A Look Behind the Curtain. Connect the Dots or be One of the Disconnected.

ASTROTURF

SKUNKWORKS & STINK TANKS

Read a Summary of the Issues What is Astroturf? Skunk Works? ---The secret workings to deceive the public according to Sourcewatch. Harvard Nieman articles: The Age of Stink Tanks Corporate-funded research designed to influence public policy, New Millennium Research Council: "Kushnick sees conspiracy where we see collaboration" Teletruth's Response to Telco-Funded Astroturf Group: Conspiracy to Harm the Public: Show Us the Money. Press gives a free pass to citizens groups allied with telecoms At a New Jersey utilities board hearing on cable franchises, three guys from Verizon – the elephant in the room – go unnoticed by the regulators, and by the press. Verizon, AT&T and the manipulation of public opinion. Needed: Blacks, Hispanics, disabled, deaf, low-income and the elderly to support the telecoms’ positions on anti-consumer FCC rulings and legislation. =========================== DEFINITIONS:  * Astroturf—An organization set up by a large corporation or corporations to put forward the corporate agenda but to look like an authentic 'grass-roots' group. * Co-opted—An authentic group that is given funding by a large corporation or corporations, where the group lobbies for corporate initiatives even if they are contrary to the needs of its members. * Skunkworks—A well coordinated clandestine campaign funded by large corporations (or industries) that incorporates Astroturf and co-opted groups, think tanks, PR and lobbying firms, and state and federal politicians to put forward the corporate agenda. * Stink tanks— is a 'think tank', (most of the time a non-profit), that is funded by a large corporation that produces research for the large corporations, many times hiding their actual funding sources. ========================== Other Reading:  Sock Puppets, Wifi Networking News: A collection of articles pertaining to the municipalities creating wifi services and the biased reports and coordinated actions through New Millenium Research Council and Issue Dynamics, among others, to present the corporate agenda.

Skunkworks 101: Issue Dynamics's and Affiliates Tribute Page Issue Dynamics TRAC APT New Millennium Research Council Bell Broadband Cabal & Harm To Competition Harm to Wireless and Municipalities: Sock Puppets United Church of Christ Control of the FCC? ======================= Some Black, Hispanic, Deaf, Disabled, Low Income and Seniors, Astroturf and Co-opted Groups. Video Access Alliance Alliance for Public Technology American Association of People with Disabilities nternet Innovation Alliance National Association of the Deaf Other groups also sent out releases on this and related topics including: National Black Chamber of Commerce Consumers for Cable Choice Netcompetition League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) --------------------------------------Speaker, FTC, Telco-Ties. The Phoenix Center George S. Ford, Chief Economist. Lawrence Spiwak, president Alfred E. Kahn, Professor of Political Economy, Emeritus, at Cornell University, (NERA). William Lehr, Phd Thomas M. Lenard, PFF, Timothy J. Muris, George Mason University School of Law. Gregory L. Rosston , Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Gregory Sidak, Founder of Criterion Economics Scott Wallsten , PFF Hands off the Internet Christopher Wolf. C0-Chairman ------------------------------------ Other Reading:  Wolves In Sheep's Clothing, Telecom Industry Front Groups and Astroturf, Common Cause Consumers for Cable Choice FreedomWorks Progress and Freedom Foundation American Legislative Exchange Council (*ALEC) New Millennium Research Council Frontiers of Freedom Keep It Local NJ Internet Innovation Alliance MyWireless.org

New Millennium Affialiates with Ties to AT&T or Verizon American Enterprise Institute Brookings Institute AEI-Brookings Robert Crandall, is a senior fellow with both the AEI-Brookings Hugh Price, Senior Fellow at Brookings, on the Verizon board The Analysis Group Coleman Bazelon, vice president Beacon Hill Institute David G. Tuerck Executive Director. Cato Institute Competitive Enterprise Institute Solveig Singleton Senior Policy Analyst Braden Cox was technology counsel Criterion Economics Jeffrey Eisenbach, is chairman, co-founded "Progress & Freedom Foundation Robert Crandall also works for the Bells through AEI:Brookings Hal Singer, President, J. Gregory Sidak founder of Criterion Economics, L.L.C., o Jeffrey West is Vice President, The Heartland Institute Steven Titch Senior Fellow, The Heritage Foundation. James Gattuso regulatory and telecommunications issues Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI), Manhattan Institute for Policy Research Thomas Hazlett (the Manhattan Institute), Peter Huber, Pacific Research Institute Sonia Arrison is director of Technology Studies Progress & Freedom Foundation Adam Thierer is Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Digital Media Freedom, Progressive Policy Institute TeleNomic Research Stephen B. Pociask is also affiliated with American Consumer Institute. U.S. Internet Industry Assc. David P. McClure, President ====================== FCC Consumer Advisory Committee & Astroturf groups: Who controls the FCC? It certainly isn't you, the customer. Teletruth filed a complaint about the FCC Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) because after serving on it for two years, it was clear that industry interests, and not customers, are in charge. There are still astroturf and co-opted groups, not to mention industry players on this board.