A Must-Read Article: A Question of Independence

Read this, print it out, give it to others to read ... Please note that this article specifically mentions The New Millennium Research Council, The Progress & Freedom Foundation and The Heartland Institute. I strongly suspect that in Michigan, you could add the Mackinac Center for Public Policy to that list, since they seem to be pretty much "cut from the same cloth" as P&FF and Heartland.

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A question of independence

By Marguerite Reardon Staff Writer, CNET News.com May 2, 2005 4:00 AM PDT

Charges of "astroturf" lobbying are flying in the debate over municipal broadband, as researchers rush to meet the growing demand for data and economic analysis.

The term "astroturf" typically describes the use of artificial grassroots groups that pose as citizen initiatives but get major funding from corporate interests -- a strategy perfected by the telecommunications industry in its fights with regulators.

Consumer groups complain that the Bells and cable operators are using a similar tactic in their efforts to prevent cities from building broadband networks that would compete with their own.

The phone and cable companies have weighed in on this topic, lobbying state legislatures to pass new laws that would prohibit or limit these networks. They've also taken their fight to the public, through advertising in various communities. Supporters of municipal broadband say these companies are also influencing the debate by helping fund self-identified independent research groups that criticize city-owned networks.

Groups singled out for criticism include The New Millennium Research Council, The Progress & Freedom Foundation and The Heartland Institute.

"It's deceptive when the public hears the name of an organization that sounds like a respected organization with some authority behind it, when in fact it is being backed by an interested party," said Kenneth DeGraff, a policy advocate at Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports. "We look at issues purely from the consumer's perspective. Sometimes we agree with the phone companies, and sometimes we don't. But we never accept any money from an interested party."

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Jack Decker
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