Experts and Front Groups

Come sit down over here by Granny and have a glass of milk and a cookie. Granny is going to tell you "The Tale of the TV Expert."

Once upon a time, Mr. Famous Talker was hosting Dr. Annie Spicegood from "Americans for Apple Pie" on his TV news show. Well, folks all across the land sat right up to listen because they were all practically weaned on apple pie! They figured "Americans for Apple Pie" must surely have millions of patriotic apple pie loving members supporting Dr. Annie Spicegood in what she was about to say. Wouldn't you think so, honey? Wipe your chin.

Well, Old Fairy Granny was a wise old fairy who wasn't born yesterday, and she decided to check into this "Americans for Apple Pie" outfit. Sure enough, Old Fairy Granny looks on sourcewatch.org and it turns out that "Americans for Apple Pie" is nothing but a front group for multinational apple producers! And Dr. Annie Spicegood is an apple heiress who sits on the board, and her family has contributed millions to "Americans for Apple Pie!"

Old Fairy Granny shouted the alarm, and all the townspeople showed up and pitched a fit on the sidewalk outside the fortified security wall of the Spicegood mansion. They demanded that folks fully disclose who they are when they appear on TV news shows, and stop posing as impartial experts with only the townspeople's best interests at heart. From that day forward, all the people in the land were very skeptical of TV talkers and "experts," and they all lived happily ever after.

How bout that, Honey? Wouldn't you be mad if you were tricked into trusting folks who are only out to feather their own nests? You just watch out for deceptively named front groups and "experts," and don't take nobody's word for gospel until you know just exactly who's footing their bill. Here are some places where you can check out these "experts" and front groups for yourself:

• Sourcewatch.org
• The Sunlight Foundation
• The Center for Public Integrity
• Opensecrets.org:  Center for Responsive Politics