Stripping Away At Credibility

A brief one this morning, as I have some work to attend to.

Seems that conservatives are doing damage control in light of revelations that RNC funds were used at a "bondage club" party recently.

I'm not going to delve into the "was Micheal Steele there or not" aspects of this, as no one has provided conclusive proof that he was or wasn't. But the reality of this should be pointed out - RNC funds were used at a place where most conservatives would not admit ever frequenting.

And while there will always be blame placed on one person for instances such as this within the Republican realm, one has to wonder who ok'd the funds for this, who else was there, and why would they be there in the first place.

It's been pointed out before that conservatives are the largest consumers of pornography, so this really doesn't come as that much of a surprise to me. What is interesting is that the nature of these expenditures are being largely ignored by those that claim "sexual deviance" is amoral and unacceptable.

Chalk this up to another whitewashing of reality from the members of the GOP.

Of Books, Back Scratches, And Media

A recent email sent out by Chairman Micheal Steele as part of offical RNC message shows that there really isn't a difference between the RNC and Fox"News".

Dear XXXX,

I wanted to let you know that I just finished reading Sean Hannity's new book, Conservative Victory: Defeating Obama's Radical Agenda. As they so often do, Sean's words left me energized for November and even more committed to making the gains necessary to bring the Obama agenda to a halt.

In the book, Sean does more than just tell us why we need to defeat the Obama Agenda. He also gives us a blueprint for getting it done. I cannot recommend it enough -- and I'm confident that, like me, you will be ready for the upcoming elections with a renewed commitment.

Sincerely,

Michael Steele
Chairman, Republican National Committee

Normally, when a prominent conservative writes ( or has written for them ) a new book, there are several bulk purchases made to pass out at conventions, to give away free when you join sites like Townhall.com, and to over inflate actual sales so the book will debut at #1 on the NYT Bestseller List.

And while Steele's email certainly urges to recipient to read Hannity's latest offering, there really isn't a direct call to purchase the book. Still, to have a piece of propaganda clearly and loudly supported by the RNC, a book that was penned by one of the loudest voices on Fox"News", you get the sense that Steele and the RNC aren't exactly trying to hide the fact that Fox is their preferred "news" organization.

But who is actually taking the lead in this situation? Does Fox"News" work for the RNC, or do they work for Fox?

The Mask Has Been Removed

Of course the Tea Baggers aren't pleased with this decision by the RNC.

"They don’t get it,” Judson Phillips, a Nashville lawyer who organized the National Tea Party Convention last month, told the Beast. “They freaking don’t get it.” Phillips said he disagreed with the characterization of small donors as “reactionary” and motivated by “fear.” “Our motives are patriotic,” he said. “Can they be any more insulting? I guess they could have called us teabaggers, but Holy Cow, I’m so blown away by the whole thing I’m just sitting here stunned.”

A spokesman for FreedomWorks, the activist group led by Dick Armey that helped organize the first Tea Party protests, called the presentation “inept and silly.”

“I’m just kind of shocked,” the group’s spokesman, Adam Brandon, said. “I don't get what they were trying to accomplish... if I were them I’d try to say we're strong on policy and we're going to get the energy of these Tea Party activists and earn their trust. That seems a much more compelling message than cartoons.”

He added that the “fear” descriptor, while technically accurate in the sense donors are concerned about government policy, sent the wrong message. “When people start using the term ‘fear’ you start getting the black helicopter mythology going,” he said.

Any wouldn't they be pissed at this action from the RNC? After all, the Tea Baggers are nothing more than Republicans disguised as "independent" and "concerned" citizens. They have to maintain that characterization, even if it means attacking the organization that represents the party they are going to vote with regardless of statements made about how they are "upset with BOTH parties".

And Micheal Steele is in full damage control mode.



You see, when you use the "fear" card, you have to be one of two ways: subtle, with nuanced rhetoric that creates the appearance of fact-based research, or smash-and-grab-balls-out-loud.

The Tea Baggers make up the later, but they continually try to claim they are being the former. So, it would be easy to understand why the RNC would want to capitalize on how well their fringe base ( which is really the mainstream base of the Republican party now ) is doing. But the Tea Baggers really shouldn't be so upset with this end result, as they created this monster.

The Politics Of Fear

Well, at least they are honest about it now.

The Republican National Committee plans to raise money this election cycle through an aggressive campaign capitalizing on “fear” of President Barack Obama and a promise to "save the country from trending toward socialism."

The strategy was detailed in a confidential party fundraising presentation, obtained by POLITICO, which also outlines how “ego-driven” wealthy donors can be tapped with offers of access and “tchochkes.”

While this doesn't come as a shock to me or any liberal/progressive, it's interesting to see conservatives already trying to back-peddle on this.

If it’s a day ending in “Y”, it must be time for a Politico story about the RNC alienating its fundraisers. The good news? Given Obama’s state-by-state approval ratings, if fear of The One’s agenda is the key to big money then the path to November shall be paved with bricks of gold. The bad news? Calling your donors “reactionary” and “ego-driven” isn’t usually the quickest way to their wallets.

But they are ego-driven and reactionary, that's why this sort of campaign works so well for the RNC and conservatives all across the nation.

The G.rand O.bstuctionist P.arty

In a recent memo distributed to Republicans from the RNC, it calls for like-minded individuals to do all they can to slow the legislative process. Not so much to act on alternatives, as the GOP has none, but to make sure that healthcare reform essentially dies on the table.

The Republican National Committee will engage in every activity we can to slow down this mad rush while promoting sensible alternatives that address health care costs and preserve quality.

The aspect of this that continues to be troublesome is that many Republican voters don't seem to see that the party that they wish to keep in office has no real solutions. Each and every time Republicans take up their continued and unblushing stance of "no", they offer no rebuttle, no alternative, only rejection based on the fact that they can reject it.

The "Bold" And The "Beautiful"

Sarah Palin, in another round of glittering generalities and a flourish of talking-points, let it be known that RNC Chairman Micheal Steele is the "counterbalance" to Barack Obama.

She was referring to this speech to a meeting of the RNC in Maryland:



Palin, who is no stranger to latching on to other people in order to keep her flacid political life alive, singled out Steele and his empty rhetoric. From Politico:

"We have another voice in Washington, DC – a man who understands what Alaskans believe: less centralized government control, restrained budgets, more opportunity for development, and fewer taxes," Palin said.

"Today, we have a friend in RNC Chairman Michael Steele and his bold and courageous speech defines his leadership goals that will guide us all through this most difficult time for our nation."

Palin, as predictable as she is, is somewhat masterfull in her delivery of the standard lines of conservative thought as she states, "We are now witnessing actions that will lead to a monumental shift away from free market capitalism and the strong work ethic that built this great country."

As it has been pointed out before, Palin fits the mold of "the pretty gimmick" that the conservative Right loves. Style over substance.

Micheal Steele needs a person like Palin to back him up. By and large, his own party is against him. With Palin, who has the backing of the true "leader" of the Replublican party - Boss Limbaugh, Steele has an ally of sorts. That is, until Steele says something monumentally stupid ( which is only a matter of time ) or until Rush tells Palin that she needs to rethink what she's saying.

In that respect, Limbaugh is nothing more than a beauty pageant coordinator.

The RNC: Adopting Ignorance And Provoking Their Own

Apparently, this "resolution" that the RNC is attempting to pass is not so much about "rebranding" the Democratic party in America as it is about trying to make Micheal Steele say something that he has already refused to.

Here's the meat of the text:

RESOLVED, that we the members of the Republican National Committee call on the Democratic Party to be truthful and honest with the American people by acknowledging that they have evolved from a party of tax and spend to a party of tax and nationalize and, therefore, should agree to rename themselves the Democrat Socialist Party.

Is there any other proof that is needed to show America that the RNC, as well as the Republican party, have completely lost the plot?

If this laughable resolution passes, they are definately paying more attention to Rush Limbaugh and the Fox"Nation" than they are the country they are tasked with representing.

This is exactly like asking permission from your mommy and daddy if you can call a kid a name at school just because he got the lead in the Christmas play and you didn't.

Moreover, this appears to be just as much about exploiting the inherent weakness of Micheal Steele. Sure, he's caved to Limbaugh in the past, but is he going to call the Democratic party "socialists" if this resolution passes? Only time will tell on that one.

The RNC's line of thinking ( or rather, not thinking at all ) is in direct line with statements recently made by Rush Limbaugh and Pete Sessions:



This resolution, if passed, will be nothing more than a distraction. The Republican party has consistantly played the role of the obstructionist and refuses to provide any substantive role in governemnt since losing power.

They can't even get the stimulus facts right:

Officials in some states say they are grateful for and satisfied with the money. Maine has had to lay off 250 people, but because of the stimulus it will be able to avoid more layoffs, even after discovering a new $570 million shortfall. "Without any recovery funds . . . we would be in a very, very different situation," said Maine finance commissioner Ryan Low.

Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) said the state would have had to cut 7,000 jobs without the stimulus but ended up eliminating 1,500 mostly open slots. Maryland avoided layoffs with furloughs and by using an unusually large share of its stimulus funds in next year's budget.

In some states, layoffs are occurring partly because legislators are not taking every step to avoid them. Republican lawmakers in Missouri want to use less than a third of the state's $2.1 billion in flexible stimulus funds to close budget shortfalls. They want to proceed with cutbacks and return $1 billion of the money to residents in the form of tax cuts. Using the money to plug budget gaps, they argue, will leave a deficit once the stimulus money is gone in 2011.

It's not failing, it's not enough.

Masking the failures within their own party seems to be the primary objective of the RNC.

The Republican party, from hereon referred to as the Distractionist Party, has kept it's sights on countries that they perceive are plotting against us that they have forgotten about the people they were elected to represent.

However, there is the demographic within the electorate that agree that branding the Democratic party as "socialists" will actually benefit them in the end and perhaps bring them gains in the 2010 election cycle.

They're the "tea-baggers". The approximately 250,000 people that took to the streets with signs and banners and tea bags ( that they probably bought ) and shouted and cheered for the Fox"News" cameras. 250,000 people. That's about 0.19% of those that went out and voted in November. If the RNC is picking that tiny portion of the American population as those that should have supplication showered upon, then they can pass all the resolutions they want. It's not going to change how exponentially irrelevant they continue to become.

When You Don't Take Your Job Seriously, At All

When asked by The Today Show's Matt Lauer whether he agreed "agree with Rush Limbaugh when he says that it’s common sense that as a conservative he wants the policies of Barack Obama to fail?" Micheal Steele replied:

Well, my personal opinion doesn’t matter in this. My job as the RNC chairman is to take into account all of the various views out there within our party and try to put together a strategy and a team that’s going to help us win elections.

That's right, the "leader" of the RNC says that his opinion doesn't matter.

So, let's take stock here:

- A party that can't seem to find a coherent plan to put forward about rebuilding the American economy. They prefer to play the part of obstructionists and speak in glittering generalities in order to create the illusion for the base that they know what's going on.

- A party "leader" that is nothing more than a rank amatuer

- A party that looks to an overpaid entertainer who is no more a leader than Steele, yet conservative Republicans seem to think he has all the right answers. Trouble is, he has no answers



More here