Remember the halcyon days of the TEA Party movement. It was so organic that the left lost its mind. They called it astroturf, even using the IRS to suppress it before the 2012 elections. And they tried to astroturf their own version. And threaded throughout, and ever since, there have been accusations that people who objected to Obamanaughts or their stupid, dangerous policies (like ObamaCare or spying on members of Congress and the media) were part of the Kochtopus.
According to them, we were all getting paid by the Koch brothers. Everyone except GraniteGrok, it seems. We never got a check, and we were blowing the doors off everyone in New Hampshire (and much of New England) for online traffic.
No one tried to buy us, but we had to be getting paid because that’s how the Left did it.
They had their own rich bastards, used government grants, NGO fronts, USAID, just about any agency or organization they laundered money through to create the perception of a majority voice or momentum, or they just used intimidation to get their way.
When the Biden White House started paying “influencers” to promote vaccine safety lies during COVID, who could be surprised? They paid a lot of people a lot of money to spread one of the most dangerous lies in recent memory, but the checks went out, and the money was spent.
The practice has since ballooned, and it’s everywhere, on the Left, with plenty of money traced to “right-wing” influencers as well, from all directions. But the latter is more often an investment in creating the perception of division in the Republican ranks. Paid for anti-Trump Admin messaging.
Again, not here.
That’s not to say we don’t have people who disagree with some of what Trump does, and we certainly invite op-ed writers across the center right to chime in and offer insight or perspective on any topic. We currently have yet another Article V/Convention of States’ throwdown in process, with both sides having their say. But no one pays us to say, do, or publish any of that, and that applies regardless of the candidate or issue.
We don’t do that.
I wanted to let our readers know that, or remind them, if anyone ever asks. We treat this sort of thing the same way we treat donors. We are probably 85% donor-supported, but that will never buy editorial influence. The reporting, news, and commentary are always ours, and no one paid for the “opinion.”
Our donors don’t get to define content, style, or anything else, and neither do advertisers, especially candidates. Donors get anonymity. We are an LLC, so you can give to us, and no one needs to know the who or how much, but you don’t get to tell us what we can and cannot write about.
That’s actually quite rare in the media landscape, new or old, just about everywhere. Especially when politicians make ad buys. They expect to be left alone in exchange. We don’t do that either, which might be why we get few, but not many, political ads.
And our thanks for the few we do get, brave souls. And they pay the same rate as everyone else for a chance to get in front of our audience.
And YES! There’s a lot of potential money to be made there, but missing out on that is just the cost of how we do business around here.
Just in case you didn’t know.
Donate to GraniteGrok. com, because while you can give and you can advertise, that won’t buy our opinion.
Email steve@granitegrok.com if you’d like to send a check.
