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In reply to the discussion: Report: Russians used Bernie Bros as unwitting agents in disinformation campaign. [View all]Hortensis
(58,785 posts)journalists put together the truth later--that the Koch group, inspired by the "anti establishment" resentment tobacco companies were able to harness on their behalf, set to work doing it on a nationwide scale, planning,hiring agents, forming front groups, seeding and directing media, and of course spending whatever it took.
Until investigators revealed their findings, like most people back then I was listening to the media yammer on about a grass roots rebellion. My husband and I had watched the "tea party" beginnings with interest but decided immediately that "everyone's fault but ours" resentment was not for us, and of course noting that the "movement" was quickly distilling hard right.
We only wondered whether the religious right or big money would take it over by providing the leaders and funding we foolishly imagined this lacked. We didn't guess then at all that it was a big money creation from the beginning, complete with carefully hidden leadership. Hidden, of course, since Koch types were behind most of their grievances.