Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and some on the left, would have people believe that AstroTurfing (or the popular uprising of the enraged citizenry against the government) is something new and to be feared. If that is the case, then the American Revolution and the Civil Rights Movement are artificial dandelions that rudely infiltrated on the beautiful lawns of the British Empire and racial segregation respectively.
Two years ago, these same individuals were AstroTurfing former President Bush over the War in Iraq. These people explained their protests by saying that Bush was standing on shaky and muddy ethical ground. Now when the tables are turned, and the majority of the American people are not behind them, it is amazing how quickly the rights of a stable citizenry who should be listened to transform into the artificial orchestrations of the right-wing conspiracy.
I like AstroTurfing. There, I said it. In fact, I think that AstroTurfing is preferable to having a health care policy that is a puddle of Mud. Mud is the mess of the menagerie of health care bills that are littered all over the House of Representatives. If AstroTurfing allows for a better playing field in regards to deciding the best possible health care bill, I am all for it.
That said, I would rather keep AstroTurfing in its’ proper context in the National Football League. I get the dry heaves imagining some of these people on the Hill in shoulder pads… although Nancy Pelosi vs. Michelle Bachmann may get better ratings than the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day.
Faculty, Department of Political Science, Towson University. Graduate from Liberty University Seminary.