FreedomWorks

{{uspolitics}}
'''FreedomWorks''', along with [[Americans for Prosperity]] (AFP), was an offshoot of 
Lobbyists
 Citizens for a [[Sound science|Sound]] Economy (CSE). FreedomWorks was founded by [[Dick Armey|Dick Armey]] and Matt Kibbe, who authored the 
[[Wingnut]]
 [[Tea Party movement|Tea Party]] Manifesto together. It supported the same sort of [[Koch Industries|Koch]]-sucking [[Supply side economics|trickle down]] policies as AFP (though FreedomWorks itself has no known connections to the Kochs outside of its origins in CSE, as it doesn't disclose all its donors), but one-upped them by dredging up the even dumber [[Austrian school|Austrian school of economics]] from the dustbin of history as well.<ref>{{wayback|http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/joseph-onorati/geithner-should-read-mises Geithner Should Read Mises}}</ref> It was probably the most visible and egregiously blatant [[astroturf]] group behind Teabaggery, with lobbyists organizing bus trips, funding, and talking points for its members.<ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/09/lobbyists-planning-teaparties/ Lobbyists Planning Tea Parties]</ref>

==Changing of the guard==
In September 2012, Armey was ousted<ref group=note>Well, forced to resign with an USD $8 million severance check.</ref> from FreedomWorks after attempting to force Kibbe and senior vice president Adam Brandon out over "ethical misconduct". Armey and Kibbe had been in disagreement over who to back in the 2012 elections &mdash; Kibbe wanted to back Tea Party candidates, whereas Armey wanted to back traditional [[Republican]]s &mdash; which led to the rift between them. It was later revealed that Armey's assistant (who escorted Kibbe and Brandon from the building) was [[gun control|armed]] &mdash; though this may have been a precaution, in the aftermath of the [[Family Research Council#Shooting|shooting at the Family Research Council]].<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/freedomworks-tea-party-group-nearly-falls-apart-in-fight-between-old-and-new-guard/2012/12/25/dd095b68-4545-11e2-8061-253bccfc7532_print.html</ref>

Armey was replaced by [[Randroid]] millionaire Richard Stephenson, who founded the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

==Demise==
After struggling for relevance in the era of [[Trumpism]] (whose protectionism, big spending, and aggressive anti-[[immigration]] stances clashed with FreedomWorks' [[libertarian]] love of small government and [[free trade]]), FreedomWorks was dissolved on May 7, 2024.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/05/08/freedomworks-is-closing-and-blaming-trump-00156784 "FreedomWorks Is Closing — And Blaming Trump"] by Luke Mullins, Politico, 2024 May 8</ref>

==See also==
*The [[denialist]] [[Cooler Heads Coalition]]

==External links==
*[http://www.freedomworks.org/ FreedomWorks Homepage]<br />
*[http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=FreedomWorks Sourcewatch Page on FreedomWorks]
==Notes==
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==References==
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__NOTOC__
[[Category:Global warming denialists]]
[[Category:Kochsphere]]
[[Category:Libertarianism]]
[[Category:Misnomers]]
[[Category:Right-wing activists]]
[[Category:Tea Party]]

Categories: Global warming denialists, Kochsphere, Libertarianism, Misnomers, Right-wing activists, Tea Party