No more fun in the monkeyhouse?

The moneyed interests have grown tired of bankrolling a party consisting primarily of glue huffing, misogynistic creationists.  Or rather, tired of bankrolling glue huffing, misogynistic creationists that, of late, are losing elections the powers that be had thought bought and paid for.

The group, the Conservative Victory Project, is intended to counter other organizations that have helped defeat establishment Republican candidates over the last two election cycles. It is the most robust attempt yet by Republicans to impose a new sense of discipline on the party, particularly in primary races. 

“There is a broad concern about having blown a significant number of races because the wrong candidates were selected,” said Steven J. Law, the president of American Crossroads, the “super PAC” creating the new project. “We don’t view ourselves as being in the incumbent protection business, but we want to pick the most conservative candidate who can win.” 

The effort would put a new twist on the Republican-vs.-Republican warfare that has consumed the party’s primary races in recent years. In effect, the establishment is taking steps to fight back against Tea Party groups and other conservative organizations that have wielded significant influence in backing candidates who ultimately lost seats to Democrats in the general election. 

And, oh noes, Steve King, a rapologist as well as other crazy, is likely to be their first target.

Trouble is, as the good Doctor Pierce would say, the GOP elders no longer control the conservative Id, and that is the closest thing the Republican party has to both authenticity and intellectual ferment.

It's not about the money

Typically, when someone says that the obvious response is, "then it must be about the money."

In this case, it's really true. It's not about the money, it's about the GOP's hostility to women's health.

The pro-life Susan B. Anthony List and Rep. Jim Jordan, head of the Republican Study Committee, just held a conference call in which Jordan said the fight is all about abortion. “The country's broke. The vast majority of Americans, whether they're pro-life or not, don't want their tax dollars being spent to take the life of unborn children,” Jordan said. When asked about how no federal funds go to paying for abortions – Planned Parenthood carefully segregates the funds – Jordan scoffed: “Come on. Money is fungible, and for them to make that claim – it's just common sense that money is fungible. We think that tax payers understand this and they don't want their money to be used in this manner.”

Speaker Boehner said this morning that “almost all of the policy issues have been dealt with and there is no agreement on the spending limit.” But Jordan's remarks would seem to contradict this claim. The Republican Study Committee represents 175 of the most conservative Republicans – a giant bloc without whom Boehner cannot pass anything.

Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, told reporters this afternoon that after House and Senate negotiators came to an agreement on $38 billion in cuts, Boehner brought up this rider. “[At] midnight last night it was down to one issue: Title X. They made a proposal to us and we said, 'That's unacceptable,'” Durbin said. “And then they spent the rest of the night -- instead of saying, ‘Ok, can we re-approach that' – saying, ‘Ok, let's reopen the conversation on the numbers.' You know that is maddening. At some point this has to come to a close.”

Durbin said the Senate is digging in its heels at $38 billion. The fact that Boehner asked for more money would hint that abortion isn't really the sticking point, but Democratic aides say the issue isn't money. “If it were a matter for a couple more billion in cuts in exchange for them dropping Title X, don't you think we would've done that by now?” an aide said.

For those dear readers wondering how heinous Title X must be that Republicans would risk shutting down the federal government to get its stain removed from federal statutes, well...

The Title X Family Planning program ["Population Research and Voluntary Family Planning Programs" (Public Law 91-572)], was enacted in 1970 as Title X of the Public Health Service Act. Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. The Title X program is designed to provide access to contraceptive services, supplies and information to all who want and need them. By law, priority is given to persons from low-income families.

The GOP is the party of the sick and twisted. And misogyny. Don't forget that.