What makes a grassroots protest authentically "grassroots"? When is a political rally a genuine expression of citizen concern and not a thinly-veiled front for evil out-of-state interests?
Who's using who?FTS Staff Photo
Michael Huttner, Colorado's chief liberal agitator and head of the national "ProgressNow" liberal activism organization, can spot the difference. We last ran into Huttner at yesterday's rally against the President's health care plan, where he distributed a statement slamming the effort as a front for a "national right-wing organization" and "about as 'grass-roots' as Kim Jong Il's birthday party."
Yesterday's rally was organized by the Independence Institute, a Golden-based libertarian think tank, and Americans For Prosperity, a national conservative organization active on issues relating to the economy. According to Huttner, both were doing the bidding of “right-wing millionaires.”
Time for a reality check: Huttner's non-profit is propped up by the generous support of wealthy donors, as are most all political advocacy groups on all ends of the political spectrum.
There were, in fact, two health care rallies at the state Capitol yesterday: Free-market groups staged theirs during the noon hour, and later in the evening supporters of the Obama plan voiced their support in a rally organized by - drumroll please - two national advocacy groups.
The pro-Obama rally was staged by Organizing for America, a continuation of the President's campaign organization. The Service Employees International Union also recruited attendees and provided staff support.
Following Huttner's logic, did OFA and SEIU sponsor Kim Jong Il's birthday party, as well?
Some political rallies are organized by truly grassroots community groups with barely two nickels to rub together. Others are helped on by more well-funded groups, both local and national. Where is ProgressNow's outrage over the union t-shirts and re-purposed Obama campaign materials used at yesterday's rally?
More from the ProgressNow press release: “Using deceptive language and hiding behind local front groups to create the appearance of ‘grass-roots’ anger, these out-of-state interests are misrepresenting both themselves and the citizens of Colorado..."
Huttner is a talented political organizer, but he undercuts his professional credibility with such breathless attacks. For someone who makes a living recruiting citizens to action to deny his opponents the same is the height of hypocrisy.
“The left doesn’t like the fact that the right now has a strong grassroots voice,” said AFP Colorado State Director Jeff Crank.
Huttner did not return a phone call seeking comment.
laughable irony
On July 29th, 2009 anarch says:
I recently attended a Progress Now boot camp, led by paid organizers from Progress Now and New Organizing Institute, all flown in from out of state as they admitted during their opening background statements. Huttner was there watching.
The whole day was a training session on grassroots organizing for health reform. We had to practice in groups telling sad health stories, then the group critiqued the story so we could present it again and make it more sad. They even video taped the practice groups. It was held at the Plumbers Local Union.
Lunch was tasty but the whole show gave me indigestion.
Talk about big money, Progress Now and NOI have it mastered.