Astorturf and Town Hall Meetings

Parasites have been organizing "Town Hall Meetings" as a means of promoting Statism. In a "Town Hall Meeting", a politician visits a small city. The politician meets with some voters. Are such events are open to the general public, or are they "invitation only"? My guess is that only people with the "right" viewpoint are allowed inside.

Suppose I went to a "Town Hall Meeting" on health care reform. Suppose I were given the opportunity to ask a question, and I asked "Are government licensing requirements for doctors harmful?" The politician would give a pro-State troll response. I wouldn't be given the opportunity to say "Don't give an evasive answer, ***hole!" My microphone would be cut off and if I were persistent I would be Tasered and arrested. The news would not cover my question, or they would cover it and give the pro-State troll response as if it were correct.

Attending a "Town Hall Meeting" is a waste of time. If I want to promote freedom, other tactics are more effective. I help more people by blogging, than I would by attending a "Town Hall Meeting". If I attend a "Town Hall Meeting", then I'm acting like a slave begging his master to be less cruel.

The "Town Hall Meeting" leads to the problem of "Astroturf" or "fake grass roots". Via Astroturf, there's the manufactured illusion of popular support for a viewpoint.

Consider healthcare. Pharmaceutical corporations and insurance corporations and the AMA hire PR firms to advocate for their viewpoint. The PR firm hires a handful of people to go to the "Town Hall Meeting" and loudly advocate for "Obamacare sucks!".

Obama's "healthcare reform" proposal really does suck, but not for the reason his critics give. The real reason that healthcare is expensive is State licensing requirements for doctors. This artificially raises the price of healthcare, by restricting the supply of doctors. The mainstream critics of Obama's proposal don't mention this issue. Nobody goes around saying "Government licensing requirements for doctors are wonderful!" It's an implicit hidden assumption that's never publicly discussed or debated.

If 200 people attend the "Town Hall Meeting" and 20 are outspoken advocates, this creates the illusion of humongous support for a viewpoint. When you see a handful of people being loud, that makes other people more willing to go along. "Obamacare sucks!" really is true, but not for the reason his critics give. This makes the Astroturf campaign very easy to sell.

The mainstream media then covers the loud people at the "Town Hall Meeting". This is presented as news. Then, other people start echoing the viewpoint of the loud people at the "Town Hall Meeting".

If someone said "Government licensing requirements for doctors are harmful!" or "Taxation is theft!", and they were persistent, then they would be Tasered and arrested. The mainstream media would not cover that incident at all.

The "Town Hall Meeting" is attractive for lobbyists and people with nothing better to do with their time. I have a wage slave job. It'd be a waste of my time to use a vacation day just to attend such a meeting. Besides, such meetings are usually held in small cities. I don't know of any held in NYC. It'd be pointless to go and be one of 100,000 people. Even if I were allowed to ask "Is taxation theft?", the politician would give a pro-State troll answer, and I wouldn't be allowed to retort "Stop avoiding my question, ***hole!" The power to cut off a questioner is the power of censorship. It's a waste of time to attend a venue where I'd be censored or ignored.

In a "Town Hall Meeting", there's usually someone screening questions ahead of time. You're only asked to speak if you ask the "right" question.

The "Town Hall Meeting" is a venue that's particularly subject to abuse. PR firms plant agents in the audience, who deliberately disrupt the discussion. Seeing a handful of vocal people, other people mirror their behavior. The "Town Hall Meeting" provides the illusion of openness, while the format is firmly controlled by the bad guys.

This is an important part of the process of "manufacturing consent".

Obama's healthcare reform proposal really does suck. None of the reform proposals address the damaging effect of State licensing requirements for doctors.