42 PM
former law student said...: I don't know why George Soros is always brought up as if he was the only billionaire Democrat.

IFYPFY: this adjectiving of nouns has got to stop.

But Bloomberg switched to Republican to run for mayor. You're welcome to go down the list and pencil in Ds and Rs:

http://www.forbes.com/wealth/forbes-400/list; 3/22/11, 1:48 PM
Unknown said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/22/11, 2:01 PM
vbspurs said...: Lamar63, please call me Victoria any time you like. And since I notice another one popped up, from Pasadena, although I'm not picky about spelling, you can interchangeable use Vicky. It's all good. :)

wv: pukka (ooh, an actual -British- word! Actually one of my fave slang words, which means the Real McCoy, as in, a Rolls-Royce is a pukka automobile); 3/22/11, 2:03 PM
TMink said...: What the left falsely accuses you of today, they did themselves yesterday.

Trey; 3/22/11, 2:09 PM
Unknown said...: vbspurs said...
Edutcher wrote:

It's incestuous.

Yes -OR- it's a closed Biblical circle. Instapundit begat Althouse who begat Instapundit who begat Althouse. They continued on this path until one of them begat Andrew Sullivan.

No, he's the spawn of Lilith and Kos.

wv: pukka (ooh, an actual -British- word! Actually one of my fave slang words, which means the Real McCoy, as in, a Rolls-Royce is a pukka automobile)

Is it a direct translation?

From the Empire, no doubt. Something that came in during the Mutiny? Or later HM Indian Army?

PS Tried to catch you with a Mrs Slocombe on the predatory cats thread. Sorry I missed.; 3/22/11, 2:11 PM
TMink said...: "One woman sitting in the rotunda and storing her signs in a legislature's office is not astroturfing."

It most certainly is.

Texas Stadium's astroturf is formed of millions of individual blades. The progressive astroturf is exactly the same. She is but a blade of the greater whole.

So that makes you foolish or a liar to state otherwise.

Trey; 3/22/11, 2:12 PM
TMink said...: And do not forget pooka.

"According to legend, the pooka is a deft shape shifter, capable of assuming a variety of terrifying or pleasing forms, and may appear as a horse, rabbit, goat, goblin, or dog. No matter what shape the pooka takes, its fur is almost always dark. It most commonly takes the form of a sleek black horse with a flowing mane and luminescent golden eyes."

And how are you Mr. Wilson?

Trey; 3/22/11, 2:15 PM
vbspurs said...: Pukka, if memory serves, comes from the Hindustani word for "well done" (the cookery term). So when something is properly done, genuine, or superlative, it is pukka. :); 3/22/11, 2:21 PM
jerryofva said...: FLS:

The Koch brothers earned their money by producing goods and services rather then raping third world countries in currency manipulations. And they did not help send their co-religionists to the gas chambers like Soros did.; 3/22/11, 2:22 PM
Alex said...: it's very simple lefty logic. if you're not on the EXTREME whacko, wild-eyed ultra lefty COMMUNIST agenda, you're a teabagger. Even if you support gay rights and abortion like Ann, she's still a 'bagger becaues she isn't on the extreme left.; 3/22/11, 2:45 PM
Alex said...: The Koch Brothers are the modern day John Galts. Is it any wonder the left is trying to destroy them. Bring down Koch Industries and you start off a chain reaction of economic destruction. Cloward-Piven strategy.; 3/22/11, 2:46 PM
Unknown said...: vbspurs said...

Pukka, if memory serves, comes from the Hindustani word for "well done" (the cookery term). So when something is properly done, genuine, or superlative, it is pukka. :)

Thank you.; 3/22/11, 2:50 PM
former law student said...: And they did not help send their co-religionists to the gas chambers like Soros did.

While I know the professor is not responsible for what commenters post, I dislike seeing antiSemitic lies posted here.; 3/22/11, 3:06 PM
test said...: "Alex said...

The Koch Brothers are the modern day John Galts. Is it any wonder the left is trying to destroy them."

The attacks on the Kochs are quite revealing. For decades the left justified its extreme partisanship by saying the groups worthy of compromise within the Republican Party, primarily fiscal conservatives, were powerless among the scary social cons and therefore bipartisanship was impossible. Then along comes the Tea Party and the Kochs.

If their justifications were true they would have welcomed the Tea Party and be willing to engage the Kochs, as the Kochs support the left in areas where they agree with liberals public face.

In fact though the lefts fear and animosity is far greater today than it was during the Clinton years. The left has always lacked perspective and overreacted to virtually everything, but even many libs back in the 90's thought the extremism over the World Bank for example was silly. The only liberals making that case today are those routinely excised from the party like Kaus.

The political priority consistent with the left's actions is the control of the economy through the scope of government. Increase direct government wherever possible, , increase regulation next. All the social bullshit is an extraneous cover to win votes.

Glenn Reynolds is wrong on one point. He asserts Obama conned the left. Not true. They were in on the con.; 3/22/11, 3:11 PM
jerryofva said...: FLS:

When a Progressive is found out deny deny deny.

George Soros admitted on 60 Minutes that he helped the Nazis send Jews to the gas chamber.

Here is the transcript...

http://bsimmons.wordpress.com/2006/11/04/george-soros-interview-on-60-minutes/

You progressives are the ones who engage in smear tactics. A user entered ireport on CNN attempted to connect the Koch brothers to the infamous Nazi war criminal Ilsa Koch despite the fact that the Koch brothers are descendents of Dutch Jews.; 3/22/11, 3:19 PM
kent said...: George Soros admitted on 60 Minutes that he helped the Nazis send Jews to the gas chamber.

In today's Democratic party, being personally responsible for the murder of Jews can actually spruce up the resume of the right Presidential campaign nominee.; 3/22/11, 3:26 PM
TMink said...: Yeah, that is history about Mr. Soros, not a lie.

God forgive him.

Trey; 3/22/11, 3:37 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Poor George is only 2/3 of a single Koch brother.

Well the rule of thumb is that after you made your first billion, the rest is just bragging rights.; 3/22/11, 4:15 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Claire McCaskill just wrote a check for $287,000 for delinquent county taxes on her airplane???

She should have taken a hint from her buddy John Kerry parked it in neighboring Arkansas. I'm betting the taxes were cheaper there.; 3/22/11, 4:20 PM
Fred Drinkwater said...: @ tradguy and others too numerous to list here...

I get soo confused. We have GOT to standardize the spelling of

New Meadea / New Mediea / NuMeadeIa / whatever

before we end up with another Gadaffi-mess.

This is much more important than the latest activist lameness. I nominate vbspurs to decide, or Chip S. if, for any reason, vbspurs is unable to serve.

Focus, people. How can we replace the old media with this kind of randomness?

(OTOH, what philosopher said: When you have named a thing, you have not said anything useful about it.); 3/22/11, 4:38 PM
Anonymous said...: @Hoosier Daddy

Claire McCaskill registered her plane in Delaware, where no taxes are imposed. Then she moved the plane to Illinois, where she avoided paying taxes before she moved it to Missouri, where she ignored paying her taxes.
The St. Louis Beacon reported; 3/22/11, 4:54 PM
Phil 314 said...: Is this known as circular linking

(reminds me of the plot of 12 Monkeys); 3/22/11, 5:20 PM
Sigivald said...: Chip: Indeed.; 3/22/11, 5:27 PM
Chip S. said...: Fred D.,

You are so right about avoiding the whole Qdaffy business. While fully prepared to defer to vbspurs should she be inclined to weigh in, I would propose the simple Meadia. No confusion with figures of Greek mythology or that harpy from Code Pink, yet not an excessive number of vowels (unlike Meadeia, which looks like a term out of a lit crit class).

Sinde Meadia is itself a new coinage, I'm not sure there's a need to modify it with a variant of "new." But if so, then how about NeoMeadia? A trochee followed by a dactyl, like wikipedia.; 3/22/11, 5:34 PM
vbspurs said...: Fred, I am eating at at a Cuban restaurant, so I am currently typing with my mouth full, apologies. But if the baby needs to be christened, I cede font duties to Chip.

Cheers,
Victoria; 3/22/11, 5:48 PM
vbspurs said...: I second Chip's coinage. Good one, pithy colleague.; 3/22/11, 5:49 PM
kent said...: how about NeoMeadia? A trochee followed by a dactyl, like wikipedia.

Me likey!; 3/22/11, 5:57 PM
Anonymous said...: vbspurs --

"wv: pukka (ooh, an actual -British- word! Actually one of my fave slang words, which means the Real McCoy, as in, a Rolls-Royce is a pukka automobile)"

How interesting, as pooka (puca) and the older Norse puki were mischievous woods sprites who were anything but genuine or real.

Also, Voos is one of my favorite characters.; 3/22/11, 6:11 PM
Chip S. said...: vbspurs,

While you were savoring Cuban cuisine, I was noshing on fish & chips, so now I am full of pith and vinegar.; 3/22/11, 6:59 PM
vbspurs said...: Oligonicella, I always call my bf-du-jour, "pookie" -- coincidence? You decide.

Chip, bon appetit, belatedly! I am back and raring to go, but alas, I see Althouse the blog is deader than Norwegian wood sprite. Ah well.

Hey, when I was eating at the resto, frequented by many American tourists, who walks in but a couple of ten gallon-hat wearing, cowboy-boot shodded Texan tourists! I swear they were over 6 feet a piece. Boy, did they stand out. I could've rushed over and hugged them.; 3/22/11, 7:03 PM
Chip S. said...: could've rushed over and hugged them.

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have resisted.; 3/22/11, 7:08 PM
The Dude said...: The word "pukka" is as British as Rolls Royce is now, that is, not at all.

WV: chwarvas - a pukka sitar player, if I recall correctly.; 3/22/11, 7:27 PM
JAL said...: Lots of people think other people think the way they do.

Funny that way.

It means they're not very people smart.; 3/22/11, 7:34 PM
Harry said...: Hagar said...I don't know why George Soros is always brought up as if he was the only Democratic billionaire.

Billionaire Peter Lewis, who owns the aptly named Progressive Insurance, has donated millions to left-wing causes. Remember that when you're shopping around.; 3/22/11, 7:35 PM
Harry said...: TMink said... What the left falsely accuses you of today, they did themselves yesterday.

Good thought. Please add ". . . and will do again tomorrow."

With the left, there are no principles. It's all about what is advantageous at a given moment.; 3/22/11, 7:38 PM
Big Mike said...: "No wonder these people assumed the Tea Party movement had to be some kind of astroturf."

"They were just relying on their own experience."

You mean it took you this long to figure that out???; 3/22/11, 7:38 PM
jerryofva said...: FLS where did you go? I bet if I respond to a FLS Koch bash with Soros is a junior war criminal he will post the same line all over again; 3/22/11, 9:19 PM
kent said...: FLS where did you go?

Gently, now. He's just still buttsore from his most recent public (self-)humiliation, is all. ;); 3/22/11, 9:46 PM
AST said...: This just occurred to him? When I heard Pelosi say that years ago that was my first thought. Everything they say about the right is projection of their own hypocrisy.; 3/23/11, 12:46 AM
Paddy O said...: "How are you, Mr. Wilson?"

Who in the encyclopedia wants to know?

Ah, good memories. My performance as Judge Gaffney in a high school production was the crowning moment of my acting career. It was also my own moment.; 3/23/11, 7:05 AM
TMink said...: Paddy, thank you! It makes my early day to know that some intelligent soul got the reference!

Bless you!

Trey; 3/23/11, 8:40 AM