In a private post in a closed Facebook group, the editor of @IllinoisPolicy@vin_jc summons a social media “army” to start “fighting a propaganda war” to drop “fair tax truth bombs.”
If they’re engaging in propaganda, maybe a further review of the not for profit status is in order.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:13 am:
These people think they can win by being trolls. The mistake they make is thinking that many of us swallow right wing ideas, like many in the shrinking GOP base. We don’t. That’s one reason Madigan is sitting triumphant with a supermajority-plus, after being attacked non-stop. We don’t buy anti-unionism here, and government hatred.
So nice of them to tone down the rhetoric fresh off the heel of death threats to legislators. They love to play with fire and then back off once something happens.
State of Den is correct. Vultures, condors, buzzards are essential to any ecosystem and provide a service that not even bald eagles do. The IPI shouldn’t equate themselves.
But what is with the right and war. Everything is a war, a crusade, their “values” constantly under “attack”.
Said it before, say it again; it must be some kind of personal hell to be so miserable.
Notwithstanding a correct (and obvious) conclusion that IPI has its own bent. Mark’s analysis to get to that conclusion takes their actual statement out of context. if you actually read it, the IPI is asserting the sun-times, itself, is propaganda and that IPI is now fighting against left-wing progaganda.
- Not a Billionaire - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:24 am:
Not just death threats to legislators. But teachers police retirees. At this point rants about pensions are incitement since there is no longer a legal or judicial issue on the table.
What would the “truth” in the “truth bomb” be, exactly? Every argument against the Fair Tax is speculation about what might happen down the line, which is, by definition, not true.
- The Most Anonymous - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:29 am:
The Trib’s comments section wasn’t bombed out of existence per se, but suffered a Chernobyl-like cataclysmic event.
- Louis Capricious - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:30 am:
“a little bit sharper than Illinois lawmakers”
This from a group with five exclusive lobbyists and a contract lobbyist. The open contempt for elected officials must do wonders for their legislative efforts.
I’ve always wondered if these IPI Facebook followers are such ardent capitalists, why do they do all of this “descending” on Facebook, reddit, twitter, etc for free? That’s a lot of free labor! /s
We will immediately instruct our digital editors and assignment chiefs to generate whatever income tax content we can in order to harvest as many clicks for our shareholders as we can.
Our only regret is the Sinfair broadcast affiliates will probably be in on this, too.
so now arguing against a new tax is somehow equal to levying a death threat?
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 2:51 pm:
Pritzker got almost 2.5 million votes but the IPI is storming a Facebook comments site to change minds. Lol. No wonder why Rauner and Republicans got crushed in 2018.
Fortunately, Champaign has Mark Maxwell of WCIA-3 who knows how to cover both sides of an issue.
He at least provides some balance, since the Champaign News-Gazette unabashedly carries IPI propaganda without telling readers that the organization has a political agenda.
On twitter, Maxwell has yet another “private” post from the Descending Vultures announcing a “purge” in their ranks for leaking to the press. For some reason, they apparently didn’t think that would leak to the press.
A purge? That’s kind of an odd word for an independent public policy think-tankery to use. More of an old-timey European or Asian political movement term.
Descending Vultures, apparently, are also very sensitive and delicate, and down on such things as “ridicule,” “taunting” and “bullying.”
Keep digging, you’re doing great.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, May 29, 19 @ 9:15 am:
IP plans to purge a member of a Facebook account with thousands of members? Good luck with that.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:04 am:
I think it’s terrific that IPI has achieved the self-awareness to describe themselves as bomb-throwing, vulture lobbyist/propagandists.
Trying to live the lie of being non-partisan, independent think-tankers must have been excruciating.
- Anonish - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:06 am:
With bombs being known for their reasonableness and accuracy.
- State of DenIL - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:08 am:
Condors and Vultures are majestic birds, and critical to their ecosystems.
IPI and the proftlodytes are not majestic and not critical to their ecosystems.
Descend like mosquitos seems more apt.
- Fixer - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:10 am:
If they’re engaging in propaganda, maybe a further review of the not for profit status is in order.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:13 am:
These people think they can win by being trolls. The mistake they make is thinking that many of us swallow right wing ideas, like many in the shrinking GOP base. We don’t. That’s one reason Madigan is sitting triumphant with a supermajority-plus, after being attacked non-stop. We don’t buy anti-unionism here, and government hatred.
- Obamas Puppy - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:15 am:
So nice of them to tone down the rhetoric fresh off the heel of death threats to legislators. They love to play with fire and then back off once something happens.
- efudd - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:22 am:
State of Den is correct. Vultures, condors, buzzards are essential to any ecosystem and provide a service that not even bald eagles do. The IPI shouldn’t equate themselves.
But what is with the right and war. Everything is a war, a crusade, their “values” constantly under “attack”.
Said it before, say it again; it must be some kind of personal hell to be so miserable.
- anon - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:24 am:
Notwithstanding a correct (and obvious) conclusion that IPI has its own bent. Mark’s analysis to get to that conclusion takes their actual statement out of context. if you actually read it, the IPI is asserting the sun-times, itself, is propaganda and that IPI is now fighting against left-wing progaganda.
- Not a Billionaire - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:24 am:
Not just death threats to legislators. But teachers police retirees. At this point rants about pensions are incitement since there is no longer a legal or judicial issue on the table.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:25 am:
What would the “truth” in the “truth bomb” be, exactly? Every argument against the Fair Tax is speculation about what might happen down the line, which is, by definition, not true.
- The Most Anonymous - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:29 am:
Mark Maxwell always hustling and scooping.
- City Zen - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:30 am:
The Trib’s comments section wasn’t bombed out of existence per se, but suffered a Chernobyl-like cataclysmic event.
- Louis Capricious - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:30 am:
“a little bit sharper than Illinois lawmakers”
This from a group with five exclusive lobbyists and a contract lobbyist. The open contempt for elected officials must do wonders for their legislative efforts.
- Fixer - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:31 am:
anon, your mental gymnastics done there to avoid what the FB postings actually said is fairly impressive.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:37 am:
–the IPI is asserting the sun-times, itself, is propaganda and that IPI is now fighting against left-wing progaganda.–
Yeah, Rocky Wirtz and Michael Sacks are real Trotskyites.
- PJ - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:37 am:
Trying to get facebook users to flood newspaper comment sections, just like any respectable policy think tank would.
It’s almost a little sad to learn that they’re self-aware.
- ChicagoVinny - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:43 am:
I’ve always wondered if these IPI Facebook followers are such ardent capitalists, why do they do all of this “descending” on Facebook, reddit, twitter, etc for free? That’s a lot of free labor! /s
- Gov Ricketts - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:56 am:
Maybe Sterigenics will finally get its apology the Republican Right keeps calling for?
http://upstream-ideas.com/upstream-ideas/ideas/will-sterigenics-get-an-apology
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 11:21 am:
Maybe sending the vulture over to the S-T will get some of them out of here.
- Amalia - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 11:42 am:
vultures. preying on the dead. how nice of you to think of others that way.
- Huh? - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 12:35 pm:
“With bombs being known for their reasonableness and accuracy.”
How about not so “smart” bombs.
- GateHome Corporate Comms - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 1:24 pm:
This is too good to be true.
We will immediately instruct our digital editors and assignment chiefs to generate whatever income tax content we can in order to harvest as many clicks for our shareholders as we can.
Our only regret is the Sinfair broadcast affiliates will probably be in on this, too.
- GateHome Corporate Comms - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 1:26 pm:
Yes, we grammared hard in that last comment. What do you expect? The two copy editors we have in Texas are busy.
- equivocate - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 1:58 pm:
so now arguing against a new tax is somehow equal to levying a death threat?
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 2:51 pm:
Pritzker got almost 2.5 million votes but the IPI is storming a Facebook comments site to change minds. Lol. No wonder why Rauner and Republicans got crushed in 2018.
- Anoniphone - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 3:17 pm:
And Rauner wanted these folks on his staff … why?
- Perrid - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 3:33 pm:
The feud and name calling between Mark and these IPI folks is quite amusing.
- A. Citizen - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 3:39 pm:
Fortunately, Champaign has Mark Maxwell of WCIA-3 who knows how to cover both sides of an issue.
He at least provides some balance, since the Champaign News-Gazette unabashedly carries IPI propaganda without telling readers that the organization has a political agenda.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 4:01 pm:
–The feud and name calling between Mark and these IPI folks is quite amusing.–
They’ve descended on Maxwell like vultures, this army of social media propaganda warriors.
IPI is claiming direct quotes were “misconstrued.” Like when Charles Barkley said he was misquoted in his autobiography.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 5:49 pm:
Illinois Policy Institute, bringing home a baby bumblebee to a newspaper near you.
https://youtu.be/20U3Y73aPtQ
- revvedup - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 7:10 pm:
IPI now stands for “Instant Propaganda Institute”.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 28, 19 @ 10:32 pm:
The hilarity continues.
On twitter, Maxwell has yet another “private” post from the Descending Vultures announcing a “purge” in their ranks for leaking to the press. For some reason, they apparently didn’t think that would leak to the press.
A purge? That’s kind of an odd word for an independent public policy think-tankery to use. More of an old-timey European or Asian political movement term.
Descending Vultures, apparently, are also very sensitive and delicate, and down on such things as “ridicule,” “taunting” and “bullying.”
Keep digging, you’re doing great.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, May 29, 19 @ 9:15 am:
IP plans to purge a member of a Facebook account with thousands of members? Good luck with that.