Common Cause has just released a damning portrait of a number of "astroturf" non-profits funded by telecommunications corporations to give the impression of public support for their views. Entitled "Wolves in Sheeps Clothing" the report profiles nine fake grassroots groups that are bought and paid for by telecom companies. These include:
- Consumers for Cable Choice
- FreedomWorks
- Progress and Freedom Foundation
- American Legislative Exchange Council
- New Millennium Research Council
- Frontiers of Freedom
- Keep It Local NJ
- Internet Innovation Alliance
- MyWireless.org
It’s upsetting how much our public policy debate has been captured by corporate interests battling each other, rather than an informed discussion among citizens and the actual elected officials. Kudos to Common Cause for helping shed some light on this.