Monbiot: "The Tea Party movement: deluded and inspired by billionaires"
Last Updated on Monday, 22 November 2010 19:39 Wednesday, 27 October 2010 12:27
Guardian columnist George Monbiot highlights in an excellent exposé the billionaires behind the far right US Tea Party which recently established links with the EDL.
Monbiot writes: "By funding numerous right-wing organisations, the mega-rich Koch brothers have duped millions into supporting big business".
This is also reminiscent of Bob Dylan's 1960s song about the KKK:
Only a Pawn in their Game
(Astro)turfing
Also watch online the hour long film (Astro) Turf Wars mentioned in Monbiot's article. Here is a trailer for the film.
(Astro) Turf Wars - Trailer
See also this interview with the (Astro) Turf Wars documentary maker:
(Astro)Turf Wars - Interview with documentary maker
We know that wealthy British IT consultant Alan Lake finances--and is one of the leaders of--the EDL. We also know from the narrator of a Newsnightt investigation last Autumn that:
"About a fortnight ago I was invited along to a pub near the Barbican in London. The leadership of EDL were meeting some potential sponsors. One of them was an IT consultant working in the City. They were offering technical expertise to EDL."
Questions: Doesn't the EDL have all the hallmarks of an "Astroturf fake grass roots movement" financed by wealthy businessmen? After all, it sprang from nowhere last year and within a year is a movement that can mobilise thousands. And it mushroomed at roughly the same time as the US Tea Party.
The UAF struggles to get the money to finance its activities such as coaches for demos, PAs and staging etc. Not so the EDL, despite the fact that it had no existing organisational structure.
Are the EDL koch-heads also now getting money from the billionaires funding the US Tea Party?


