The other day a guy showed up at the DC bank rally and tried to cause a scene when Bill Greider was speaking, and the video of me went round the wingnut world.
They did a little digging over at Save the Rich and found out it was produced by GOP astroturf specialty firm Frank Strategies. Ed Frank is the former spokesperson for Elaine Chao at the Department of Labor, and is now a consultant for Americans for Prosperity. Frank Strategies is listed as "local sponsors" at the Houston Tea Party site, and they’re organizing the tea parties in DC and the following cities states:
Arizona
Illinois
Kansas
New Jersey
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Washington DC
Wisconsin
As Save the Rich says, "Yeah, that’s right, Ed Frank who is a consultant for Americans for Prosperity and who also used to be Vice President of Public Affairs for AFP, is making videos and coordinating Tax Day Tea Parties for AFP all over the country." David H. Koch is the Chairman of the Board of Americans for Prosperity. Its funders include the usual rogue’s gallery of big right wing infrastructure donors: Armstrong/Bradley/Lambe nexus.
The teabaggers don’t seem to be conscious of the dissonance of trying to pass off billionaire astroturf as "grassroots," but then nobody involved in this online movement seem to be capable of googling "teabagging" in the first place, so intellectual rigor isn’t their strong suit.
Save the Rich is doing a great job digging into the right wing infrastructure financing these Tea Party shindigs, so check them out.



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Jane…
Just took a gander over at Red State, for some unknown reason, and what did I see, but they are still obsessing about your counter-event in DC last week. Thought you might want to check in with the conserva-kids…
http://www.redstate.com/brianf…..y-forward/
Must…not…make…inappropriate…open…mouthed….gnome…in…teabagging…post…joke…
Tea Bag fairies are they? Wave their magic wands and a Teabagger protest magically appears.
Oh, what the hell, go right ahead! *g*
Go ahead, feel free!
Amateur Hour tactics Jane don’t sweat it this was obvious in the extreme.
Speaking of ambush I’m surprized that O’Reily hasn’t tried ambushing more female bloggers or is the negative reaction he got the last time causing the GOPers to try and hide their tracks?
Gnomes are to Tea Bags as Zombies are to GOPers or Cool aid is to GOP talking heads?
It looks like we’re starting to develop a quorum.
Digg has been opened Pups!
Would a restraining order work? Or maybe a picture of this clown and a home and work address, phone number, email address?
At the very least we could post fliers all over his hometown,work and church:)
From Wonkette:
INTRA-TEABAGGER WARFARE: It’s Paultards/Randians/Truthers/Seceshes/’Libertarians’ Vs. ‘Astroturfers’/GOP Leadership/Hannititties/Fat Cats/Gingrichians/Santelliosos/Fox News/Dick’s Armey…??…!
((((nahant))))
If the teabagging rightwingers believe Jane’s influence to be insignificant, why are they exerting the energy that we’re seeing over at “red state”?
By the way, someone should point out to those who operate and frequent “red state” that the name sounds vaguely Communist. Do you suppose these are Maoist deadenders?
For the same reason we delight in deriding Malkin and Beck and Cavuto and Chimpy.
Let them dig. They seem to be doing our work for us.
“Its funders include the usual rogue’s gallery of big right wing infrastructure donors: Armstrong/Bradley/Lambe nexus.”
When I followed the link over to Sourcewatch, I discovered that in 2008 the group “Americans for Prosperity” launched the “Hot Air Tour” campaign.
Now we have to be fair and, um, balanced. Didn’t they do a good job of naming that event?
Hey, Jane
Thanks for the coverage of the Great Teabagging of 2009. It’s been heck-a entertaining.
WTF is wrong with Richard Wolffe? He hopes the tea parties will be well-attended because “that would be good for politics”. Eh? Shame on KO for letting that bit of stupidity pass.
Lots of clips from Fox on Countdown tonight. Wow. They’re, like, really, really being neutral, aren’t they? /snark
FunnyDiva
Douchebaggery and teabaggery: compare and contrast.
I will admit that we have fun with those people. However, the distinction would be that we actually have a whole lot of teeth in our arguments, whereas they have (approximately) zippo. Hell, anyone in their right mind would be honored to be included on a roster like the one they were flaunting over at “red state”.
That’s a tall order. Is there a time limit?
Hey NPB hows things down there in Monterrey?? Windy as hell here and cold.
If they’re both on the far right fringe, there’s no difference!
FunnyDiva
(It’s all about hot beverages, right? No? Really?)
Not much difference as best as I can discern!!
As I said, let them dig.
The country gets it now – they are all shout and no clout.
You have a point they are nervous they are still talking about her heck they sent a goon to try and discredit her on tape. How did they know she was there I suspect they were stalking.
Red State does sound Maoist I bet they read Mao’s little red book.
Hey there you Bear Creek firepups!
Jane wrote:
Not that I care, but these are states except for Washington, D.C.
Good thing all those events are non-partisan. Maybe they need to be dared to present even one notable Democrat to be, you know, ‘fair and balanced’.
Blustering winds here as well and colder than Norm Coleman’s stubborn black heart.
That is my fault. Will get it fixed.
Thanks.
Fleabags.
Hey Teddy how goes it, we DO miss the meetups at Suz’s place in Bear Creek.. We need to have another meetup but when is the ????
He has a heart??? I thought it was nothing but a Black Hole!!
Cold in sac, also.
FEMA does for the Founding Fathers.
They were all terrorists.
Who knew!
…and for extra points, class, integrate wingnuttery into your essays!!
Your radiant house.
Where is Bear Creek?
As far as I’m concerned, they can knock themselves out. They’re only digging themselves in deeper.
forkin’ freezing in Western Wa. I feel like it’s still February. Groundhog Day anyone?
FunnyD
And speaking of teabaggers:
“If you think the conservative “Tea Party” movement is daunting then take a look at a new report issued by the Department of Homeland Security that says right-wing extremism is on the rise throughout the country.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..86834.html
Would very much like to but planning at this time is a bit touchy as I AM waiting for The Call from Stanford!! Maybe after all is settled, I do live in a central easy to get to part of the Peninsular. I also have a nice yard to use… But that call is coming at anytime!!
They lurch from Cantor and Boehner and Ryan to Faux populism of the most transparently bogus variety…
What will it be once Congress comes back – they have something lined up.
Bear Creek
Perhaps a month or so after the call. Or we could do it at my house but everyone would have to spend the night. Or not drink any vino.
A great drive (if you have a TR6).
Those were the days.
Phoenix Woman’s Silo post is upstairs (this is getting exciting)!
Franken-Coleman Update, 04/14/09 (PM Edition): Eric Black Gets It
Wow! Very nice. Just up the road (about 400 miles).
Whatever it is, it will be some good comedy.
Yep We do Miss Suz down here but she sure seems happy up on the Oregon coast, besides she IS near Tillamook with all that Cheese!! And the fishing up there is great!!
We shall see Mary if I didn’t have IT hanging over my head I would be happy to host it. But after I will try and make it happen.
Nice motorcycle ride, too.
I drove that road to and from Bear Creek maybe 20 times. About half the time, there were traffic delays, and most were motorcycle accidents.
And one very badly pounded Ferrari. But it was yellow, so dude had it coming.
Eli is upstairs!
Tea Party Day: Brace For Crazy
“teasnort” alert here.
starts to clean monitor
Here.
Reel Time Travelers . . . broke up too soon, but were great in their time (’03)
Saw them live twice at http://www.strawberrymusic.com
Martha Scanlon is the rhythm git and lead vocal.
Heidi Clare is the fiddler.
Them gals have gone on to their own pursuits, with great success.
And they sing like angels, the two of them.
Old Timey Rocks. *G*
San Mateo Boy here, dang I miss that fog over the 280 coming down thru Crystal Springs Reservoir to kewl us off.
‘Specially when it’s 110F here in godforsakenvalleythattimeforgot.
Just ask MaryMac . . *G*
“No man is an island!!! (muffled giggling) He’s a peninsula!” (Gracie, Jorma, Paul, Jack and stixman)
I miss the Peninsula of my ute.
From Winterland, to Longshoreman’s Hall, Chateau in Belmont, Barney Steele’s in Redwood City, and PA Keystone, along with a bizillion other venues from The City to San Jose . . . I miss the 101, El Camino Real, 280.
Crystal Springs, and the 6-7 mile paved road from Bunker Hill Road in San Mateo up north for walking, hiking, skating and such.
The Pulgas Water Temple, and Tubing . . .
Filoli Gardens.
Woodside Peanut Farm (a venue).
Rizotti’s Beer Gardens.
Palo Alto, with all it’s hip.
Sigh. *G*
Sigh, let’s try this:
Bear Creek
Sent Ron an email . . . still smiling about it all.
*heartfeltwave*
TR6?
Austin/Healey 2K.
OR Datsun 1600 with dual overhead cams.
*G*
Me, I was on bikes them daze.
And that’s a good and fine putt on a bike back in the woods.
*G*
‘92 turn left from San Mateo south was a great ride.
Hiway 35.
With choices to make as ya enter 4 corners. South and West to 84, or south and stay on 35?
So many choices for a ramble.
Just Follow The Map
Sniff. Miss my old stomping grounds . . .
As an individual that worked in downtown OKC during the bombing…I must say a couple of things.
If a couple of Wealthy Saudi men funded an Anti-Capitalism rally around the corner from the WTC, would anyone be stupid enough to attend!?!??! They are doing one of these down the street from where I live, which is at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Just a few streets down from the Murrah Bombing. The Koch family did a HUUUUUUUGE fund raiser here right after the bombing, it was essentially damage control. You know, basically saying “All Birch Society members are not terrorists like McVeigh, please do not judge us!”
I forgot the second thing. I am so sick about this…and sick about how the so called left has TOTALLY written progressives in the bible belt off and allowed this shit to fester.