Freedom’s Watch

Great — this is exactly what America needs: another billionaire-funded non-profit (i.e. tax-exempt) organization to promote the rightwing extremist agenda. The problem with America is that there's too much public participation and not enough iron-fisted control by the Powers That Be.

And now help is on the way. Freedom’s Watch is claiming to be a “grassroots” conservative counterpart to MoveOn.org. The executive director of MoveOn.org says: “The main difference is that MoveOn is a group of 3.3 million. Freedom’s Watch is a few mega millionaires.”

If you liked Swiftboat Veterans For Truth and the Project For A New American Century, you'll love Freedom’s Watch. It’s basically the same people with the same agenda: staying the course in Iraq (forever and ever and ever), attacking Iran and strengthening the Religious Right.

If you’ve wondered why so many Republicans keep voting for everything Bush wants, Freedom’s Watch might be the culprit. Part of their M.O. is to go after ANY Republican who dares to criticize or vote against Iraqmire.

The group is made up of people who’ve been Bush Administration insiders and corporate donors throughout Dumbya’s career. And yet officially they're an independent non-profit organization which is “not affiliated” with the White House. Riight.

For their public persona, Freedom’s Watch has chosen a few disabled Iraqi veterans and their survivors. Get ready to have your buttons pushed and your emotions manipulated: “cut and run,” “Victory,” “if we don’t defeat the terrorists over there they’ll follow us home,” etc. And these slogans are being presented by a disabled veteran or by the mother of a Marine who was killed in Iraq. Come on, where's your Patriotism? Why do you hate our troops?

And speaking of the troops, how many members of Freedom’s Watch do you think are veterans? How many of them have sons or daughters who are putting their lives on the line in Iraq (and soon Iran)? I’m gonna guess ZERO.

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Just to show how people can transform and mutate over a 7-year period, here's an early quote from the president who has caused our checks and balances to go the way of the hula hoop and the covered wagon: “We don’t believe in planners and deciders making the decisions on behalf of Americans.”

George W. Bush — September 6, 2000