Get ready for the "revolution" on the right

[TimeToGo]

From Salon

Get ready for the "revolution" on the right
Direct-mail ace Richard Viguerie is ecstatic over Bush's victory, but says it's time for conservatives to stop pandering to moderates.

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By Mary Jacoby

Nov. 5, 2004 | In the 1960s, right-wing strategist Richard Viguerie -- in search of troops for a conservative revolution -- realized that one of the most effective ways to recruit small donors and foot soldiers was through a simple letter in their mailboxes. And the political direct-mail industry was born.

Written in blunt and alarmist language, Viguerie's direct-mail pieces tapped into conservative discontent on a range of issues, from taxes to immigration to the United Nations to abortion. His Virginia-based firm, now called American Target Advertising Inc., claims to have mailed more than a billion pieces of mail over four decades. Thousands of recipients responded with donations of $10 or $15. They helped fund a network of conservative think tanks, advocacy organizations and pressure groups that, Viguerie believes, has finally achieved its end with the reelection of President Bush.

"Now comes the revolution," Viguerie recently told conservatives, according to the New York Times.

But first, there are still a few ideological outliers to crush. On Thursday, the conservative movement icon was busy helping lead a campaign to block moderate Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., from rotating into the chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The cause of the uproar was an Associated Press story that quoted Specter as bluntly warning Bush not to nominate anti-abortion Supreme Court justices.

SNIP

Read more:

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/11/05/viguerie/index.html

[Penndems]

1. Mark my words: Arlen Spector and Lincoln Chafee are going

to become the newest converts to the Democratic party.

Those idiots are gonna lose the majority - just wait and see.

:evilgrin:

[serryjw]

2. absoluteluy agree

maybe we can add SNOWE & Collins to it.

[Penndems]

7. . . . and Hagel EOM

[rodeodance]

16. I heard Hagel on TV today

He gave no hint to me of deserting the President--he had nothing but praise for Bush today. he may have disagreements but he is a loyal foot shoilder to Bush.

[Penndems]

20. Sorry to hear that

Wonder how long he'll remain loyal before the far right turns on him.

[coloradodem2005]

3. You think that Specter will switch?

IT would be nice. I like him a little better than other Republicans,and it seems like they are trying to drive him out of the party, but I don't know. Chaffee I could see.

[Penndems]

8. Not one doubt in my mind

If the right is insisting on a bloodletting, the Congressional GOP moderates will either desert to the Democratic Party, or pull a Jim Jeffords and become Independents.

Watch and see.

[Penndems]

9. Call it a hunch, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see it happen

Especially in Spector's case, since Pennsylvania is becoming more and more Democratic.

I'm sure he's probably beginning to feel like a fish out of water, with regards being a moderate in the Senate and a Republican in a blue state.

[calico1]

4. I agree. Aside from the fundy base

I really don't think most Americans want right wing theocracy as the law of the land. But I want these people to go all out. So that Americans can see them for what they are. Moderate Republicans in Congress are going to have to chose. And its not just the Senate. There are Moderates in the house. This party is going to undergo some changes. Traditional Republicans like Specter and Chafee are so because they believe in balanced budgets, etc. My Congressman, Rob Simmons, went out of his way to disassociate himself with Bush and make a point that he thinks independently. The Moderates don't believe in mixing religion and politics or getting into people's personal lives. This is going to be interesting.

[Catt03]

5. I wish someone would run off a few thousand copies of this garbage

and send to all the moderate Republicans in the House and Senate.

Then again....probably won't work to sway anyone. I thought McCain was a moderate Republican but he turned out to be a right wing nut case too.

[rodeodance]

17. yeah--McCain was very disappointing the last few months!!

with his arms around Bush!!!!!! uga uga

[Jade Fox]

6. They said this same crap after Reagan was elected..

25 years later Democrats, liberals, and lefties have not disappeared,
Roe v Wade stands, and Richard Vigurie is singing the exact same tune
about the "Conservative Revolution."

Seriously. This article could have been written in 1980.

[Penndems]

10. Check out the last paragraph, Jade

"Crush Arlen Spector"?

No - this time I suspect it'll be different. They're drunk with power, and now they're devouring their own. Spector will switch parties before he's "crushed". He's the senior Senator from Pennsylvania, he's been in D.C. for what - about twenty years? - and knows the score. Spector's not about to lose either seniority OR power. His state voted for the Democratic ticket.

Believe me, the Senate will experience the equivalent of an earthquake if/when he switches. Big, BIG news . . .

Bring it on! :)

(on update: typo)

[cyr330]

14. There's a difference

Congress was majority Democrat when Reagan was president, so the Repukes' hands were tied. Furthermore, the Repukes HAVE become more virulent since 1980 as well; there is no way in denying that. . .

[zbdent]

11. When I see it

I will then believe it.

[Penndems]

12. Trust me: Spector will switch parties if they try to block him

from taking over the Chairmanship. He's not gonna be denied his due. Been in the Senate way too long and has too much clout.

Once he makes the leap, the GOP will crap itself - figuratively and (possibly) literally. They'll have Frist and Santorum bribe Specter with promises of more funding for job creation, highway improvements, you name it (ANYTHING to keep the Pugs in power). If Arlen's a man of his convictions, he'll reject their overtures and, if he does, the Republicans in Congress will get out the long knives.

[zbdent]

13. Spector will have to jump ship and stay before I even consider it

to be for real. I'm still cautious about Tim Ryan of Niles D-Ohio. All that funding from the NRA.

Amidst all the statements from the left and Amnesty International about Saddam Hussein in the late 80s and Pre-Gulf-I 90s, Spector met with SH months before the invasion of Kuwait and proclaimed him as still an ally of the US.

I still remember George Voinovich joining with Olympia Snowe on the "concerns" about Bush's extra tax cuts. Said he wanted to see it reduced. BUT he said that he would support whatever number that Bush came up with. Happens it was the exact same number that Bush started out with.

I don't know if Arlen will have the balls to stick to his "convictions". Somehow, I doubt it.

[vajraroshana]

15. Screw that....wait for the revolution on the Left....

I don't have any intentions of rolling over!!!

I'm a Southern Red-state gay guy and you haven't heard the last of me.

Like I've said, there are numerous issues easily more important than my gayness, and we've been victorious in those.

"We" are purple!!!

And we will agitate against the logging industry. The heavily polluting hog-farm industry....

And many more local things.

Don't even think about us Southern Liberals going anywhere!!!

We've won things you never heard about, and we're going to do it some more, whether or not you hear about it or not!

[rodeodance]

18. "purple" takes on a new understanding/meaning

[vajraroshana]

19. Purple is beautiful....

I workded so hard in my district..."act local" you know the cliche...

But it worked,...at least in my district, or voting precinct, or whatever you want to call it...

We were Blue here in my voting unit.