The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : What If They Threw A Tea Party and Only Astroturf Came?

Text Size

The Spectacle Blog

What If They Threw A Tea Party and Only Astroturf Came?

By W. James Antle, III on 4.16.09 @ 9:45AM

Liz Mair looks at the claims that yesterday's anti-tax, anti-spending tea parties were all top-down events organized by the conservative or Republican establishment rather than a grassroots effort. She finds these claims wanting.

Sometimes the distinction between grassroots and Astroturf isn't 100 percent clear-cut. Obviously, various establishment entities played a role in the tea party business. It's just as obvious, as Mair points out, that a lot of the people involved on a practical level had nothing to do with the RNC, CNBC, Fox News, FreedomWorks, or anything related. George Soros and others helped fund and stimulate seemingly grassroots opposition to the Bush administration. But to claim that there was no actual grassroots opposition to the Bush administration would be insane. Ditto the draft-Perot movement in 1991-92, which featured both grassroots and Astroturf elements. Sometimes top-down movements trickle down to the grassroots and other times establishment figures or groups try to piggyback on some popular movement, since in a democracy leaders are often really followers.

In any event, I have my own take on tea parties and tax revolts in the May issue of the very un-establishment Ron Paulite Young American Revolution magazine.

View all comments (5) | Leave a comment

Sean Parnell| 4.16.09 @ 10:55AM

The charge that these were 'astroturf' is hugely insulting to the hundreds of thousands (?) of real Americans who showed up to protest what they see as government policy gone awry. Just as it would be an insult to the hundreds of thousands of Americans who showed up under the Bush administration to protest what they viewed as policy gone awry.

All this 'astroturf' nonsense is simply a distraction from a real, honest discussion over whether the protesters (then or now) had a legitimate gripe, and whether the public should be moved to adopt their position.

Sean Parnell
President
Center for Competitive Politics
http:///www.campaignfreedom.org
sparnell@campaignfreedom.org

David| 4.16.09 @ 1:51PM

These are the same people that attended Sarah Palin rallies... sponsored and promoted by Faux News.

Laura| 4.16.09 @ 2:31PM

As the person put in charge of the sign up sheets at the St. Augustine (FL) Tea Party, I would like to thank the over 1,000 “billionaire corporate interests and entities” that showed up at the event yesterday. Cleverly disguised as mere citizens, most wearing simple clothing (jeans and t-shirts) and carrying home-made signs protesting the massive irresponsible federal spending, they surreptitiously made individual donations toward our next event. While some donated a few dollars, a few made “outrageously” lavish donations of (gasp) $20!!! Wait until Nancy Pelosi hears about this! Clearly, this “astroturfing” must stop!

me| 4.16.09 @ 2:34PM

wow, we're funded by some super-elite? Well, I feel bad now since I went to a rally on my own volition and did not get paid.

BreeLee| 4.22.09 @ 9:37PM

Thanks Laura for the note about our party, you did a great job at the sign-up table, I could not believe how long the line was just for people to write their name, city and email, it was amazing and amazing volunteers like you made it possible.