No wonder the far right has such more money than Democrats do

[DFW]

Why didn't I think of this?

I know a guy who is a real genuine southern Christian conservative. A true believer, who hated the Bush Administration for abandoning just about every conservative principle out there while retaining the label in the hope of getting folks to vote for them instead of "libbruls (i.e. Democrats)." If they last election was any indication, the portion of the American electorate who still falls for that line has seriously diminished into a minority.

But my friend (we are still friends despite all this--hard to explain, you'd have to be there) has made himself millions while acting as the grandfather (he will be 76 this year) of the conservative fundraising movement. He and I disagree on most everything politically (except for Bush 2 being a disaster), but he hasn't lost his ability to tap into the Zeitgeist. He just posted on his (widely read) website that the DHS report (commissioned by the Bush administration) on potentially violent rightist extremists was insulting to just about, well, everyone that might read his website. The sister report on leftists was apparently fine with him--he only objected to the report about extremists from the right, never mind that McVeigh and Osama Bin Laden were conservative extremists.

He then offered, for a mere $9.95, to send a fax the DHS protesting their designating people as potential terrorists. Well, not the ones on the left, 'cause all of them ARE potential terrorists (obviously! aren't they?) but the ones on the right? How dare they?

Now I don't know how many nut cases are really left out there, but SOMEbody has to keep watching Fox "News," and at least some of those take it seriously. So I figure there are still a few dozen million of them out there. Now, this guy knows perfectly well that "they" are most certainly not "coming to take you away, ha ha." However, if there are one or two million out there who think otherwise, and are willing to send him $9.95 to send a fax, hey, there's a recession on! That would be the quickest $10 million I ever heard of being earned, and since it's all practically free money, you can bet your sweet bippy that he'll be scrupulously honest and pay every penny of the taxes he owes on his winnings, so as not to endanger what's left. $6 million+ free and clear is still not bad for a few weeks' worth of repetitious faxing.

MAN, do I wish I had thought of that! There's this house on the Kona side of the Big Island I'd love to grab.....

[zeemike]

1. They have one thing that the left does not have

And that is a system of churches that preach fear from the pulpit every sunday and say it is the word of God.

[DFW]

4. I hope we never acquire it, either.

[cali]

2. Are you separating the far right from repukes in general?

In any case, your premise is in error. The dems raised far more money last year than repukes. And dem candidates in the House are currently outraising pukes.

[DFW]

3. Yes and no

There are members of the extremist right for whom the Republican Party is far too moderate
in their policies, although with John Bonehead and Eric Cantor, some of them are trying to
make up for lost ground. For many of the potential $9.95-ers, I'd say plenty of them are
outside the reach of Michael Steele & Co., but well within the reach of the drag nets of
the extremist right, who view themselves as super-patriots, whereas they don't see all members
of the Republican Party that way.

They would never vote for a Democrat in their lives, and would desert their beloved Republicans
if they ever returned to the party of Jake Javits and Everett Dirksen. But they would never desert
their heroes on Fox or National Hate Radio. This is the core of the potential $9.95-ers, not
Republicans per se. I figure Democrats outraise Republicans when the Republicans try for a
sane message. The moment they go off the deep end, the lunatic fringe comes back cheering. That's
why Chris Shays lost his seat last fall, but Mean Jean and Bachmann won theirs. That is also why
Steele's got such an uphill battle (assuminig he hasn't lost it already). He's trying to paint
a reasonable, rational face on a party where half of the members aren't sure they want one, and
the other half rejects the concept outright.

[KharmaTrain]

5. It's Always Been About The Benjamins

For years the GOOP had outraised Democrats by a wide margin. Much of this money came from their rich benefactors...the Mellon-Scaiffes, Hoffs, De Vos family and so on...deep pockets toat were determined to win at all costs...outspend and then out shout opponents. Their biggest tool was "outrage"...or should I say selected outrage...and how Democrats were either going to take away guns, force heterosexuals to turn gay, let in 500 million Mexicans to take our jobs and so on. The louder the "outrage", the more checks would show up in the mail...and money = speech. They built Faux noise with that money as well as funded the hate radio infrastructure...all geared to amp up the latest "outrage"...one hand washing the other.

I doubt those at the top of the party or a "leader" in the movement believe a lot of the bullshit they spew, but they know their fishes...and how to push the buttons that end up in lots of $9.95 checks to show up. If it's not the DHS report, it's abortion or immigration or (add your favorite right wing strawman here).

THe saying goes about "a fool and his money"...was designed for the typical rushpublican donor. I think we got a real good demonstration of that on teabag day.

[DFW]

6. It boggles the mind

You just have to wonder how so many fools acquire their money in the first place.

[KharmaTrain]

7. It's Not What You Make It's What You Keep

I know this is very broadbrush but I've worked with and for some very wealthy people...almost all rushpublicans...and they are very good at being bottom-line. For example, a good number were salesmen...able to sell icemakers to Eskimos...they learned the fine art of bullshitting and the money rolled in. Be it selling soap or selling fear, a sales job is a sales job.

Cheers...

[DFW]

8. Here is one example of this man's expertise in his field:

In 1977, worked on a project to raise money for Sun Myung Moon's Children's Relief Fund, which reportedly only received 6.3% of the $1,508,256 raised. $920,000 went to according to New York State charity auditors.

(Wikipedia)

He is very good at what he does, and is no amateur at looking out for number one. Considering the low level
of intellect he is appealing to in this particular case, I wouldn't blame him if he kept it all.

[KharmaTrain]

9. Watch The Teevee Preachers...

Yes...he sounds both very good and very connected. In a bizarre way, one has to admire a person who can raise such sums. I've worked with many charities where we'd do hand springs if we did 10% of that amount.

I think a another good example is how the telepreachers work. While they sell religion, they have gimmicks to get attention and turn it into fame and profit. I used to enjoy watching the late Gene Scott...the man was a master at amping up the fire and brimstone...then would command people to "get on the telephones"...ca ching.

Cheers...

[zeemike]

10. Might I just add that the deep pocket guys don't spend

Their own money...they spend the tax payers money because if they are successfully in electing a bush they get more back in tax breaks than they spend on the propaganda.
Look at what happened in the Regan years...millionares became billionaires in a few short years.
So it does not matter what they really believe, the profit is there.