The Right Sends In the Quacks

[meow2u3]

Covid-19 highlights the conservative reliance on fake experts.

Over the past few days there have been noisy, threatening demonstrations at various statehouses demanding an end to Covid-19 lockdowns.

The demonstrations haven’t been very big, with at most a few thousand people, and involve a strong element of astroturfing — that is, while they supposedly represent a surge of grass-roots anger, some of them have been organized by institutions with links to Republican politicians, including the family of Betsy DeVos, the secretary of education.

And polls show that an overwhelming majority of Americans — including half of Republicans — are more worried that restrictions will be lifted too soon than that they will be kept in place too long.

But the demonstrators have received huge favorable coverage from right-wing media; Donald Trump called them “very responsible people”; and they were praised by White House economic adviser Stephen Moore, who compared them to Rosa Parks.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/20/opinion/coronavirus-conservatives.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. They will find paid political experts to say whatever makes them the most money.

It worked with Climate Change!

[underpants]

2. Great piece as usual. His links are outstanding

Especially the ones on the overlap between virus protests and anti-climate change groups and the tear down of that giggling moron Stephen Moore.

[Blue Owl]

3. Double K&R

[rownesheck]

4. What needs to be reported

is that only something like 27% of Americans support this horseshit protest. Of course, that won't happen. Reading or watching the news makes it seem like we're all supportive.

[JHB]

5. "Very responsible people", eh?