Ellie Light

[Kramer]

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2010/01/letter_writer_claims_diverse_r.html

Obama has suspicious number of letter-writing fans named 'Ellie Light'

In recent weeks, Light has published virtually identical “Letters to the Editor” in support of President Barack Obama in more than a dozen newspapers.Every letter claimed a different residence for Light that happened to be in the newspaper’s circulation area.

[BT]

Astroturf Axelrod?
You've probably never heard of ASK Public Strategies. It is the highly secretive, private sector-focused twin to David Alexrod's...

By Jonathan Stein | Wed Mar. 26, 2008 10:39 AM PDT

axelrod.jpg You've probably never heard of ASK Public Strategies. It is the highly secretive, private sector-focused twin to David Alexrod's political consulting firm AKP&D Message & Media. Axelrod, of course, is Barack Obama's chief strategist. Through ASK, Axelrod "discreetly plots strategy and advertising campaigns for corporate clients to tilt public opinion their way," according to a new BusinessWeek investigation [1].

Lots of political consultants do private sector work. Hillary Clinton's top strategist, Mark Penn, is worldwide CEO of a massive PR firm called Burson-Marsteller which is infamous for working with nasty corporate clients (Blackwater, for example [2]) and for pioneering the use of "pseudo-grassroots front groups, known as "astroturfing," according to a 2007 Nation article [3].

Looks like astroturfing is Axelrod's stock-in-trade, too. According to BusinessWeek, here's a description of the work his company has done for electrical company ComEd:

    The Chicago-based utility says ASK has been an adviser since at least 2002. ASK's workload picked up in 2005, as the Exelon subsidiary was nearing the end of a 10-year rate freeze and preparing to ask state regulators for higher electricity prices. Based on ASK's advice, ComEd formed Consumers Organized for Reliable Electricity (CORE) to win support.

    One TV commercial, penned by ASK, warned of a ComEd bankruptcy and blackouts without a rate hike: "A few years ago, California politicians seized control of electric rates. They held rates down, but the true cost of energy kept rising. Soon the electric company went bust; the lights went out. Consumers had to pay for the mess. Now, some people in Illinois are playing the same game." CORE, which describes itself on its Web site as "a coalition of individuals, businesses and organizations," was identified as the ad's sponsor. After a complaint was filed with state regulators, ComEd acknowledged that it had bankrolled the entire $15 million effort.

And does all this touch Obama? It does. According to the article, "Illinois employees of the utility and its parent, Exelon, have contributed $181,711 to Obama's presidential bid?more than workers at any other company in the state."

http://motherjones.com/print/7722

[Kramer]

Going forward Obama's support will fall like domino's -  his fans, his party, the voters, the press, even Conservatives have given him 1 year and he squandered a Full House of Dems, a Super Majority in the Senate and sadly never understood why he got elected. This past week basically mortally wounded him. No health care, no cap & trade, no super majority; fear, isolation and desperation has taken hold and he can't contain his anger. I guess his handlers and his teleprompter is scrambling for something to say at the State of The Union.

[Kramer]

Astroturf Axelrod?
You've probably never heard of ASK Public Strategies. It is the highly secretive, private sector-focused twin to David Alexrod's...

By Jonathan Stein | Wed Mar. 26, 2008 10:39 AM PDT

axelrod.jpg You've probably never heard of ASK Public Strategies. It is the highly secretive, private sector-focused twin to David Alexrod's political consulting firm AKP&D Message & Media. Axelrod, of course, is Barack Obama's chief strategist. Through ASK, Axelrod "discreetly plots strategy and advertising campaigns for corporate clients to tilt public opinion their way," according to a new BusinessWeek investigation [1].

Lots of political consultants do private sector work. Hillary Clinton's top strategist, Mark Penn, is worldwide CEO of a massive PR firm called Burson-Marsteller which is infamous for working with nasty corporate clients (Blackwater, for example [2]) and for pioneering the use of "pseudo-grassroots front groups, known as "astroturfing," according to a 2007 Nation article [3].

Looks like astroturfing is Axelrod's stock-in-trade, too. According to BusinessWeek, here's a description of the work his company has done for electrical company ComEd:

    The Chicago-based utility says ASK has been an adviser since at least 2002. ASK's workload picked up in 2005, as the Exelon subsidiary was nearing the end of a 10-year rate freeze and preparing to ask state regulators for higher electricity prices. Based on ASK's advice, ComEd formed Consumers Organized for Reliable Electricity (CORE) to win support.

    One TV commercial, penned by ASK, warned of a ComEd bankruptcy and blackouts without a rate hike: "A few years ago, California politicians seized control of electric rates. They held rates down, but the true cost of energy kept rising. Soon the electric company went bust; the lights went out. Consumers had to pay for the mess. Now, some people in Illinois are playing the same game." CORE, which describes itself on its Web site as "a coalition of individuals, businesses and organizations," was identified as the ad's sponsor. After a complaint was filed with state regulators, ComEd acknowledged that it had bankrolled the entire $15 million effort.

And does all this touch Obama? It does. According to the article, "Illinois employees of the utility and its parent, Exelon, have contributed $181,711 to Obama's presidential bid?more than workers at any other company in the state."

http://motherjones.com/print/7722

About the electric rate fiasco in CA I remember it and when I got my bill I paid the total amount of the bill not the lesser amount the bill said to pay. I paid the higher amount because I knew sooner or later I would have to pay it back. Sure enough everyone had to pay it back. I didn't owe them a dime.

[Christians4LessGvt]