The growth of astroturfing

You thought that fake grass can’t grow, think again. Astroturfing seems to be a popular campaign method from both democrats and republicans this fall, and a successful method as well. Here is an example that even shows how many letters that have been sent to certain newspapers. As if sending 121 close to identical letters to the editors at San Jose Mercury News would make any (positive) difference. Haven’t these people heard about Dan Gillmor? Of course it didn’t take him long to debunk this initiative.

The flood of fake grassroots letters to media forced Barbara Curtin, opinion editor of the StatesmanJournal, to voice her concerns, urging readers to use their own words.

“You might have just one chance to write an election-season letter. Make it count.”

Question is at what point an astroturf campaign becomes counterproductive.