AstroTurf Organizations

AstroTurf® is a brand of bright green artificial grass (fake grass) used in sports stadiums, so the term AstroTurf organization refers to a group that fakes popular grassroots opinion or behavior while disguising a hidden agenda. Astroturfing may be undertaken by an individual pushing a personal agenda, such as being the center of attention, or by a highly organized professional group with financial backing from large corporations or industry groups.

After the 81^st legislative session, HOT exposed two consumer groups that functioned as AstroTurf organizations either unwittingly or intentionally. They appeared on the surface to represent homeowner issues but instead promoted legislation that would have been very bad for the public. Their “compromise bill” would also have strengthened the stranglehold builders had on consumers in defective homes. If they didn’t know how bad the builder-sponsored legislation was, HOT questions their competency and effectiveness. If they did, we question their motives. In any event, it's clear that the plight of Texas homeowners has gotten worse in each session under their watch.

Why would any “consumer group” promote public policies that hurt consumers?

They can UNWITTINGLY do this by not fully understanding the legislative process, the legal terminology embedded in deceptively-written legislation, or the often-negative effects of their own actions. Such actions can include non-strategic or ill-conceived letter writing campaigns, publicity stunts, protests, testimony and grandstanding. While making threats, getting arrested, and planting fake bombs can get media attention, for example, they seldom earn the respect of legislators and can do more harm to the cause than good.

Or they can INTENTIONALLY do this, seeming to operate in the public’s interest while actually serving the goals of a special interest, with actions encouraged by (or even funded by) that special interest.