Rex Kickass Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 I found this kinda great. Juicy bits below. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/26/16540/0928 Back during the debate for HR 1, I was amazed at how easily conservatives were willing to accept and repeat lies about spending in the stimulus package, even after those provisions had been debunked as fabrications. The $30 million for the salt marsh mouse is a perfect example, and Kagro X documented well over a dozen congressmen repeating the lie. To test the limits of this phenomenon, I started a parody Twitter account last Thursday, which I called "InTheStimulus", where all the tweets took the format "InTheStimulus is $x million for ______". I went through the followers of Republican Twitter feeds and in turn followed them, all the way up to the limit of 2000. From people following me back, I was able to get 500 followers in less than a day, and 1000 by Sunday morning. You can read through all the retweets and responses by looking at the Twitter search for "InTheStimulus". For the most part, my first couple days of posts were believable, but unsourced lies: * $3 million for replacement tires for 1992-1995 Geo Metros. * $750,000 for an underground tunnel connecting a middle school and high school in North Carolina. * $4.7 million for a program supplying public television to K-8 classrooms. * $2.3 million for a museum dedicated to the electric bass guitar. The responses, as you might imagine, were overwhelmingly positive. * WilsonHines: #TCOT OMG, look at this: @InTheStimulus - "is $3 million for replacement tires for 1992-1995 Geo Metros." ....it doesn't get better, either * itsonlywords: I recommend @InTheStimulus for all those who want to know where their hard-earned dollars are going to be spent. #tcot #ac2c #sgp * velmaanne: @InTheStimulus thank you for this feed of disconcerting projects - truly sobering to see so much selfishness * SmartGirlNation: If you have low blood pressure and want to raise it, follow the tweets of @InTheStimulus. * EricAmerica2009: @inthestimulus true patriotism. Thanks for the digging... * ReesForCongress: Good grief! RT @InTheStimulus: is $175,000 for a commission to select the national insect of the United States. [note: yes, apparently an actual candidate for Congress] And one of my favorites: * The_Great_Gazoo: RT @inthestimulus is $5 million in Mexican jumping ant insurance. In my first three days, I made about thirty posts. I got a couple people suggesting that I cite my sources to make the Twitter feed more useful, but only one person actually called me out to say "this is fake". And it was an Obama supporter I had accidentally followed, who promptly blocked me. On Monday evening, I decided to test the bounds of what would be believed. One of my first "crazy" ones was also my most popular: "$2 million for Shamwows." Any right-minded person would start to have doubts at this point (right?), but the responses: * carmcarm3: RT @InTheStimulus is $2 million for Shamwows. (Is this for cleaning up all of Obamas BS?) * cbrowne25: @InTheStimulus That is fantastic. U got a link or page number on that one? They giving out cupons like DTV? Sign me up! * americanblogstr: @InTheStimulus What are we going to do with $2 mil in Shamwows? * KatyinIndy: RT @americanblogstr InTheStimulus What are we going to do with $2 mil in Shamwows? #tcot #912 #teaparty #sgp Cleanup the liberal sh#t in DC * americanblogstr: @InTheStimulus Is $2 mil in ShamWows the new FEMA emergency backup plan for the next Hurricane Katrina? * PreppyPrincess: @InTheStimulus Okay, this is the worst. Worse than the national insect funding. [note: also something I made up, obviously] Shamwows? * ScrapDiva: RT @InTheStimulus: is $2 million for Shamwows. * jeffl8n: nice, what congress person promised everyone a Shamwow? - RT @InTheStimulus: "is $2 million for Shamwows." * hanktechentin: It's worse than we thought! RT @InTheStimulus is $2 million for Shamwows. #tcot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Again, Republicans are stupid, Democrats are so smart! This is getting ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted April 15, 2009 Author Share Posted April 15, 2009 QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 04:11 PM) Again, Republicans are stupid, Democrats are so smart! This is getting ridiculous. Ummm, I just find it hilarious that someone tried to get people to believe that there was 2 million dollars in the stimulus for shamwows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 04:43 PM) Ummm, I just find it hilarious that someone tried to get people to believe that there was 2 million dollars in the stimulus for shamwows. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 03:43 PM) Ummm, I just find it hilarious that someone tried to get people to believe that there was 2 million dollars in the stimulus for shamwows. I know, I know... sorry for the buzzkill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 01:43 PM) Ummm, I just find it hilarious that someone tried to get people to believe that there was 2 million dollars in the stimulus for shamwows. Just think of the money the federal government is spending on paper towels anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted April 15, 2009 Author Share Posted April 15, 2009 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 05:01 PM) Just think of the money the federal government is spending on paper towels anyway. They probably spend 20 million a month on em anyway! Are ya with me camera guy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_genius Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 06:37 PM) They probably spend 20 million a month on em anyway! Are ya with me camera guy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_genius Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 $5 million in Mexican jumping ant insurance. haha thats the best one for sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 QUOTE (mr_genius @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 07:11 PM) haha thats the best one for sure One of the latter ones not listed here was like $900,000 to cover Laura Bush's international trip related gambling debts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted April 16, 2009 Author Share Posted April 16, 2009 Also not mentioned was 88 million to make a bronze statue of Obama on a horse and $450k to provide every elected official in the US with a copy of the Koran. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Bah, who needs Twitter to spread false stories... Just become a CBS anchor instead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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