Satan's Junior Legion

So how does an up and coming brown shirt get his start these days? Kevin Drum of Political Animal has a note on College Republicans and so does Wonkette. Both link to and quote from The New Republic article (free but login required).

It seems that this Junior GOP is not only incorporated as a 527, and generously funded, but also benfits from the advice of distinguished alumni like Karl Rove, Lee Atwater, and Grover Nordquist. Jack Abramoff is another, but he's a bit preoccupied lately. Nordquist's advice: "There are no rules in a knife fight."

They practice the basics on each other, forged letters, accusations of homosexuality, the like. Wonkette's favorite is this:
The College Republicans sent out their solicitations on the letterhead of such nonexistent groups as "Republican Headquarters 2004" and "Republican Elections Committee." Next, it helps to fill the missives with as much emotion as a Wagnerian opera. "Apparently the Democrats don't have any concern about hurting you, your family or America," one letter read. "Their sole concern is revenge--vengeance--retribution." The most infamous of these missives included an American flag lapel pin. It urged recipients to pray over the pin and return it, along with $1,000. According to the letter, the pin would be worn by the president as he accepted the Republican nomination: "I could have sent you your own lapel pin, but I knew that it wouldn't mean nearly as much to you as being able to give a special gift to President Bush during this challenging time." This letter, incidentally, bore the signature of Paul Gourley. . . Finally, it helps to send these letters to senior citizens, who are lonely and sometimes suffering from dementia. "I don't have any more money," Cecilia Barbier, a 90-year-old retired church council worker and College Republicans contributor, told the Seattle Times. "I'm stopping giving to everybody. That was all my savings that they got." In a single year, Barbier made 300 donations for the organization, adding up to $100,000.
Once you've screwed a few old ladies out of their savings, you're ready to be a real Republican and screw whole countries.

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