Wackos
14 November 2005 by Lya Kahlo“Consider one memo highlighted in a Capitol Hill hearing Wednesday that Scanlon, a former aide to Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, sent the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana to describe his strategy for protecting the tribe’s gambling business. In plain terms, Scanlon confessed the source code of recent Republican electoral victories: target religious conservatives, distract everyone else, and then railroad through complex initiatives.
“The wackos get their information through the Christian right, Christian radio, mail, the internet and telephone trees,” Scanlon wrote in the memo, which was read into the public record at a hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. “Simply put, we want to bring out the wackos to vote against something and make sure the rest of the public lets the whole thing slip past them.” The brilliance of this strategy was twofold: Not only would most voters not know about an initiative to protect Coushatta gambling revenues, but religious “wackos” could be tricked into supporting gambling at the Coushatta casino even as they thought they were opposing it. ”
There’s a book called What’s the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America which is a nice companion to this article. (if you’ve ever wondered why the red states constantly vote against their own best interests, read this)
So, the next time you’re told that GOP means “God’s Own Party” - remember this e-mail.
And when the next election comes around, think.
14 November 2005, on 1:18 pm
“Simply put, we want to bring out the wackos to vote against something and make sure the rest of the public lets the whole thing slip past them.” — Jeez, how shitty is that? They were fucked with, they were TOLD they were fucked with, they were called names while they were being fucked with, and they’ll STILL come back for more fucking. Sad…so, so sad…
15 November 2005, on 9:30 am
Don’t try to make me believe this is a GOP only thing… it’s politics… both sides… boy, sometimes I think we atheists show little of the cutting edge evaluation of reality we claim…
15 November 2005, on 9:56 am
Attempts to woo the religious vote got Bill Clinton & John Kerry going to church…
15 November 2005, on 10:09 am
Being the only (I think) blogger here who actually leans to the right (from the center, of course), I agree it’s not just the GOP that is guilty. But they are the party that appealed most to the xian majority in my opinion, and that’s why Bush is your president.
15 November 2005, on 10:58 am
“Don’t try to make me believe this is a GOP only thing… it’s politics… both sides… boy, sometimes I think we atheists show little of the cutting edge evaluation of reality we claim… ”
Oh really? Perhaps your “cutting edge evaluation of reality” needs a tune up. As Ryan points out the near facist xtians aren’t part of the democrat base. It’s republicans who’ve sold their politcal soul to the bible humping whackadoos. Since the GOP clear enjoys being the Religious Right’s bitch it IS only a GOP thing.
Politicians going to church for publicity is nothing new. And it also has NOTHING to do with this article.
I was once a republican. I reserve the right to critize the party that betrayed itself.
15 November 2005, on 5:41 pm
“And when the next election comes around, think.”
We’re doomed!
16 November 2005, on 11:30 am
“We’re doomed!”
*LOL* totally.