i read about the power-loving nature of this group and about their fondness for dictators and a “theology” where all merge into one and the one rules, but i don’t note any specific political accomplishments they have had a hand in.

at this point i can’t decide if they are just slightly goofy political hangers-on being treated like a boogey-man by sharlett, et al

or

if, from time to time, they have made specific things happen not so good for the people or the nation.”

I believe they are both very nasty, and very dangerous.

You have to read Sharlet’s book to get the picture of their international connections, particularly their affinity for Nazi’s (real ones) and since world war II for bloody dictators. We are learning now about their affinity for elected officials, but there are other parts of “The Family” who are Civil Service, Foreign Service Officers, and I would not doubt, many in the intelligence community. There is a whole part of “The Family” that deals with higher level Military — during the Bush II years they conducted their prayer meetings in the Pentagon. One full fledged member discussed in Sharlet’s book is Ed Meese — and he was part of it during his tour of DOJ as AG, and in the various positions he has had since. There is just a whole lot of investigative work to do with “the Family” in mind.

A lot of what they end up doing is preventing things from happening. You have to look at the meaning behind all the anti-Labor positions they have taken over the years — going all the way back to the 30’s, when the stars were aligned for the success of Lewis’s promotion of the CIO in basic industry (Auto, Rubber, Steel, Glass, etc.). At every step in the process they were backing the opposition, including the more bloody opposition. One of their great successes right after WWII was Taft-Hartley. They have been behind “right to work” statutes at the state level, and they have made a significant effort to influence the judiciary on Labor Law. I suspect they had some influence in founding and organizing the Federalist Society, through Ed Meese, for instance.

I know a great deal about their opposition to the Civil Rights Movement in the 50’s and 60’s, because I dealt with and observed them directly during movement days when I was Director of a Religious Civil Rights Organization with national connections. It is a book-length story that has never really been written, but you can find parts of it in many books. Just last week, for instance, I finished up Rick Perlstein’s book on Goldwater’s movement — “Before the Storm”, (The Nation has just brought out a paperback version this year), and as the narrative builds, and Goldwater’s movement attracts other sources of the radical right to itself, a goodly number of these are also linked to “The Family” and to the hard anti-Civil Rights core.

another fascinating comment and so informative.

i really needed this perspective. after reading sharlett’s harper’s piece and his comments to scott horton, i simply did not come away with a feel that the power part was anything to worry about. my impression was that the the vague religiosity, political schmoozing, and casual organizing seemed harmless when it came to political specifics.

i would ask this question of you, sara:

i read about the power-loving nature of this group and about their fondness for dictators and a “theology” where all merge into one and the one rules, but i don’t note any specific political accomplishments they have had a hand in.

at this point i can’t decide if they are just slightly goofy political hangers-on being treated like a boogey-man by sharlett, et al

or

if, from time to time, they have made specific things happen not so good for the people or the nation.

There is some speculation out there that the emails came from the jilted husband, though if he threw his wife out two years ago (other rumors) then how he obtained her more recent emails might be a problem.

http://www.thestate.com/local/story/841646.html

3. Lindsey Graham is a Republican Senator from Sanford’s state and they would be close at least politically. It’s natural he would defend him and sympathize. IOKIYAR, after all. There has been a lot of speculation about those ’sins’ of Graham.

I wanted to leave a note for him, but I’m damned if, having learned to forget all the WaPo sign in info, I’m going to revisit that mess.

I’ve left about 8 comments at various places over at White House Watch and the ombudsman’s blog, so consider yourself covered.

He said in his confession he had seen Maria 3 times since the first trade mission/spark. I have not seen anything that put the other meetings before or after the Mizus finds out. She’s been stewing while he vacillated.