The Far Right considered using a 3rd party to push it's agenda

[ck4829]

"Paul Weyrich (founder and leading force of the FCF) and Richard Viguerie (who pioneered the direct-mail-campaign method of accessing millions of Americans who otherwise would not be exposed to the more extremist brand of conservative propaganda) of had planned to use the racist-linked American Independent Party as the basis for his new political party, which was planned to be formed in time for the 1980 elections?

The American Independent Party was formed to back George Wallace's 1968 presidential candidacy. The AIP's roots are based in the racist south, and the AIP attracted the whites who were angry and fearful following the civil rights acts of 1964 and 1965. The AIP embraced elements of the KKK and John Birch Society, as well as members of the Liberty Lobby. The Liberty Lobby was a severely racist and anti-Semitic group, which operated as an intermediary between racist paramilitary factions (like the NeoNazis and the KKK) and the more radical right. In the early 1970s, Paul Weyrich had already linked with the Coors family which funded the start-up of the Heritage Foundation in the early 1970s. In 1974, with money from the Coors family (and the Coors family is not exactly a bastion of minority-friendly sentiment), Weyrich also started the Committee for the Survival of a Free Congress, which later became the Free Congress Foundation. Since the beginning, the Heritage Foundation and the Free Congress Foundation have been led and/or received oversight by Weyrich, and their boards of directors are interlinked, sharing members back and forth.

Unhappy with the GOP, which they regarded as too moderate, Weyrich and Viguerie wanted to start a more rightward-leaning political group. Instead of creating their own political party, they went to the American Independent Party's 1976 convention, with the idea of maneuvering Viguerie into the AIP's presidential candidacy seat. However, despite their best efforts, and promises of Viguerie's considerable power and expertise with fund-raising, the AIP chose Lester Maddox as its presidential candidate."

http://politicalamazon.com/fcf.html#racism

Think of what would have happened if they continued to think that the GOP was too moderate?

I wonder if there is any way where we make them think that again.

[Brundle_Fly]

1. would be nice.

maybe ross perot is gunning for a new campaign.

[peace frog]

2. Would that this third party had come into being

It would have siphoned off the 20-30% of voters, and most importantly their VOTES which ordinarily would have gone to the GOP. A dream come true for Democrats, alas it was not to be.

[Minnesota Libra]

4. Instead, the GOP helped finance the Green party to split......

....the liberal votes.

[peace frog]

5. Exactly.

Damn.

[marmar]

3. "which they regarded as too moderate"

The GOP too moderate? These must be some real freakazoid Aryan Nation types.

:scared: :scared: :scared:

[Pab Sungenis]

This was the Republican Party of the 1970's.

The Rockefeller Republicans still had some influence in the GOP at that time. It wasn't until Reagan's ascendancy that the liberal and moderate elements of the GOP became as marginalized as they are now.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. I Strongly Encourage This Effort

That will make it easier to see who are the "billfold republicans" and who the real nutjobs are.
The Professor

[PATRICK]

7. Say what you will

of the Bushes being the extremists and true believers, what you have is an empty shell of extremism dominating a gutted GOP. The Bushes who are STILL disliked and distrusted by their putative worshiping base have usurped the throne and all the accommodating perks and agendas that benefit them and select industrial aristocrats, the Super Republicans of (surprise!) the Old School, East Coast Transplant Texas Oil Branch(the worst).

So what they have for their pains, if the whole thing was not a sham to begin with, is a thuggish "movement" whose cult leaders in fact are reduced to being- under any mask- political hacks for the Bush dynasty alone. Not even Reagan, a doting actor who was at least honestly empty of whatever RW value was supposed to be. Remember the "let Reagan be Reagan"(which means, I guess, let nothing happen at all, O Lord) that sad hapless laughable whine to the Cheney/Bush clique directing the whole show? In this true apotheosis, a wealthy class GOP money ideologue grafts a few buzz words and agendas(so long as they achieve money and power and suffering for all others who cares what?) has co-opted a bunch of rubes, zealots, fans and corporate tools. This they allowed and praised as the BEST they can do and getting ALL they could wish for. And now discontent and grumbling blame for the truly monumental, treasonous sham they elevated with so many lies and fraud. You get what you sin for.

Anyone could think of a better scenario although better leaders would really really be hard to find in the RW extremist movement, praise the Lord. But Bush? The victory of the Ivy league big oil group over both the "moderate" GOP whom they once belonged to in sheep's clothing and the New Conservatives for whom these weasels of self-aggrandizement and upper crust elitism donned itchy wolves' attire?

When radicals typically get near any seat of power they deconstruct, self-destruct, morph or simply get suckered. In the event of today's RW hangover- all three in spectacular fashion. Starting out bankrupt in higher human values and morality didn't help, obviously, except in the commission of common and higher crimes.