[quote]The `Right-Wing` Express

By Don Hazen, AlterNet. Posted February 7, 2005.

If you want to know how the conservative message machine was built and what progressives can do to respond, just ask Rob Stein.

Consider that the conservative political movement, which now has a hammerlock on every aspect of federal government, has a media message machine fed by more than 80 large `non-profit` organizations – let's call them the Big 80 – funded by a gaggle of `right-wing` family foundations and wealthy individuals to the tune of $400 million a year.

And the Big 80 groups are just the "`non-partisan`" 501©(3) groups. These do not include groups like the NRA, the `anti-gay` and `anti-abortion` groups, nor do they include the political action committees (PACs) or the "527" groups (so named for the section of the tax code they fall under), like the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which so effectively slammed John Kerry's campaign in 2004.

To get their message out, the conservatives have a powerful media empire, which churns out and amplifies the message of the day - or the week - through a wide network of outlets and individuals, including Fox News, talk radio, Rush Limbaugh, Oliver North, Ann Coulter, as well as religious broadcasters like Pat Robertson and his 700 Club. On the web, it starts with TownHall.com

Fueling the conservative message machine with a steady flow of cash is a large group of wealthy individuals, including many who serve on the boards of the Big 80.

Rob Stein has brilliantly documented all of the above in "The Conservative Message Machine Money Matrix," a PowerPoint presentation he has taken on the road across the country, preaching to progressives about the lessons that can be learned and the challenges that need to be overcome.

view complete article at:


http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/21192/

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[quote]Powell told the conservatives that they needed to confront liberalism everywhere and needed a "scale of financing only available through a joint effort" focused on an array of principles including less government, lower taxes, deregulation and challenging the left agenda everywhere. The conservative right, starting with seed money from the Coors Brewing family and Richard Mellon Scaife's publishing enterprise, moved forward to implement virtually every element of the Powell memo. It is a story of how the conservatives – in spite of political differences, ego, and competing priorities – were able to cooperate and develop a methodology that drives their issues and values relentlessly.

Starting with just a handful or groups, including the Heritage Foundation, in the early '70s, the conservatives built a new generation of organizations – think tanks, media monitors, legal groups, networking organizations, all driven by the same `over-arching` values of free enterprise, individual freedoms and limited government.
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Coors again, I knew about Scaife. Scaife was part of the group who pulled down Clinton and also owns the newspaper THK had that moment with during the campaign. He's a power house of media trouble for the Dems. The media IMO, is our worse enemy, I'm not sure how to regain control but it's a top of the list action to take.

My own personal opinion is that we need to find backers who are willing to put cheap, or free, publications out there for mass consumption....thats what the Republicans are doing now....just as they are targeting fairly liberal areas, we should target smaller communities and regions who's citizens don't usually read the New York Times or Washington Post.

Very good thinking, Teresa. You are right, I'm probably one of the few in this small town who read these newspapers. That plan would work well here as we have some independent news that gets out info. All the farmers need info, especially since most are Republican and got the shaft.
Little papers put in local small markets, little marts and country stores. All the farmers still sit around in stores and talk issues. This could work very well in rural areas.

Interesting how the right wing continues with their strategy to demonize the word "liberal." So much so that many people are downright afraid to speak it. Just today, I heard (excuse me for speaking his name) Hannity say loud and clear that those who do not agree with Bush are "liberal." Sounds like he's threatening any Republican who might not agree with Bush, doesn't it? I am certain that he pounds this point in to his listeners 20 times an hour. It is just sickening. He is doing nothing to bring the country together. Quite the contrary, with his "Let Freedom Ring" theme song. What a mouthpiece he is for the radical wing of the Republican Party.

I don't know why we can't speak just as loud and clear about the "righties." I think maybe we should start distinguishing between the right wing of the Republican Party and the Republican Party - when there is clearly a distinction. And since the Party seems to be lock stepping more and more to the right - well that distinction may be gone already.

It's very sad that the Republican Party has been taken over by so many "radicals." And that the "radicals" are threatening our own democracy's balance of power. What a poor example they are as the party in power. And what must these new democracies across the globe, think of America and the "radical" leanings of its Republican Party?

Oh, and insofar as publishing free publications for distribution in small communities - well, a member of my family once started a more liberal publication in a rather small community and the racks (with the papers) were all stolen in one day. And the advertisers pulled their support because they received threats. So, what was considered a progressive paper that had a lot of community support was gone after its second edition. Small town politics is rough - but it does go to show that if the Republican Party is encouraging this kind of ruthless behavior throughout America - well, people will do your dirty work if all the right buttons are being pushed. Ohio comes to mind...