With much fanfare and political photo-ops, the media was flooded with stories about a new pro-natural gas “grassroots” group back in march 2014.
The name of the group is United Shale Advocates (USA). As was pointed out in GASROOTS – United Shale Advocates is far from being a grassroots organization. It’s gas-roots, or more to the point ASTROTURF.
Astroturf groups are industry backed groups posing as “Grass”roots. In other words, just as Astroturf is fake grass, Astroturf groups are fake grassroots groups.
More proof was found today in the form of a “Robo-email Blasts” urging members to write their legislators. They even tell the members what to write. Many gas-roots Astroturf groups, industry spokespeople, and supporters have accused Fracktivist groups of using Robo-email Blasts in the past.
Somehow, when a Robo-email Blast comes originates from a drill-baby source it’s perfectly fine.
Next, I draw your attention to the bottom of the letter.
It’s signed by one Amber Benzon, Director of Government Affairs, Marcellus Shale Coalition . Not signed by John or Jane Doe, United Shale Advocates, Real grassroots person.
And this link at the bottom takes you to the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) website – NOT United Shale Advocate website. http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=23713749&msgid=87611&act=TAS6&c=1442950&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.marcelluscoalition.org%2F
The letter directs the member to send the letter through UNITED SHALE ADVOCATES website. More cover to hide the MSC fingerprints? Sending letters through United Shale Advocates will give the illusion of strong “grassroots” instead of just another front group lobbying for the industry.
©2014 by Dory Hippauf
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They are probably sending copies of the letter and providing postage, as well. Hell, they are probably helping people move their hands to sign it, cuz we know they wouldn’t do anything as dastardly as forge signatures on the letters, or would they?
MSC is Funded by all the Greedy Gassers, Drilling, Midstream and Marketers. They have $Trillions $ to gain so why would they ever tell lies? Oh….yeah…$Trillions $ of Reasons!
GASTROTURF ! Those sneaky frackers . . .
as always, Dory has done a fine job digging out the truth. Makes me wish for some of the old days of journalism when reporters actually did report, instead of taking what they were told.