A Halloween message from Richard Viguerie

Funny the things one finds in his Hotmail junk-mail folder. Take for instance this e-missive from one of the original princes of Republican darkness, Richard Viguerie.

Richard Viguerie: Halloween Scare Tactics Won’t Work for GOP;
Republicans Must Propose a New Contract With the Voters and Promise to Govern Differently
(Manassas, Virginia) Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, warned Republicans that scare tactics against Democrats will not succeed in increasing social or economic conservative voters on Election Day.

“The big-spending, high-deficit, morally-deficient Republican Party hasn’t anything to offer conservatives except Halloween scare tactics about the Democrats. But since the GOP majority in Congress has engaged in an unprecedented spending spree, conservatives know that Democrats cannot be any worse and that divided government may lead to less spending,” Viguerie said.

“And conservatives have learned that, while Republicans sometimes provide significant symbolism on social issues, in truth, many of them have a disdain for values voters,” he added.

“Trying to frighten conservatives by yelling ‘Nancy Pelosi’ and ‘Harry Reid’ won’t work this time. As I mention in the Introduction to Conservatives Betrayed, similar tactics didn’t work in 1948, 1960, 1976, and 1992 either,” he said.

Viguerie said that, for the Republican Party to retain its majorities in the House and Senate, President Bush and Congressional leaders should convene a summit to spell out specifically what they would actually do if they were left in power. He said Republicans should enter into a new contract with the voters to include such items as:

A complete termination of “earmarks” and pork barrel spending in appropriations bills. Opposition to all increases in non-defense spending.

A constitutional amendment to balance the budget and limit taxes.

Making permanent all of the temporary tax cuts and pushing for significant additional tax relief.

Recommit to securing the border with Mexico to stop the invasion of illegal aliens.

Fighting hard for the confirmation of strict constructionists to the federal judiciary.

Energy independence through increased exploration for oil, development of coal resources, and expansion of nuclear energy.

Appointment of many more Reagan-type conservatives, rather than big-business establishment Republicans.

Senate confirmation of John Bolton as U.N. Ambassador.

“Many conservatives and moderates have tuned out the Republican Congressional leaders. But President Bush owns the world’s largest microphone. If he will use it to make serious promises on issues that grassroots conservatives can relate to, voters might give Republicans one more chance,” Viguerie said.

Richard Viguerie’s Conservatives Betrayed
9625 Surveyor Court, Suite 400
Manassas, Virginia 20110

This phoney bastard. He's been making the rounds saying that Bush and company have "betrayed" the conservative agenda. Utter bullshit.

Take note of what the Betrayer-in-Cheif said at a campaign stop for Third US Congressional District candidate Jeff Lamberti at the Iowa State Fair Grounds yesterday:"One big reason we're going to win is because the truth is the Democrats will raise your taxes[.]" Where did this come from?! Gee, this wasn't even an "issue" up to this point in the election but all of a sudden, from right field as it were, Bush just blurts out, "...the Democrats will raise your taxes[!]"

Mere hours before flying to Iowa the president put his "X" on a piece of paper authorizing the construction of a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. This is a boondoggle in the making, a Potemkin village of a project with all the stopping power of tissue paper. But it does meet the purpose of keeping poor, white, closet racists voting Republican.

Viguerie's agenda is the same old Republican bullshit he has pooped out for forty years. The same stupidity and ignorance of reality which so many middle class Americans mistake for common sense even though it makes their lives just that much more miserable.

Ever since Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential election defeat, Viguerie and the Republican Party gained ground on new Deal Democrats by playing the outsider card. With the aid of Vigueries's blueprint the Republican Party framed itself as the perennial watchdog for the little guy against the villianous "big government" Democrats. For forty years the Republicans have run against the Washington establishment. But now they are the establishment, very deeply so.

So the problem for the old bullshiter, now, is how to make it seem as if Republicans are running against an entrenched Washington elitist establishment when, in fact, that is precisely what they are.

Viguerie's solution is elegant as it is simple. Declare Bush a traitor to the memory of the "sainted" Ronald Reagan. Tell anyone who cares to listen that Bush and the NeoCons are off the GOP reservation. And end by saying that maybe it serves the Republican Party its just desserts to lose the November election and have the vile Democrats, who might just impeach a "war" president, take over Congress.

Of course Viguerie doesn't believe a word he says. Why should he. He's in a win-win situation. Should the Democrats win, he just cranks up the old direct-mail, now e-mail, machine and the donations from Reagan cultists pours in. If Republicans hold on to Congress Viguerie will continue with his current theme that Bush and company aren't extreme enough and the donations from Reagan cultists will still roll in.

Richard Viguerie and all those like him are a cancer on the body politic. There is legitimate political speech and there is bullshit. Viguerie has developed bullshit into a high art.