GEICO Fires Voiceover Man for Insulting Freedomworks, Teabaggers

Lance Baxter, a.k.a. D.C. Douglas, was fired by GEICO for insulting Astrotruf Teabagger group Freedomworks in a voicemail (why am I always reminded of the Nazi concentration slogan “Work Makes Freedom” when Dick Armey's group comes up? Hmm . . .). Douglas asked, “What percentage of people that are mentally retarded who are working for FreedomWorks and who are following it.” He also questioned how the Teabaggers will “spin it when one of your members does actually kill somebody, wondering if you've got a PR spinning routine planned for that or are you just gonna take it when it happens.”
Douglas recognized his impulsiveness with the first comment and expressed his regrets:

“. . . Yeah, I know -- STUPID! And certainly not constructive. But venting calmly with a twist of humor soothes my liberal soul. Plus, homophobia and racism are my Achilles heal. Unfortunately, in my haste, I used the phrase “mentally retarded” which, ultimately, drags me down to their level.

My first question was an unfortunate choice of words and I regret it. But my second question was the more pertinent one.”

He is right about the second statement. It was made in response to the homophobic and racial slurs hurled at Reps. Barney Frank and John Lewis, and the numerous threats made to any member of Congress who voted for healthcare reform. Douglas continued: “Now, my calling them, my choice of words, and leaving my number were all mistakes, and I accept responsibility for them. But what happened next was way beyond an appropriate response. It was downright sleazy, unethical and most likely illegal.”

After discovering his association with GEICO, Freedomworks President and CEO Matt Kibbe posted Douglas’ cell (home) number in the right wing blog biggovernment.com instructing readers to “Feel free to contact Lance. He was so kind to provide his number in the voicemail. Call his employer too… Let them know that you, in fact, are not a mentally retarded killer, but that you are now in the market for car insurance.” The result was a flood of phone calls with GEICO making a “quick corporate decision to drop” Douglas ten hours after Kibbe’s blog post appeared. Douglas said, “I did not post my views in a large public forum. I did not publicly campaign against them. I left a calm (albeit impulsive) phone message ONCE. FreedomWorks responded with napalm.”

And so, D.C. Douglas prepared “A Dedication: Matt Kibbe Can Kiss My Pimply Ass” for Matt Kibbe and Freedomworks Chairman Dick Armey --

“To celebrate my LOVE of ALL ethnicities, sexualities, genders; my belief in a woman’s right to choose, a gay/lesbian/transgender couple’s right to marry, an Atheists right to seek office; an impetuous actor/voice over guy’s right to leave a voicemail message – I give you my Tea Bagger Boogie Video, constructed from FreedomWorks followers who left me voice mails (though I will not identify anyone nor list their phone numbers – that would be kinda sleazy and illegal):”

And here's Dick Armey reacting to a woman, Joan Walsh, who has the audacity to talk back at him: