Glenn Beck's 9/12 Project - from thinkprogress.org

This Saturday, right-wing protesters will gather in Washington, DC for a march to oppose health reform, President Obama, "corruption," and "an overall conversionto a socialist style government." The event, scheduled intentionally on Sept. 12 to coincide with the anniversary of the day following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, was conceived largely by Fox News' Glenn Beck. Beck, the McCarthyite Fox News talk show host who has lost dozens of advertisers for calling Obama a "racist," is a relentless promoter of his 9/12 Project. However, most of the day-to-day organizing has been orchestrated by a now familiar set of lobbyists and Republican operatives who have helped plan anti-Obama "grassroots" tea party events since February. In addition, a set of far-right groups are supporting the event, bringing along self-described "American mob members" to join in on the Obama-bashing.

BECK EXPLOITS 9/11: In the past, Beck has said he "hates" the families of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. In 2007, Beck criticized the supporters of the Ron Paul "Revolution" who did a fundraiser on Guy Fawkes Day: "It's really not the way I would go, tying my movement in with a historical terrorist attack, especially in post-9/11 America." Nonetheless, Beck hosted a special program earlier this year announcing his initiative called the "9/12 Project" -- an effort to ostensibly recreate the patriotic unity after the September 11 attacks.  In addition to standing for Sept. 12, according to Beck, "9/12" stands for nine principles -- beginning with "America Is Good" and "I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life" -- and 12 values -- including "Reverence" and "Personal Responsibility." But far from calling for common ground, Beck explained that the purpose was to demonize his political opponents and declared that his movement would "surround them." He has also implored listeners to attend the rally because they "may be the only thing that stands between freedom and slavery." Members of the 9/12 Project have become a vocal -- and sometimes violent -- presence at townhall meetings and political protests. The 9/12 project website, owned by Beck's media company Mercury Radio Arts, directs readers to his radio newsletter.
                                                                                                  CORPORATE GOP FUNDING: While Beck and his allies in right-wing media have provided a platform of constant publicity and coverage for the event, FreedomWorks, led by corporate lobbyist and former Republican Majority Leader Dick Armey, is coordinating the march and running its official website. The FreedomWorks organizers tell participants that "it is imperative" to "maintain the populist imagery," including a logo that invokes the Black Power salute. Starting in August, Beck began directing viewers to the FreedomWorks website at the end of his Fox News show. Billed as a "grassroots" rally, the event is actually sponsored by Republican political action committees and corporate front groups. The top sponsors are the right-wing think tank National Taxpayers Union. Another top sponsor, Tea Party Patriots, is an astroturf website run by FreedomWorks staffers who have rebuffed members objecting to the march's logo. Our Country Deserves Better -- a Republican PAC that has compared Obama to Hitler -- operates the Tea Party Express, a bus tour arriving in DC for the 9/12 march. Other sponsors include the Heartland Institute and the Competitive Enterprise Institute, corporate front groups that claim smoking is good for you and global warming doesn't exist. Both organizations have received millions of dollars fromPhilip Morris, ExxonMobil and Koch Industries, the largest privately-held company in the United States. The American Conservative Union, another sponsor, is run by David Keene, a lobbyist for a firm that represents private health care companies, including the insurer HealthFirst. Many of these groups -- each of which paid up to $10,000 to FreedomWorks to participate as sponsors -- were pivotal in providing assistance to attendees of rowdy town halls in August and anti-Obama tea party protests. Part of their strategy was encouraging anger and intimidation against lawmakers supporting health care and clean energy reform was part of the strategy.

RADICAL UNDERGROUND EMERGES: The official sponsorship list of the rally reveals a subterranean, extreme element of the American right in attendance. One of the top sponsors is the extremist organization Grassfire.org, which runs ResistNet.com for "Patriotic citizens who are opposing the Obama-led socialist agenda." Members of the ResistNet -- who promote anti-semitic Nazi propaganda, claim Obama is a Muslim, and praise the assassination of doctors -- are organized on Grassfire against health care reform ("Government-Run Socialized Health Care"), clean energy reform ("Cap-and-Trade Tax"), and immigration reform ("Amnesty for illegals"). Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) -- who is sponsoring and speaking at the 9/12 rally -- has praised Grassfire.org for its "great service to the American people." The National Association for Rural Landowners, a bronze sponsor, references the incidents at Waco and Ruby Ridge to call for attacks on "government entities" and liberals. In a YouTube videoposted in July, the group makes the case for a secession, followed by a violent civil war. Similarly, another 9/12 cosponsor, FreeRepublic, is a forum for various radical right causes. As ThinkProgress reported, the shooter at the Holocaust museum found a welcome audience for his writings on the website. Despite the inclusion of such anti-government extremists, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA),  Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) all plan to attend and speak

ECONOMY -- CENSUS BUREAU'S REPORT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RECOVERY ACT: The Census Bureau released itsannual report on income and poverty levels yesterday, providing the first comprehensive look at the effects of the first full year of the recession. The report finds that the poverty rate is now at an 11-year high of 13.2 percent, with 39.8 million people in poverty -- 14 million of them children. This is an increase from the 37.3 million people in poverty in 2007, and it constitutes the highest number of people living below the poverty line since 1960. It is worth noting that, according to data compiled in the report, the Bush years saw an additional 8.3 million people fall below the poverty line. The report does not take into account the job losses during early 2009, when more than 700,000 jobs were being lost every month, so it is likely that the numbers will rise even higher. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) looked at seven stimulus package provisions and found that they have kept more than 6 million people out of poverty in 2009. CBPP notes that stimulus package provisions such as increased tax credits, expanded unemployment insurance, and an increase in food stamps have prevented "more than 6 million Americans from falling below the poverty line and reducing the severity of poverty for 33 million more. Those 6 million people include more than 2 million children and over 500,000 seniors." This estimate doesn't even includedirect assistance provisions such as "increases in funding for medical services, Pell grants, child support collection, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, and assistance to homeless individuals," which will undoubtedly help ease the impact of the recession. Despite all of this, conservatives continue to advocate canceling the stimulus or redirecting it towards debt reduction.

"Americans are almost 3,000 days removed from the Sept. 11 terror attacks that toppled the World Trade Center and killed 3,000 people." President Obama will commemorate the eighth anniversary at a Pentagon ceremony, "honoring the victims and highlighting the need for national service." "[C]oncern about a terrorist attack in the United States is roughly half of what it was immediately after" the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The new CNN/Opinion Research poll also found that "more than six in 10 say they have confidence in the Obama administration's ability to protect the country from terrorism." Yesterday, Vice President Cheney attended a ceremony at the University of Wyoming for the dedication of a new international center bearing his name. Protesters made up about a fifth of the crowd of about 500 and hoisted critical signs reading: "Shame on UW" and "We don't want your blood money." In separate news conferences yesterday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) "signaled their willingness to drop a government run public health insurance optionfrom a final health-care bill." "This is about a goal. It's not about provisions," said Pelosi. Reid said a co-op could "fill the bill" if "it makes more competition and it makes the insurance companies honest." Robert Laszewski, president of Health Policy and Strategy Associates, told the New York Times that passing a health care bill without a public option would be "fantastic" for insurers. Bloomberg News reports that the proposed legislation may create as many as 10 million new customers for Amerigroup Corporation, United Health Group, and other large insurers that administer Medicaid. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett, the world's second richest man, told Senate Democrats that wealthy Americans need to pay higher taxes. "It was interesting to see someone who is such an aggressive capitalist, who believes so much in our capitalist system, saying we've got the scales way too heavily toward people who are very, very wealthy," said Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO). Treasury Secretary Geithner, appearing at a town hall sponsored by CNBC, said that unemployment will "absolutely" be lower this time next year. After being informed of a poll that says 56 percent of Americans fear another financial meltdown is on the way, Geithner told the audience that "another collapse is within our power to prevent" if the government continues its stimulus efforts. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) yesterday expressed doubts about President Obama's strategy in Afghanistan, making her "highest-ranking Democrat to signal that any White House or Pentagon push for more troops will be resisted in Congress." "I don't there is a great deal of support forsending more troops to Afghanistan in the country or in Congress," she said. Yesterday, the Senate voted 57-40 to confirm Cass Sunstein as director of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Sunstein has been a frequent target of right-wing pundits, such as Glenn Beck. And finally: D.C. residents are getting a new farmers market right near the White House. Approximately 20 vendors will gather every Thursday afternoon this fall. The organizers of FreshFarmMarkets said they contacted the White House shortly after Inauguration Day with the idea, and the administration was "very enthusiastic." Assistant White House chef Sam Kass endorsed the idea, saying it was "totally and completely consistent with the goals that the White House has had in terms of fresh food and healthy eating."