Here Come the College Republicans

Watch out:

For College Republicans, large-scale recruitment and voter registration operations for mid-term elections began as early as March 5 this year. On campuses nationwide, over 275 new College Republican chapters were established, and over 1,000 existing chapters were strengthened during the past school year.

"The success of College Republicans this spring is a reflection of the organization and initiative that distinguishes the Republican Party," said College Republican National committee Chairman, Paul Gourley.

I can’t say I disagree with that. The GOP is nothing if not organized and single-mindedly determined.

Influential tax-payer advocate and President of Americans for Tax Reform, Grover Norquist, was one of the original architects of the Field Program in the early 1980's when he served as Executive Director. His foresight and political ingenuity gave rise to the grassroots machine the Committee currently is.

A machine that will continue to produce people just like Norquist and Karl Rove, who will be rewarded for their efforts by the Republican Party. Right-wing radical visionaries are welcomed in the GOP—you can imagine a young Norquist, a young Rove, being given a pat on the back and a wad of cash with the blessing to “run with it, kid.” The GOP is ever happy to give a leg-up to an ambitious wingnut in his father’s tie, fueling the fire in his belly with institutional support and few reigns. They’re always willing to see how far a kid like that can go—and where he’ll take the rest of them with his success.

That clear career path offered via success in the College Republicans is something for which there is no mirror within the Democratic establishment. There, you pay your dues. Your Big Ideas don’t exempt you from having to do your time as a coffee gopher, where your internal fire is slowly reduced to smoldering embers as you’re indoctrinated into the status quo. Don’t dream about moving the party left; it won’t get you noticed—it will get you exiled.

And that’s why we don’t have our own Grover Norquist, our own Karl Rove. There will never be a visionary lefty with a ticket to the top, because the Dems refuse to work that way.