The John Birch Society: Last, Best Hope for the Right?

Wendy Kaminer in an Atlantic piece somewhat shapelessly takes on the whole "is libertarianism dominating the out-of-power GOP?" (see Matt Welch's cutting words on David Brooks' totally foolish take on the theme of supposed libertarian dominance of the polity from early today) theme that is so hot nowadays.

While I think slightly overestimating the efficacy of Democrats in power at actually curbing the national security state, she has kind words for the libertarian streak in that good ol' fashioned liberal whipping boy, the John Birch Society:

like pixie dust, a little libertarianism has been scattered over the right…sprinkling even the John Birch Society. ….it opposes the post 9/11 security state -- not that many rational people would rely on the judgment of the John Birch Society…

But, at least the JBS has denounced the "Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention and Prosecution Act;" (finally, an issue about which Glenn Greenwald and John Birchers can agree).  Marc Ambinder raised the alarm about this bill here.  Introduced in the Senate by John McCain and Joe Lieberman and co-sponsored by (among others) freedom loving tea party pin-up, Scott Brown, it provides that anyone suspected of terrorism or material support for terrorism (including an American citizen on American soil) may be placed in military custody and labeled a "high-value detainee," for virtually any reason, including the detainee's "potential intelligence value," or for any "matters the President considers appropriate."  High value detainees are subject to interrogation by a special "high value detainee interrogation group," which will determine if they are "Unprivileged Enemy Belligerents" to be imprisoned indefinitely, without charges or trials.  The president has final approval power over that determination, which is subject to no judicial review.

Given that the absurd beliefs of the JBS are less powerful, and less hazardous to the country's health, then the absurd beliefs of the Democrats currently running the country, Kaminer's polite pointing to the Society's take on the Enemy Belligerent Interrogation etc. Act is only fitting.

Kaminer is not suffering from Bob Dylan's Talkin' John Birch Society Blues:

Comments

[Gene Berkman]

Actually, The John Birch Society currently is generally in line with libertarian viewpoints, except on abortion and non-discriminatory marriage.

The JBS opposes the Iraq War, the Patriot Act, conscription, the War on Drugs, the income tax and the welfare state, as well as socialism, coimmunism and fascism.

Ron Paul is the favorite politician among Birchers, and many JBS activists were active in his campaigns in 1988 and 2008.

[Ratko]

You seem to know a little about The John Birch Society. For some reason I was under the impression JBSers were anti-communists who fought communism by pretending to be communists. Not sure where that notion came from, to be honest I know nothing about the group. I have recieved a number of invitations over the years to attend a meeting.

[PIRS]

You maybe thinking of the parody of them from the novel The Crying of Lot 49. By the way, it is a great book. It is hilarious!

http://www.amazon.com/Crying-L.....t_ep_dpi_1

[Ratko]

Looks like an interesting book, haven't read it though. However, it may be where whoever told me what I had I thought had gotten the idea from.

Now I'm a little curious what is this "kirsch" the hostess of the tupperware party Mrs. Oedipia Mass was attending had put too much of into her cheese fondue. Is it a psychoactive substance? Maybe another name for Spanish Fly?

[PIRS]

It is an alchoholic beverage. In other words, she was drunk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirsch

[Marc]

Drink kirschwasser from a shell
San Francisco show and tell

PS Steely Dan were the most underrated band of the 70s. Or, in this case, the 80s. Discuss.

[PIRS]

Underrated? By whom?

[Jersey Patriot]

Certainly not by themselves.

[Ted S.]

Am I thie one person who can't stand Steely Dan?

[James Tiberius Kirch]

Really? Hmmm....is she alien?

[$]

Ted S. - yes.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

I'm with ya, Ted S.

[Gene Berkman]

Kirsch is a cherry liqueur. "Kirsch" is the German word for cherry.

[Dr Duck]

Agreed on Lot 49 -- the most accessible of Pynchon's work.

"Buckaroo Banzai" pays a small homage to "Lot 49" with the Yoyodyne overthruster.

And Al Capp (Mr. L'il Abner) sent up the John Birchers in the 60s as the "Jack Acid Society"

[Dr Duck]

Sorry, brain cell death. Walt Kelly (Mr Pogo) did the Jack Acid thing.

[Rewrite]

At least you didn't say Andy Capp (which is how I read it the first time).

[Brandybuck]

They favor decriminalization of marijuana, but still oppose legalization of "hard" drugs. They oppose legalized prostitution. They may talk a good talk at the Federal level, but they remain solid social conservatives at the state level. Most also oppose immigration, even legal immigration, and many oppose free trade.

[Suki]

A radio show in DC land played a speech of the JBS founder from the 1970's. It was quite prophetic about what is happening now.

Good Morning reason!

[just my thoughts]

GM Suki

[Suki]

Hi jmt!

[just my thoughts]

It's not really JMT (I'm undercover!)

[Suki]

Is that you PIRS?

[No]

one of the girls

[No]

sorry

[PIRS]

Good morning Suki! NO, that Just My Thoughts person is not me. I am me!

(((Suki)))

By the way, MNG does not think you exist.

[Suki]

Good morning (((PIRS)))

Word to MNG, I am eternal, I am here, get over it 😉

[The Libertarian Guy]

We know you exist, Suki... it's MNG that is fake. He is a ghost in the machine, posting without a keyboard from the collective Borg pool of liberals.

Mornin', by the way!

[Charles]

Several people who are not MNG think you don't exist, or, more accurately, that you're one of several handles used by the same (probably slightly deranged) person.

[SIV]

Blind Squirrel PhD finds an acorn.

[$]

Did you take too much of a beating about not being as much of a catch as you thought you were, rctl?

[I like games]

Fishing? Wrong metaphor. Ever see an animal play with its food?

[I like fishing]

I wouldn't throw you back.

[I'm already someone's]

trophy

[A pity]

*sniff*

[You'll have a lot of company]

on that Trail of Tears 😉

[So much]

for sugar and a microwave 😉

[Groovus Maximus]

Good Morning Suki!

[Suki]

Hi GM!

[so it's cliched]

Also, they're racists.

[most]

are

[Suki]

That was racist.

[Some of 'em are all right]

Is that an indictment or an endorsement?

[Brandybuck]

Some are cryptoracist. Some are extremely racist. Some are Birchers only because Stormwatch turned them down.

But to be fair, I would say the majority are NOT racist. Just conspiracy addled fools.

[ernie1241]

Gene: The same general observation could be made about the Ku Klux Klan. They also oppose most (if not all) of the items you list --- so what?

Obviously, all of us can agree with isolated statements or positions taken by a political extremist group -- but their overall intentions (if allowed to operate according to their own lights) is what needs to be considered.

Historically, the Birch Society has always been extremely hostile to ANYONE who dared to contradict something they believe. In fact, the JBS does not recognize a decent, honorable, legitimate competing point of view. Instead, it characterizes all JBS critics and opponents as part of some "insider" cabal which seeks to "smear" or "attack" or "malign" the JBS --- even though the most potent criticisms of the JBS originated from WITHIN the JBS itself (for example from former Birchers Gary Allen, Alan Stang, William Norman Grigg, etc.) as well as from WITHIN the conservative movement generally (including, for example, Sen. Barry Goldwater, Sen. John Tower, Cong. Walter Judd, Russell Kirk, James Burnham, Ronald Reagan, and J. Edgar Hoover).

[Inkblots]

Ugh, Bob Dylan makes my ears bleed. I admit that JBS parody songs make up a pretty limited genre, but couldn't you have hooked us up with a clip of the Chad Mitchell Trio's "John Birch Society"?

Join the John Birch Society, holding off the Reds;
we'll use our hands and hearts, and if we must we'll use our heads...

[PIRS]

"Given that the absurd beliefs of the JBS are less powerful, and less hazardous to the country's health, then the absurd beliefs of the Democrats currently running the country, Kaminer's polite pointing to the Society's take on the Enemy Belligerent Interrogation etc. Act is only fitting."

I agree. I disagree with their views on the CFR etc. (although I am no fan of the United Nations) but I would feel far more comfortable with a majority of JBS members in Congress or the White House than I would with most Democrats or Republicans who do not have the last name Paul.

[?]

Given that the absurd beliefs of the JBS are less powerful, and less hazardous to the country's health, then the absurd beliefs of the Democrats currently running the country

That's the weak version of what's always been my defense of Birchers. Are they crazier than the average Democratic delegate? Not even close. They're thinking machines in comparison. So they're legit, bounds-of-debate-wise, and Democrats aren't.

[John]

Exactly. I don't see how anything the JBS says (and don't get me wrong, they are crazy) is any crazier or more dangerous than what Maddow, Olberman, Matthews and the rest of the MSNBC crew say five days a week.

[TrickyVic]

Do you watch that much MSNBC?

[ernie1241]

John: The difference between Maddow et al and the JBS is that Maddow and her soulmates do not question the loyalty or patriotism of their perceived opponents and they certainly do not advocate any punitive measures against critics.

By contrast, for the past 50+ years, the Birch Society has vilified and defamed virtually all of our national leaders and government officials (Republican and Democrat) and they explicitly have advocated treason trials for several of our Presidents.

What do YOU think would happen in Birchland USA if they obtained power -- given the FACT that during the 1960's they estimated "Communist influence and control" of our society to be at a 60-80% level of success -- and nothing since that time has changed from their perspective?

Why do YOU think that virtually the entire conservative intellectual and political activist movements in our country rejected the JBS as inept and harmful -- including, for example, Sen. Barry Goldwater, J. Edgar Hoover, Ronald Reagan, Russell Kirk, James Burnham, William F. Buckley Jr., George Will, James J. Kilpatrick, and numerous other conservative luminaries?

[SIV]

By contrast, for the past 50+ years, the Birch Society has vilified and defamed virtually all of our national leaders and government officials (Republican and Democrat) and they explicitly have advocated treason trials for several of our Presidents.

Sound good to me!

[The Libertarian Guy]

I'd say "most Republicans and Democrats" would be a good start, as well...

[contrarian]

What about all the teabagger namecalling? Liberals consistantly try to smear and destroy their opponents rather than engaging their ideas. We all know if you disagree with a liberal that you are horrible racist, xenophobic monster. Above post = Complete bullshit.

[Voros McCracken]

Brian, unless I missed it I don't see a link to the actual article here.

This is the link

[Brian Doherty]

Voros--YOu are right, but it is there now on the phrase "in an Atlantic piece." Yours is now dead for some reason.

[stubby]

Stupid twat. Like the JBS has any relevance, much less presents any threat, to the US right now.

Stupid, stupid twat.

No, I didn't RTFA. Because it's Wendy Stupid Twat Kaminer.

[SIV]

explain the WK hate plz

[Ratko]

Stubby, have you been drinking? If so, I'll drink to that, cheers! If not, you should be, it's Friday night for damn's sake.

[Pro Libertate]

How in trouble am I if I go, "Mroww!"

[Pro Libertate]

?

[stubby]

Ok. Shit. I retract the stupid twat comment - I completely misremembered Kaminer's stance on a number of issues. She's been a pretty vocal opponent of "feminist" censorship efforts and stupid shit like that.

I haven't been drinking but I'm about to start. I'm in a lousy fucking mood.

Going to drink vodka and watch Phineas and Ferb.

[PIRS]

Or you could drink Kirsch** like Oedipia Mass from the Crying of Lot 49.

**If you are confused look upthread.

[Rhywun]

All I know is Kirsch means "cherry".
...
Ah... It makes chocolate-covered cherries fun. Neat.

[.]

Can I recommend a saucer of milk?

[Ken Shultz]

"Given that the absurd beliefs of the JBS are less powerful, and less hazardous to the country's health, [THAN] the absurd beliefs of the Democrats currently running the country,..."

I think the commies used to call 'em "useful idiots" or "fellow travelers" or somethin'.

As I see it, the big division between economic libertarians and John Birch types is free trade and immigration. ...neither of which being front and center at the moment.

But when you think about it that way, if your John Birchers were gonna support anybody in the sort of mainstream right now, I'd think it would be Ron Paul.

Since they can't have someone like a anti-immigration/anti-free trade Pat Buchanan type.

"Ron Paul is the favorite politician among Birchers, and many JBS activists were active in his campaigns in 1988 and 2008."

Yeah, I remember seeing Ron Paul YouTube clips on Stormfront's page too last election too. ...thanks for reminding me of another good reason not to support him.

[Gene Berkman]

It is true that Birchers tend to be reactionary on immigration, but the leadership supports free trade, even if many members accept protectionist arguments.

The Birch Society opposes NAFTA and WTO because they see them as international bureaucracies. But the official position is to support free trade, with revenue tariffs to replace the income tax.

And they enthusiastically support Ron Paul.

[Tristan Band]

"With revenue tarrifs to replace the income tax."

Yeah, nice try buddy. Tarrifs and free trade are opposed.

[Inkblots]

"Racism is simply an ugly form of collectivism, the mindset that views humans strictly as members of groups rather than individuals. Racists believe that all individuals who share superficial physical characteristics are alike: as collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups...

The true antidote to racism is liberty. Liberty means having a limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights rather than group claims. Liberty means free-market capitalism, which rewards individual achievement and competence, not skin color, gender, or ethnicity."
-Rep. Ron Paul

[Tulpa]

I think he was quoting Madame Ayn.

[.]

She didn't sound convincing then, and her army of parrots sounds even less so now.

[Ayn>.]

You convince me.

[0%]

Anyone that is not a halfwit will find the arguments of a Goddamned liberal convincing one year or more into the Obama administration.

The fictions you tell yourself about the success of liberal actions (that ignore the huge drop in the standard of living among blacks after 1964 that lasted until the mid 80s assisted by liberal poverty pimping and ignore the historical fact that the private pension market was on a more sound foundation and more generous before the nationalization we call Social Security) are just no longer believable, and only serve as rationalizations that help prevent (counter)progressives from taking the Jonestown exit that would occur if they ever faced up to the massive social harm they have caused.

[Tulpa]

Actually that is a Paul quote...but I just found the Rand quote I was remembering. You tell me if Dr Paul has some Joe Biden / Doris Kearns Goodwin problems afoot:

Racism is the lowest, most crudely primitive form of collectivism. It is the notion of ascribing moral, social or political significance to a man's genetic lineage -- the notion that a man's intellectual and characterological traits are produced and transmitted by his internal body chemistry. Which means, in practice, that a man is to be judged, not by his own character and actions, but by the characters and actions of a collective of ancestors.

[Leigh Burch]

Sounds pretty reasonable to me. Its not like she is asking for much!

Lou
http://www.anonymous-VPN.eu.tc

[Sam Grove]

Hold it!
Given that the absurd beliefs of the JBS are less powerful, and less hazardous to the country's health, then the absurd beliefs of the Democrats currently running the country, ...

then?
Maybe you meant "than" and drop the comma after "health".

[stubby]

there's a hundred and four days of summer vacation before school comes along just to end it....ah. that's better.

[.]

I give you Robert Welch.

[Suki]

I think that is who I was talking about upthread. The video at your link isn't loading but the points are the same.

[Brandybuck]

The John Birch Society: Last, Best Hope for the Right?

Bastards, you made God kill a Cocker Spaniel puppy for that crack!

The JBS philosophy is based on a conspiracy theory of history. That's how it was founded, and it's still with them today. They may not all be Troofers, but they are all believers in grand inter-generational conspiracies. All believe in the NWO, NAU, etc. Most are raving birthers. A few still believe in Robert Welch's claim of a global communist conspiracy. Everywhere they go they spoil and derail liberty candidates by injecting their nuttery into the discussion. They are not libertarians, they are nativist paleoconservatives with a strong culturalist streak.

[Ken Shultz]

"They are not libertarians, they are nativist paleoconservatives with a strong culturalist streak."

Sounds like the people Ron Paul's newsletters were pandering to then, doesn't it?

[Brandybuck]

Yes. Too bad Lew Rockwell won't fess up. But just like a Bircher, he would rather have a liberty candidate lose than budge one millimeter away from his sacred conspiracies.

[PIRS]

"Yes. Too bad Lew Rockwell won't fess up. "

What actual evidence do you have that Lew Rockwell is the person who wrote them?

Even if he did there are at least two possibilities here:

1. His views genuinely changed and he now genuinely regrets having written them and does not want this past to derail his work today.

2. He never actually held those beliefs and now regrets having written them and does not want them to derail his work today.

Unless the person who wrote them only lives and works in and around racist circles whoever wrote them will be tarred for life if it is proven he or she wrote them. Let us assume this person did have a genuine change of heart. Would you hang that albatross from his or her neck?

[Suki]

I thought Lew Rockwell wrote "Somebody's Watching Me"?

[PIRS]

🙂 That was Kennedy William Gordy Rockwell. Different Person.

[Brandybuck]

What actual evidence do you have that Lew Rockwell is the person who wrote them?

Dude, everyone outside of Auburn knows this. Hell, even Dondero knows this.

[Ken Shultz]

Doesn't this more and more seem to be a generational thing?

This John Birchesque, anti-Fed appeal of Ron Paul's is about as new as the Bob Dylan song at the top of this thread. It's what conservatives were about pre-Goldwater, isn't it?

Is that right about somewhere near Ron Paul's formative years?

That's what Ron Paul makes me think of anyway. ...conservativism before Goldwater. Before the Southern Democrats jumped on board with Reagan.

Ron Paul = Pre-Goldwater conservatives.

I still think Goldwater's corpse would make a better president than any of them...

Exhume Goldwater 2012!

[zoltan]

Consider all of the young supporters of Ron Paul.

[Ken Shultz]

Yeah, I suspect that just like the young supporters of Obama, they see what they want to see.

[Tristan Band]

+1

[anti-racism baiter]

"Racists believe that all individuals who share superficial physical characteristics are alike: as collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups..."

Or maybe they think of groups as groups and individuals as individuals. Like maybe the Yankees were better than the Phillies even though Victorino >> Cabrera. Or the Lakers were better than the Magic even though Howard >> Bynum. Or the Saints were better than the Colts . . . nevermind.

[.]

Presumably the Randroids would object to selling insurance - given that insurance by definition makes bets that certain demographic "collectives" will exhibit specific characteristics. And if they weren't remarkable good at it, they'd be out of business.

[$]

It is clear that you know nothing about so-called "Randroids".

[$]

"Racism claims that the content of a man's mind (not his cognitive apparatus, but its content) is inherited; that a man's convictions, values and character are determined before he is born"

Note that she did not say anything about physical characteristics or inheritable disease, because she was (and we are) not as categorically retarded as you blithely assume.

[.]

As far as I know, no racist has ever claimed anything about "the content of a man's mind". But Rand can certainly make a prosaic attack against a straw-man, can't she?

[$]

your second statement is laughable; your first, doubly so. There was an entire scientific field dedicated to the proposition that certain races were inherently intellectually inferior. I can only attribute this wholesale lack of historical knowledge to breathtaking ignorance or willful stupidity on your part.

[dude]

Fun Fact: Eugenics was supported by Woodrow Wilson, Teddy Roosevelt, and John Maynard Keynes

[Groovus Maximus]

and Margaret Sanger.

[.]

You seem to have a real problem understanding English. You specifically said not his cognitive apparatus, but its content.

Cognitive apparatus - that is, problem solving ability, IQ, etc. is indeed heritable, at least in part. There's virtually no scientific disagreement about that. Nor is there any dispute that different races perform differently on IQ tests, although the reasons for this are still somewhat in dispute.

Content of a mind - i.e., his thoughts, his beliefs, his feelings, are not heritable, and nobody, to the best of my knowledge, has ever claimed they were.

[Art-P.O.G.]

Content of a mind - i.e., his thoughts, his beliefs, his feelings, are not heritable, and nobody, to the best of my knowledge, has ever claimed they were.

Then you're not a very good student of history.

[$]

"Content" includes character. Are you (., that is) going to claim that no racist has ever made a claim with respect to the character of an "inferior" race?

Save yourself the trouble and continue wallowing in your ignorance in silence.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

As far as I know, no racist has ever claimed anything about "the content of a man's mind". But Rand can certainly make a prosaic attack against a straw-man, can't she?

That's not a straw man at all. I think you're failing here.

[anti-racism baiter]

success!

[ed]

Reacting against something doesn't necessarily mean you're for anything, at least coherently. The so-called libertarian awakening, at this point anyway, is based more on fear than enlightenment.

[Gynserver]

Reacting against something doesn't necessarily mean you're for anything, at least coherently.

This would apply to many (most?) Obama voters.

[ed]

Well, they've proved that they're for Socialism Lite?. Gang Rule. Trampling the Constitution. Censorship...

[John]

That is true, but fear tends to get a lot done. Most real changes happen after one side totally overreaches and scares the hell out of the populace. Considering who we have running the country right now, I would say fear is both a logical and helpful response. The enlightenment can come later.

[PIRS]

+1

[ed]

[F]ear is both a logical and helpful response....The enlightenment can come later

Really? Revolution first, epistemology later? It's almost too late now. Fear is neither logical nor helpful. Fear is an emotion, and people do stupid things when they're afraid. Without a consistent, coherent, principled, philosophical revolution, the tea-partiers and other nascent political groups are, in the long run, certain to fail; at best they can only delay the inevitable. Not that playing a role in delaying ObamaCare hasn't been encouraging. But have they defeated it? Doesn't look that way.

[PIRS]

"But have they defeated it?"

We may find out on Sunday night. I still have some hope that this vampire can have a stake driven through its heart.

[Ed Coyne]

"then the absurd beliefs"

Should be "than".

[PIRS]

May I humbly request an Obamacare Weekend Showdown open thread?

[Almanian]

Second

[John]

According to Rasmussen today more people 44% strongly disaprove of Obama's performance as President than even somewhat approve of it 43%. Currently, only 23% stongly approve of his performance. That 21 point difference between strongly disaprove and strongly approve is the largest ever recorded for any President. If Obama recieved normal approval numbers from the black community versus the inflated ones he gets for being the first black President, can you imagine how low those numbers would be. And we are only a year in. By the time he is done, Obama's disaproval rating will be the 56 game hitting streak of political polling, unbelievable and unbreakable.

[TrickyVic]

I thought he would hit 39% by the end of last year. He's more popular now than I thought he would be.

[John]

Abnormally high ratings from the black community is the only thing keeping him even at 43%. If he were white, your 39% prediction would have been too optimistic.

[ernie1241]

All political extremists (right and left) exploit targets of opportunity -- especially during times of political, economic, or social crisis.

Obviously, all of us can find isolated statements in extremist publications which we agree with OR we can agree with some position or policy proposal that extremists favor -- but that does NOT mean we accept their entire world-view nor would we be willing to vote such folks into positions of power.

The problem with the Birch Society is that it recognizes no legitimate, honorable, competing alternatives to its own political preferences. Instead, like all extremists, the JBS declares that there is always only ONE correct interpretation of any matter in dispute and only ONE correct policy option to choose --- and that ONE interpretation and policy option, "coincidentally" always conforms to the political preferences of the JBS!

Furthermore, the JBS has a long history of defaming virtually all of our national political leaders and government officials.

The JBS wants a day of reckoning to commence where people like Dwight Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton are regarded as TRAITORS. As recently as the beginning of this year, the CEO of the JBS lamented in the JBS Bulletin that Clinton's sexual escapades interfered with the "real" reason he should have been impeached, i.e. TREASON.

The most potent criticisms of the JBS have originated from with the JBS itself and from with the conservative and anti-communist communities. Even Mrs. Robert Welch terminated her membership and denounced the then-new leadership of the JBS! Other prominent Birchers who left in disgust were Gary Allen and Alan Stang -- arguably the Birch Society's most prolific writers.

Even J. Edgar Hoover and senior FBI officials concluded in FBI memos that the JBS was "extremist", "irrational", "irresponsible", "lunatic fringe" and "fanatics".

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

[P Brooks]

Sad news:

The community organizing group Acorn, battered politically from the right and suffering from mismanagement along with a severe loss of government and other funds, is on the verge of filing for bankruptcy, officials of the group said Friday.

A network that once included more than 1,000 grass-roots groups, Acorn, which stands for Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, was created in 1970 and has fought for liberal causes like raising the minimum wage, registering the poor to vote, stopping predatory lending and expanding affordable housing. The organization helped roughly 150,000 lower-income families prepare their tax returns and obtain $190 million in tax refunds between 2004 and 2009, Acorn officials said.

But long before the activist videos delivered what may become the final blow, the organization was dogged for years by financial problems and accusations of fraud. In the summer of 2008, infighting erupted over embezzlement of Acorn funds by the brother of the organization's founder. Some chapters were also found to have submitted voter application forms with incorrect information on them during the lead-up to the 2008 presidential election, leading to blistering charges from conservative organizations linking Acorn's errors to the Obama campaign.

"That 20-minute video ruined 40 years of good work," said Sonja Merchant-Jones, former co-chairwoman of Acorn's Maryland chapter. "But if the organization had confronted its own internal problems, it might not have been taken down so easily."

[PIRS]

"Sad news"

I hope you are being sarcastic in calling this news sad. Please tell me you are being sarcastic. My sarcasm filter is a bit off today -

[$]

This week, the Maryland chapter announced that it would not reopen its offices, which were shuttered in September in the wake of a widely publicized series of video recordings made by two conservative activists, posing as a prostitute and a pimp, who secretly filmed Acorn workers providing them tax advice. In the videos, Acorn workers told one of the activists, James E. O'Keefe III, how to hide prostitution activities from the authorities and avoid taxes, raising no objections to his proposed criminal activities.

It is rather peculiar that they never mentioned that the employee was aiding an underage prostitution ring.

Wait, it is the New York Times - I guess it is not all that peculiar.

[The Libertarian Guy]

If the work was so good, why did you need taxpayer money to accomplish it?

[P Brooks]

Fear not, PIRS.

I am saddened by this in much the same way a Congressional epidemic of bubonic plague would sadden me.

[$]

10/17/08 - NEVER FORGET!

[Art-P.O.G.]

Joe P. Boyle was quite a hack. Wow.

[$]

His commodious hypocrisy is not missed.

[Episiarch]

You're just realizing this now?!?

[PIRS]

Good to hear.

[John]

P Brooks, who is going to do God's work now?

[zoltan]

MNG seems to have taken that up. Rather poorly.

[NonPaulogist]

I see the cosmotards are taking up where Buckley left off in policing the fringe. Somehow I doubt you will be as successful as he was. Like Dohertry and Welch, Buckley was an elitist who sold out his friends for establishment respectability, - but at least he had journalistic talent. You don't.

[heller]

Take note kids, when someone calls your beliefs absurd, complain that they are trying to police you.

And nothing says coherency like screaming "ELITIST CITY FOLK!!!" at people you know nothing about.

[anti-racism baiter]

To be fair to NonPaulogist(not that he deserves it), Doherty is a caricature of metro-libertariansexuals. Or the CIA spiked his arugula with acid . . . one of the two.

[$]

The yokels are a nonstop barrel of laughs.

[Capt. Canuck]

Sony saz: "Canada go fuck yourself"...when you try to view the video.