Michelle Malkin » Flashback: Who’s funding the Obamacare Astroturf campaign?

Flashback: Who’s funding the Obamacare Astroturf campaign?

By Michelle Malkin • August 4, 2009 11:35 AM

White House flack Robert Gibbs, Dick Durbin, and others are trashing the Tea Party movement/taxpayer counterinsurgency as “Brooks Brothers” astroturf brigades.

Vid of Durbin:

I’m reprinting my June 24 column in full below as a much-needed pot and kettle reminder.

See also Karl in the HA Green Room. Read the whole thing and pass it on, especially this:

The astroturf has been on public display at events like Pres. Obama’s healthcare town hall meeting in Northern Virginia, where all of the live questions came from members of SEIU, HCAN, and OFA. Heading into the August recess, the White House and the Congressional Democratic Leadership are working in close coordination with outside groups, including but not limited to, HCAN, Families USA, AFSCME, SEIU, and AARP.

If there is anyone putting their own interests ahead of those they claim to represent, it is the AARP. If there is anyone who should not be whining about vocal anti-Obamacare protests, it is the muscle for money crowd at SEIU and ACORN. If there is anyone who knows about shouting down their critics, it is OFA. If there is anyone without standing to complain about activists getting in people’s faces, it is Pres. Obama.

The Community Organizer in Chief, advised by master astroturfer David Axelrod, has amassed a campaign that dwarfs the efforts of the Right. But they are currently outnumbered and out-messaged on a shoe-string budget, primarily because of the merits of the issue. And that, more than anything, is what has the Left demonizing dissent from ObamaCare.

***

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JUNE 24, 2009

My syndicated column investigates the deep pockets behind the “grass-roots” campaign for Obamacare. Chicago crony/White House senior adviser David Axelrod is, of course, the master of astroturfing. So it certainly comes as no surprise that left-wing puppetmasters are behind the government health care takeover lobby. But an informed citizenry needs to know the nitty gritty details.

Will the ABC “All Barack Channel” News health care infomercial tell viewers about the cabal at 1825 K Street (a far Left office complex/headquarters that is the Washington DC analogue of the 1024 Elysian Fields ACORN headquarters in New Orleans, which I first reported on in August 2008)?

Will they tell viewers about the First Lady’s patient-dumping scheme?

Of course not.

So: Read. Learn. Pass it on. Help do the job the rest of the government-directed stenographers won’t do.

***

Who’s funding the Obamacare Astroturf campaign?
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2009

If you believe the White House, there are 30 million Americans who support a government health care takeover. But if you look at the funding behind the Obamacare Astroturf campaign, it’s the same few Leftist billionaires, union bosses, and partisan community organizers pushing the socialized medicine agenda. Let’s connect the dots.

On Thursday, a national “grass-roots” coalition called “Health Care for America Now (HCAN)” will march on Capitol Hill to demand universal health care. The ground troops won’t have to march very far. HCAN, you see, is no heartland network. It is headquartered at 1825 K Street in Washington, D.C. – smack dab in the middle of Beltway lobby land.

In fact, 1825 K Street is Ground Zero for a plethora of “progressive” groups subsidized by anti-war, anti-Republican, Big Nanny special interests. Around Washington, the office complex is known as “The Other K Street.” The Washington Post noted in 2007 that “[i]ts most prominent tenants form an abbreviated who’s who of well-funded allies of the Democratic Party… Big money from unions such as the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, as well as the Internet-fueled MoveOn, has provided groups like those at 1825 K Street the wherewithal to mount huge campaigns.”

MoveOn, of course, is the recreational political vehicle of radical liberal sugar daddy George Soros. The magnate’s financial fingerprints are all over the HCAN coalition, which includes MoveOn; the action fund of the Center for American Progress (a Soros think tank); and the Campaign for America’s Future (a pro-welfare state lobbying outfit).

HCAN has a $40 million budget, with $10 million pitched in by Atlantic Philanthropies – a Bermuda-based organization fronted by Soros acolyte Gara LaMarche. Also in the money mix: Notorious Democrat donors Herb and Marion Sandler, the left-wing moguls who made billions selling shady subprime mortgages and helped Soros fund his vast network of left-wing activist satellites. By their side is billionaire Peter Lewis of Progressive Insurance, whose “Progressive Future” youth group has dispatched clueless volunteers armed with clipboards and literature bashing Rush Limbaugh and Fox News to scare up support for Obamcare.

And two more left-wing heavyweights joining the HCAN parade: the corruption-riddled SEIU (which has battled numerous embezzlement scandals among its chapters across the country while crusading for consumer and patients’ rights) and Obama’s old chums at fraud-riddled ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.

ACORN and HCAN are linked by left-wing philanthropist Drummond Pike, who heads the non-profit Tides Foundation/Tides Center. As the tax disclaimer for HCAN discloses, “HCAN is related to Health Care for America Education Fund, a project of The Tides Center, a section 501(c)(3) public charity.” For decades, the Tides Center and its parent organization, the Tides Foundation, have seeded some of the country’s most radical activist groups of the Left, including the communist-friendly United for Peace and Justice, the jihadist-friendly National Lawyers Guild; and the grievance-mongering Council for American-Islamic Relations.

Pike is the same philanthropist who assisted ACORN founder Wade Rathke after his brother, Dale, was caught embezzling nearly $1 million from the community organizing group. Rathke sits on the Tides Foundation board of directors. In a conspiracy to cover up Dale Rathke’s massive theft of funds, Pike volunteered to buy a promissory note worth $800,000 to cover the debt. These are the populist do-gooders supposedly looking out for you and your health.

Why do they want Obamacare? An internal ACORN memo I obtained from August 2008 makes the motives clear. “Over our 38 years, health care organizing has never been a major focus either nationally or locally for ACORN,” wrote ACORN Philadelphia region director Craig Robbins. “But increasingly, ACORN offices around the country are doing work on health care.” The goal: “Building ACORN Power.” The memo outlines the ACORN/HCAN partnership and strategy of opposing any programs that rely on “unregulated private insurance” – and then parlaying political victory on government-run health care “to move our ACORN agenda (or at least part of it) with key electeds that we might otherwise not be able to pull off.”

The objective, in other words, is to piggyback and exploit Obamacare to improve and protect their political health. The “grass-roots” movement is not about representing Main Street. It’s about peddling influence and power on 1825 K Street.

Malkin is author of the forthcoming “Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks & Cronies” (Regnery 2009).

Posted in: ACORN Watch, Health care, SEIU, Tea Party

Printer Friendly

comments (20)

trackbacks (26)

See what others have said

Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.

Trackbacks

Trackback URL

Comments

#764953

On August 4th, 2009 at 11:49 am, Ragspierre said:

Turban Durbin is one of the most disgusting sacks currently disgracing the halls of Congress.

Out.Of.Touch.
#764966

On August 4th, 2009 at 11:53 am, b-cat said:

You are far too kind, Rags.
#764970

On August 4th, 2009 at 11:54 am, Salt said:

If the Senators and Congressmen believe in the Obamacare plan and understand it, why would they worry about being “sucker punched”? Shouldn’t they have answers to the questions being asked, especially if they’re holding these town halls to answer questions?

Instead, they focus their efforts on things like holding up the Brady chart in the Franking committee.
#764977

On August 4th, 2009 at 11:56 am, Ragspierre said:

“I hope people will take a jaundiced eye to what is clearly the AstroTurf nature of so-called grass-roots lobbying,” Mr. Gibbs said.

In recent days, administration officials and Democratic members of Congress have been shouted down by angry protesters at town halls in Pennsylvania and Texas, an uproar that could grow when lawmakers return to their districts for the August recess.

Mr. Gibbs compared the protesters with the “Brooks Brothers Brigade” that he said appeared in Florida after the 2000 presidential election.

“I seem to see some commonality in who pops up at some of these things,” he said, without elaborating. “You can see quite a bit of similarity between who shows up where.”

OK… Far freaking out. Gibbs has set a testable hypothesis…people should be able to see some “commonality” in the groups who show up at town-halls.

What level of “commonality”? Arms, legs, faces? Mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore? What, exactly?

Let’s make sure this is crammed down his stupid, inarticulate, lying throat!
#764984

On August 4th, 2009 at 11:58 am, Ragspierre said:

You are far too kind, Rags.

I know… I’m lobbying for the Allan Alda nice guy seat. Caught me…
#765004

On August 4th, 2009 at 12:06 pm, d1carter said:

These idiots malign the Tea Parties at their own risk…
#765021

On August 4th, 2009 at 12:12 pm, spaceycakes said:

ooooo, sorry Ragspierre–I can’t stand Alan Alda.

Aside;

I seem to see some commonality in who pops up at some of these things,

How would you know what we ‘look like’, you stupid dirtbag?
#765033

On August 4th, 2009 at 12:18 pm, stillontheroad said:

“I seem to see some commonality in who pops up at some of these things,” he said, without elaborating. “You can see quite a bit of similarity between who shows up where.”
Like people with two arms and two legs wigh a head that has a brain and can analyze and give an opinion? Jeez, Porky Pig is really giving us an insight to the Libtard mind.
#765036

On August 4th, 2009 at 12:19 pm, pueblo1032 said:

AHHHH, brings back fond memories… It wasn’t that long ago the WASHINGTON IDIOCRACY was making fun of the “GRASSROOTS” movement opposed to IMMIGRATION REFORM aka AMNESTY… Boy that was a resounding success, wasn’t it??? My advice to WASHINGTON… Keep up the NAME CALLING keep up the HUMILIATION TACTICS… Each time you make fun of “GRASSROOTS” you make it easier to get more “GRASSROOTS” participation…
#765043

On August 4th, 2009 at 12:22 pm, Ragspierre said:

Rush opened his show by observing that the Political Class (the BLUE SIDE) is “dripping with contempt for the American people”.

True that.
#765059

On August 4th, 2009 at 12:27 pm, JusDreamin said:

You know it’s funny. All you have to do is compare the signs people carry. I have a lot more faith in crayon at this point…
#765067

On August 4th, 2009 at 12:29 pm, lgm said:

Organizing peaceful (if emotional) demonstrations is one thing. Disrupting townhalls is another.
#765100

On August 4th, 2009 at 12:39 pm, spaceycakes said:

Disrupting townhalls is another.

‘Another’ what?

Oh, and by the way; that thing you’re witnessing at townhalls?–it’s also called emotion. Bran-muffin breaths & limousine liberals are not the only ones who have emotions. Those who consider themselves conservative have something coupled with emotion: principled truth.
#765109

On August 4th, 2009 at 12:42 pm, JusDreamin said:

Bran-muffin breaths & limousine liberals

LOL, That is CLASSIC Spacey!
#765125

On August 4th, 2009 at 12:48 pm, sonofdy said:

Organizing peaceful (if emotional) demonstrations is one thing. Disrupting townhalls is another.

So were the pies thrown in the face of people you disagree with the “peaceful (if emotional) demonstrations” you speak of?
#765132

On August 4th, 2009 at 12:49 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

On August 4th, 2009 at 11:58 am, Ragspierre said:
You are far too kind, Rags.
I know… I’m lobbying for the Allan Alda nice guy seat. Caught me…

So.. that makes lgm who, Hot Lips Houlihan?
#765194

On August 4th, 2009 at 1:14 pm, cheapseat said:

claire mccaskill called the police on us outside her office, and when she sent an emmissary she received a rowdy earful. on niether occassion did i see any bussed in or organized rent a mob people. these were voters who finally are demanding their political servants start listening to them, instead of strictly listening to lobbyists with money in their hand for the pols.
#765367

On August 4th, 2009 at 2:12 pm, right_on said:

What does “Durbin the Douche-bag” think all the surprise liberal-statist BS (that they can’t seem to be able to read before voting on it) that’s been shoved down our throats is? Certainly, in his opinion, this does NOT qualify as “sucker punches,” eh?

This Illinois, gangster enabling co-dependent needs to be voted out. He and the others in the Dem. leadership, are the biggest reasons this country is in it’s current shape…and he truly believes he bears no responsibility for his part in it.

Up and Out, people. Up and Out!
#765478

On August 4th, 2009 at 3:05 pm, FirstSkirt said:

The Tea Parties scare the hell out of the liberals. Why is that? Politicians (both Dems and, unfortunately, most Republicans) think Americans are stupid, naive, unwashed, uncaring. They are completely out of touch with mainstream Americans, primarily because we have stayed silent toooo long. Politicans truly believe they are our betters and we are nothing but unruly children who need to be scolded and told what to do. Specter’s face at that town hall said everything: who do “these people” think they are talking to me like this—I’m a Senator.” I have NO respect for any of them anymore. We lost what was left of representative government on Nov 20, 2008. Only way to get it back is more Tea Parties, more Town Halls, and no incumbents elected next election.
#766025

On August 4th, 2009 at 10:32 pm, ent said:

JusDreamin makes a very good point. The best way to tell astroturfed protests from real grassroots protests is to look at the signs. The former carry mass produced signs, the latter make their own. The picture above is a perfect example. It looks like the same sign is being held by every person in the crowd. At tea parties, every sign is different and often quite original.

It rankles me when liberals refer to tea parties as astroturfed events funded by some rich sources, when the exact opposite is true, but it doesn’t surprise me. Delusion and lies seem to be part and parcel of being a liberal. Heck, even the speakers don’t make one thin dime at these events.