College Republican National Committee

Our schadenfreuderific week continues. Matt Browner Hamlin and Boing Boing contribute more to the Ashley Todd story. Here's Matt hitting the nail on the head:

That is, Ashley Todd is one of the College Republicans top 50 organizers in the entire country. One of fifty. The future of the College Republicans and the Republican Party on whole. She is one of the best they have. And she’s a serial liar who is facing criminal charges after making racist, hateful claims in the closing days of the presidential campaign.

Ashley Todd came to LITF08 with a history of doing phenomenally dishonest and dishonorable shit. No doubt this is a qualifying characteristic for the Atwater-Rove school of Republican operatives. It’s all she has, though, and it’s all the Republican Party has nowadays. If there is any fouler symptom of the rotting corpse of the Republican Party, I don’t know what it is.

Over at the Great Orange Satan, Kos picks up on some hilarity from the older, "young" Republicans (read: under 45):

The "Young Eagles" is open to anyone under the age of 45, which I suppose is "young" for John McCain's party. But beyond that cheap joke, note how (PDF) the GOP builds "the next generation of the Republican Party":

• A full year’s membership in the Young Eagles requires a $7,500 personal contribution per year. All benefits included.
• A half year’s membership in the Young Eagles requires a $3,750 person contribution per year. All benefits included. **Meeting fee may apply**
• On occasion, prospective members will have the opportunity to attend events based on a $1,500 meeting fee. This fee may be applied towards a full membership.

Can't afford it? Don't worry! Fleece your friends of $30,000 and you get the membership comp'd! Man, the differences are stark. While Democrats are busy building the next generation of Democrats, one small contribution at a time, Republicans are trying to squeeze "young" Republicans to the tune of $7,500. And if you can't afford that? Worry not! $1,500 will get you into individual events. Which is the party of elitists again?

And what does that buy you, besides feeding a dying husk of a formerly national party? Access. Ponying up the kind of money no "young" person really has (beyond the trust fund set) gets you to attend meetings with power players ("elected officials and policy experts"). How 1984. Is it any wonder why the world is passing the GOP by?

Dirty tricks and big bucks for "access" in a time of national crisis. Meanwhile, our youth groups are out there knocking on doors to get out the vote for the whole ballot. They're pushing back on bogus media claims, not making them. At the top o the ticket, Senator Obama is promoting service, sacrifice and working together to solve our problems. And he's doing it on the back of 3 million small-dollar donors. Is it any wonder youth are voting Democrats by a 2 - 1 margin?