Conservatism Sells

But who's buying?

One of the themes I hope to explore in upcoming weeks on the Big Con is the extent to which the "conservative movement" has become merely a self-perpetuating business—that, for example, a lot of the splenetic rage directed at John McCain by the professional conservatives has a great deal to do, not with ideology (they're perfectly willing to overlook ideological sins if their bread's getting generously buttered), but with payback at McCain for making it harder for them to raise money.

And, as I pointed out a few days ago [1], business is awful.

Since then, it's gotten worse for our boodling right-wing friends. Last week a blogger called my attention to a conservative attempt to emulate "Act Blue," the PAC that aggregates donations for candidates favored by the progressive netroots, which as of this past November has raised $34 million since it started in 2004 [2], and projects to raise $100 million by November of 2008 [2]. They linked to this right-wing site, which cals itself "Rightroots", following its first day of operation—which it had announced with great fanfare as "ONE DAY TO STOP HILLARY!" They raised a grand, or rather piddling, total of $2,646 from 32 donors on ONE DAY TO STOP HILLARY. This against ActBlue's projection, probably (if I may use the word) conservative that they'll be hauling in an average of over a million a week this year.

Being a lazy blogger, I had hoped to take a screenshot of this anemic indicator, but forgot. Drat!

That was February 7 [2], the day that precious moment to embarrass the conservatives came and went.

If only I could turn back the clock...

Lo and behold. Wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles. Time hath stood still! "Rightroots" has saved my blogging bacon. I checked back in this morning. Click here to see where their totals presently stand. [3]

The conservative era is over. If you want it.