Thursday, December 24, 2009

CPAC – Ins and Outs

In February it will be time once again for ‘moderate’ (only slightly to the right of Torquemada) Repuglicans to pay homage to the extremist fringe that has become the GOP mainstream in recent years.  I ran across a coupe items on who’s in and who’s out that I found most interesting.

CPAC Earlier this month, conservative gay rights group GOProud announced that it would be a co-sponsor of this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). But the group’s inclusion as a co-sponsor has led to a backlash from the anti-gay right, some of whom are threatening to boycott CPAC if GOProud’s sponsorship isn’t removed. CPAC director Lisa De Pasquale told Hot Air last week that she was “satisfied” that GOProud “do not represent a ‘radical leftist agenda’ and thus “should not be rejected as a CPAC cosponsor.” But David Keene, the head of CPAC’s main organizing group, tried to calm the potential boycott by using a different tactic. In an e-mail to a right-wing radio host, Keene promised that GOProud would not have a speaking spot and that gay rights issues would not be “open to debate”:

In his e-mail response, Keene admitted GOProud “has signed on as a CPAC co-sponsor, but will have no speakers and we told them that, in fact, since opposition to gay marriage, etc are consensus positions (if not unanimous) among conservatives, these topics are not open to debate.” [...] [emphasis original]

Inserted from <Think Progress>

Now, for the life of me, I cannot comprehend why anyone who is gay would want to sponsor CPAC.  Isn’t that like the NAACP sponsoring the KKK?  I don’t know whether Keene’s promise to muzzle the gay attendees will quell the potential boycott, so conservatives who are ‘out’ may or may not be in, but if they are, the may be required to wear a dental dam, lest they might actually say something.

On the other hand, another group, which I had all but forgotten about, has been welcomed by CPAC with open arms and all the love Supply-side Jesus has for haters: the John Birch Society.

 

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I remember them from the 1960s.  With all their ridiculous conspiracy theories, they were a joke.  Nobody I knew took them seriously.  It shows the depths to which the GOP has plummeted that they are now part of the GOP mainstream.

19 comments:

Middle Ditch said...

Merry Christmas, Tom Cat, and a very happy new year

ernie1241 said...

Since the JBS has always effusively praised J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI as our nation's most knowledgeable, authoritative and reliable source of factual information on the communist movement as well as on what constitutes legitimate and effective anti-communist activities --Birchers may now compare their assertions to evaluations made by the person (Hoover) and the institution (FBI) they have enthusiastically recommended for 5 decades.

FBI FILES ON BIRCH SOCIETY:
http://ernie1241.googlepages.com/jbs-1

Infidel753 said...

I cannot comprehend why anyone who is gay would want to sponsor CPAC.

Gay conservatives always remind me of a dog that goes running back to its master every time it gets kicked, vainly hoping for better treatment next time.

Of course, that's the out ones. I just bet the John Birch Society as awash in Larry-Craig-type closet cases. The very name "John Birch" sounds like it should be a gay porno actor.

I guess we should look upon the right wing's determination to drive away one category of voter after another as a sort of Christmas present. Let's hope it lasts.

TomCat said...

Thanks Monique, and same to you.

Welcome Ernie. Given Hoover's penchant for conspiracy theories, using him as a source tends more to confirm the case against your organization than to support its views.

Infidel, you are indeed correct. let the gift hordes gallop.

mary b said...

Is the CPAC conference going to be held in Nashville this year? Or is that a tea bagger thingy.
I live in Nashville and read somewhere that Palin, Bachmann, Beck, and their ilk will be having a convention at Opryland in Feb.
I was just wondering if the Confernce is the CPAC one?

TomCat said...

Mary, that must be a teabagger thingie. The next CPAC will be held February 18-20, 2010 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington D.C. But that's OK. Next year it's open season on teabaggers from 1/1 through 12/31, using nonviolent means, of course. Are you gonna go harass Wasilla Wacky?

Sue said...

Have a Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year Tom!!

Joe "Truth 101" Kelly said...

I wonder if many of these right wing "organizations" are legit at all. Most likely, many are an invention of Alex Castellanos' PR firm.

Karen said...

Merry Christmas!

TomCat said...

Thanks Sue and Karen. Same to you both.

Truth, as long as the Constitution guarantees the right to assemble, I guess we have to consider the legit.

Dave Dubya said...

I personally enjoy the Winter comedy season of CPAC. It's the funniest TV time of year.

Merry Christmas!

Michele Boselli said...

Tom Cat's Politics +

hereby officially named favourite American blog friend by Miss Welby's European blog from Italy/UK !!!

(just out of corruption because all the horses you gave me in FarmVille)

all the best to you and your readers

ivan said...

Well, Santa can't be gay.
I keep hearing, Ho, ho, ho.

Or is that the Scotch Croquet player?

Anyway, a Merry Ho-ho to you and yours.

jasondylan said...

Tom,

Great blog! One of my fave political blogs!

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

jasondylan

Jack Jodell said...

Merry Christmas, TomCat, and let's all of us progressives rededicate ourselves to making certain the party of no LOSES seats and influence next year, so the extreme and poor policies of the past 30 years can be reversed and sanity be restored!

Cirze said...

As I remember David Keene is gay or was, and also was a bircher - ha - double entendre!

So he's a great source.

Happy hols to you dear Tom.

Hope your wishes all come true.

S

TomCat said...

So do I, Dave.

Thanks Miss W. Bribery is the grease of US politics. ;-) I like you blog when I can understand the articles.

Ivan, aren't there both straight and gay Ho's? ;-)

Thank you Jason.

Jack, that's an excellent idea.

A gay bircher, Suzan. Well, there have been stranger things.

Merry Christmas to all here.

Kevin said...

"since opposition to gay marriage, etc are consensus positions (if not unanimous) among conservatives"

I found Keene's statement ridiculous.

One of GOProud's legislative priorities is "opposing any anti-gay federal marriage amendment."

I guess Keene does not know the definition of "unanimous"...

TomCat said...

Kevin, as I said, I can't imagine anyone gay wanting to sponsor CPAC. It's a wonder!