The loyal opposition

Madame Cura recently received a "REGISTERED" survey with an accompanying letter from Michael Steele. The purpose of the survey, Mr. Steele writes, is "to gauge where you and other grassroots Republicans stand on the critical issues facing our nation."

Now, Madame Cura is not a Republican. She's not registered with either party, hasn't given money to a Republican group, and doesn't subscribe to any particularly conservative publications (ArtNews?). So one can only guess that this appeal from Steele is not intended for hard core, "grassroots" Republicans, but rather those not aligned with the party. And what independent voters wouldn't be moved by this sort of thing?

There is so much about the Obama agenda that most Americans do not know, thanks to the non-stop, swooning coverage of the ultra-biased media.

But with your help, we are going to expose the Obama agenda for all Americans to see so that we create a groundswell of opposition.

Indeed. Fortunately Steele will blow fresh air through the fog of the "ultra-biased media."

That's why we are asking where you stand on Barack Obama's promise to raise taxes...

...On his plans to give amnesty to illegal immigrants, which could lead to billions of dollars of government handouts and possibly bankrupt Social Security...

…And how do you feel about Obama’s efforts to nationalize health care and have it run by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.?

Those are Obama’s top priorities!

All "sic."

One thing is for sure certain, Michael Steele is depending on most Americans not knowing much "about the Obama agenda," because it gives Steele an opportunity to peddle bullshit.

To wit, the questionnaire itself, peddling all notion of rightwing craziness, tea party conspiracy theory, and standard red meat for the base. A sample:

Do you support amnesty for illegal immigrants?

Should English be the official language of the United States?

Are you in favor of granting retroactive Social Security eligibility to illegal immigrants who gain U.S. citizenship through an amnesty program?

Are you in favor of the expanded welfare benefits and unlimited eligibility (no time, education or work requirements) that Democrats are pushing to pass?

Do you believe that the quality and availability of health care will increase if the federal government dictates pricing to doctors and hospitals?

Now, I'm pretty sure even in Michael Steele's fever brain does he or anyone else in the RNC believe in this for a moment. So I guess I'm just shocked, shocked, to find cynical appeals to xenophobia, class warfare, and fear in a fund-raising letter from the GOP.

Oh, and my favorite from the party that has for so long been the fierce defender of workers' rights:

Do you support Democrats' drive to eliminate workers' right to a private ballot when considering unionization of their place of employment?

If Republicans think that running on a platform of obstruction to a non-existent "agenda" is going to be a winning strategy, this should be an interesting year.