The Republican National Committee’s racist, deceitful fundraising presentation is just the latest example of a party that seems to have lost its moral way. It has more in common with the Weather Underground or the Ku Klux Klan than the old party of Nelson Rockefeller or Bill Clements. The Hill’s Brent Budowsky puts it this way:
This poster is sick, demented and un-American in its use of fear and hate to slander President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif). It is un-American to call the nation to fear. It is un-American to call the nation to hate. It is un-American to use slander and lies to divide Americans against each other.
How dare these people wave the American flag while they dishonor our basic values with their despicable appeals to the darkest impulses of the most radical extremes.
Years ago the GOP was happy to have a superficial alliance with the radical right. In private, they ridiculed the nutballs. But, ever since Southern whites rebelled against the Civil Rights Act, the party was happy to put together a majority coalition of old-style corporatist Republicans with the white-hooded cross burners and the snake-handling fringe fundamentalists. I guess they never expected the hateful few to one day take over the party.
The GOP is a hate crime. And the question is, what are the moderate, responsible Republicans going to do about it? Gov. Rick Perry is happy to join the haters, speaking often of secession, using racist code words to attack President Obama. Perry’s handlers (they oughta be called snake handlers, too) are cynically exploiting hate and promoting violence in word and deed.
Will more mainstream Republicans repudiate the monsters in their midst? Many tell me privately that they are dismayed at what’s become of their party. They realize that the hateful gamesmanship and party dominance of the unhinged are not only wrecking their political futures, they are destroying the future of Texas.
Do they have the courage to act? We’ll have to wait and see.
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About Glenn W. Smith
Glenn W. Smith has spent the past 30 years in journalism and politics, where he’s made a name for himself as a writer, campaign manager, activist, think tank analyst and, as Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas says, a “legendary political consultant and all-around good guy.” “There’s no one like him,” says author George Lakoff. CNN commentator Paul Begala says, “He has unmatched experience, a graceful pen (or pixel nowadays) and deep insight into the best and worst of us.” Novelist Sarah Bird speaks of his “lucid and lyrical” prose. And, she says, he’s fun. Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington says Glenn writes with “grace and abundant humor” and “uses his colorful experiences in Texas to enlighten us all.”
Smith led Ann Richards’ successful 1990 campaign for Governor of Texas. He worked for former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby and U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen. Earlier, Smith was a political reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the Houston Post. He’s coordinated national campaigns for groups such as MoveOn.org. In 2004, he authored the highly acclaimed book, The Politics of Deceit: Saving Freedom and Democracy from Extinction. He also wrote Unfit Commander, a book that detailed George W. Bush’s mysterious disappearance from military service.
In 2004, Smith was featured in the film, Bush’s Brain, a documentary about Karl Rove. Smith provided commentary on Rove’s role as then-President Bush’s senior advisor. He has made numerous media appearances with Chris Mathews on Hardball, Joe Scarborough, Brit Hume, and many others. He writes a regularly for top national web sites, including FireDogLake and Huffington Post.
As a senior fellow at George Lakoff’s prestigious Rockridge Institute in Berkeley he studied, wrote and taught on the power of metaphor and narrative in political communications. He also lectured on religion and politics at the Starr King School for Ministry in Berkeley. As a sponsor and organizer, he has pulled together numerous national events with progressive religious leaders. He also organized a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King at Riverside Church in New York City as well as “Freedom and Faith” bus tours, which was a nationwide campaign for social justice and progressive values.
Smith’s play, Double Play, which explored American Western myths and legends, was held over to sold-out audiences. He’s even written and performed songs in the Americana tradition, such as his best-known song, “Helping Marty Robbins,” a tribute to his hometown, Houston.
Most recently, Smith is the creator of DogCanyon, a political and cultural web site covering state, national and global issues from a Texas perspective. DogCanyon is an exhilarating and unique site that gets the connections between politics and culture and explores both the personal side of politics and the ups, down, craziness and beauty of “life its ownself,” as humorist Dan Jenkins would say. DogCanyon offers heartfelt personal essays, hard-hitting political analysis, and, most importantly, laughs.
As Paul Begala said, Smith writes in “the finest, firmest, fearless tradition of Texas essayists like Molly Ivins.”
Most of these are images that we’ve seen from the Tea Parties of last summer. Disgusting? Yes. And, brazen, too, but nothing really new. I think the real news here is the utter contempt and disrespect the RNC has shown for their own donors, illustrated by the Powerpoint presentation about fundraising that describes the average Republican donor as being easily manipulated into giving money through “fear” and that they were “reactionary” and motivated by “extreme negative feelings” towards the administration? As for wealthy donors, well, they are “ego driven” and motivated by peer pressure and access.
We knew the RNC was contemptuous of liberals but, damn, they don’t even respect their own people. When and if Republican donors realize that they are viewed by the RNC simply as tools to be used as a means to an end, ie., more power to the chosen few, perhaps then they’ll keep their money in their pockets. Or, find another party that will show them some respect.
This latest example of elitist RNC behavior is further evidence that their leaders really do believe that they are superior to everyone else. Is there no end to their arrogance?
Glenn,
I know mainstream Republicans who will say, without hesitation (behind a closed door) that this stuff disgusts them.
The problem is they’ll only say it behind closed doors because they know saying it openly would alienate the people they need desperately to hang on to whatever power they have left. I think if more fair-minded Republicans would simply denounce this kind of thing they’d make HUGE inroads in building toward a majority in this country again.
Courage is in short supply when fear is the order of the day.