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Christian Right Labors to Find ’08 Candidate

www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/us/politics/25secret.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Although little known outside the conservative movement, the council has become a pivotal stop for Republican presidential primary hopefuls, including George W. Bush on the eve of his 1999 primary campaign.

But in a stark shift from the group’s influence under President Bush, the group risks relegation to the margins. Many of the conservatives who attended the event, held at the beginning of the month at the Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island, Fla., said they were dismayed at the absence of a champion to carry their banner in the next election.

Many conservatives have already declared their hostility to Senator John McCain of Arizona, despite his efforts to make amends for having once denounced Christian conservative leaders as “agents of intolerance,” and to former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York, because of his liberal views on abortion and gay rights and his three marriages. I was curious about this "Council for National Policy" so I did some googling to see what I could find out.

Here is a little of what I found:


www.publiceye.org/ifas/cnp/members.html

If you want to be in the know about the real scoop, that you don't read about in the newspapers, this is the organization to be part of.

— Pat Robertson, Christian Coalition

CNP is an organization which has been effective in developing links among people who ought to know one another, who are moving in the same direction. But who, but for the fact that these meetings occured, would simply by ships passing in the night.

— Howard Phillips, Conservative Caucus, U.S. Taxpayers Party

I think the Youth Council for National Policy has been a critical part...because what it has allowed us to do is to sit at the feet of our elders and to learn from them.

— Ralph Reed, Christian Coalition

The kind of people that are involved in this organization reflect the best of what America really is.

— Ollie North Howard Phillips says they're all moving in the "same direction". I wonder what "direction" that is?

And Ollie North is also a member of this Council? Are we talking the same Ollie North that was involved in violating a Congressional order that no money or arms were to be provided to the Contras during the Iran/Contra affair?

It is interesting to take note of the Councils rules and regulations.
Here they are:

www.publiceye.org/ifas/cnp/rules.html

Rules and regulations

In order to "allow open, uninhibited remarks" from the speakers, CNP members must adhere to strict rules regarding the meetings. A memorandum from executive director Morton C. Blackwell listed the rules. They are:

* Special guests may attend only with advance unanimous approval of the Executive Committee.

* The solicitation of funds on a one-to-one basis is prohibited at meetings.

* Council meetings are closed to the media and the general public. The media should not know when or where we meet or who takes part in our programs, before or after a meeting.

* Speakers' remarks at Council meetings are off the record and not for circulation later, except with special permission.

* Members and guests are requested to keep in their personal possession their registration packets and other materials distributed at the meeting.

* Our membership list is strictly confidential and should not be shared outside the Council.

* Fundraising from the list is also prohibited.

* Members are asked to avoid organizing and attending formal meetings of other groups or organizations in the same city before, during or immediately after a Council meeting. Hmmm...You have to have "unanimous approval" from the "Executive Committee" to be invited to one of these meetings? And they're closed to the media and the general public and the media is not to know who takes part in their programs, either in, before or after the meetings? The Speaker's remarks are not to be circulated, except with "special permission"? And their membership is "confidential" and is not to be shared with anyone outside the meeting? And the members are not supposed to go to the meetings, nor organize any meetings, of any other groups or organizations in the same city either before or immediately after a Council for National policy meeting?

Seems to me that the mode this Council operates by is diametrically opposed to what freedom and democracy are supposed to be all about. And yet they call themselves the "Council for National Policy"- and Presidential hopefuls such as none other than G.W. Bush spent eight years forging and solidifying an alliance with this Council.

It is a good thing that the Conservative Religious Right (CCR) is feeling that they're in danger of being relegated to the sidelines. They are, and if what they support is a government that operates in the same manner that the Council for National Policy does then it would appear that the members of this council, and all that cater to them, represent a clear and present danger to America and the true essence of the American ideal.

Gem

[Gintovtosik]

I fail to see what the issue is here, other than you simply creating a thread in the attempts to paint a slanderous picture of the conservative right. If this had been a far left wing group operating in the same manner I doubt this thread would exist, or at least exist because you created it.

In America we have the right to assemble in any form we please. If these individuals wish to have this organization, which is not "secret" by the way because if it was we wouldn't know about it, and only allow certain individuals to attend their sessions who believe in the same ideology they do they have the right to do so. You infer that this way of determining membership under minds the very freedoms of democracy that they claim to support. From a certain viewpoint that might be true, however, if their goal is to gather like minded people to help influence the politics of our nation it wouldn't make much sense for them to invite people who have a different viewpoint, now would it. Aside from that the far right are no more champions of the Constitution than is the far left so I don't know why you act surprised.

If you are concerned about this group then nothing is stopping you from starting your own organization to try and influence American politics the way you see fit. I'm sure something probably already exists. Go sign up.

[Nurse_sero]

Well I hope the bigoted bunch of bastards are completely marginalised.

Ralph Reed!!!!!!!!!! Ollie North!!!!!!!!!!! What a mob of complete twats.

[Brewpralgar]

The OP exposes the fact that a powerful political organization is taking preemptive steps to keep its membership and the promises it receives from politicians secret. That kind of exposure is always beneficial. If you think the religious right is being unfairly targeted then I would welcome a post from you detailing similar practices by other powerful political entities.

[rsdefwgxvcfdts]

There are tons of policy think tanks here is the DC area alone. There will be some of those think tanks who try to promote policies based on one set of tenets and a equal and opposite number of think tanks that promote policy based on another set of tenets. They both have the right to assemble.

[Heliosprime]

The OP exposes the fact that a powerful political organization is taking preemptive steps to keep its membership and the promises it receives from politicians secret. That kind of exposure is always beneficial. If you think the religious right is being unfairly targeted then I would welcome a post from you detailing similar practices by other powerful political entities.

are you saying that the dems libs etc. don't have their own enclaves were they gather to discuss policy etc.?

[bestonlinepharmasy2]

Quoting Sam in the Burgh:

In America we have the right to assemble in any form we please. If these individuals wish to have this organization, which is not "secret" by the way because if it was we wouldn't know about it, and only allow certain individuals to attend their sessions who believe in the same ideology they do they have the right to do so. It really isn't so much what they do but why they're doing it that bothers me. What is their motivation for wanting to remain a 'secret' organization? Especially when they're an organization largely comprised of the movers and shakers of the American political and corporate landscape. You are correct that any organization such as this has the right to invoke these kinds of rules- even the crowd I run with has their own "closed" meet-ups, and the rule of every meet-up is :

"who you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here let it stay here."

But I have a sneaking suspicion that the reasons and motivations for the rules of the crowd I run with and the reasons and motivations behind the rules of the Council for National Policy are going to be quite different. I also have a sneaking suspicion that the motivations of the crowd I run with for creating those rules are a lot more honorable and show a lot more concern and respect for their fellow man than the motivations for the Council's rules do.

It's not so important what you do. What's important is why you're doing it.

Gem

[annouhMus]

I was curious about this "Council for National Policy" so I did some googling to see what I could find out.

Here is a little of what I found:



Howard Phillips says they're all moving in the "same direction". I wonder what "direction" that is?

And Ollie North is also a member of this Council? Are we talking the same Ollie North that was involved in violating a Congressional order that no money or arms were to be provided to the Contras during the Iran/Contra affair?

It is interesting to take note of the Councils rules and regulations.
Here they are:



Hmmm...You have to have "unanimous approval" from the "Executive Committee" to be invited to one of these meetings? And they're closed to the media and the general public and the media is not to know who takes part in their programs, either in, before or after the meetings? The Speaker's remarks are not to be circulated, except with "special permission"? And their membership is "confidential" and is not to be shared with anyone outside the meeting? And the members are not supposed to go to the meetings, nor organize any meetings, of any other groups or organizations in the same city either before or immediately after a Council for National policy meeting?

Seems to me that the mode this Council operates by is diametrically opposed to what freedom and democracy are supposed to be all about. And yet they call themselves the "Council for National Policy"- and Presidential hopefuls such as none other than G.W. Bush spent eight years forging and solidifying an alliance with this Council.

It is a good thing that the Conservative Religious Right (CCR) is feeling that they're in danger of being relegated to the sidelines. They are, and if what they support is a government that operates in the same manner that the Council for National Policy does then it would appear that the members of this council, and all that cater to them, represent a clear and present danger to America and the true essence of the American ideal.

Gem

You are back, glad to see you (your post that is)

[annouhMus]

There are tons of policy think tanks here is the DC area alone. There will be some of those think tanks who try to promote policies based on one set of tenets and a equal and opposite number of think tanks that promote policy based on another set of tenets. They both have the right to assemble.

---- Shades of the "Knights Templars"

[bestonlinepharmasy2]

Glad to be back, though I have to admit it was a fun and productive vacation!

Glad to see me? No, you're not! I'm more handsome than you, LOL!!!

I guess now I'm going to have to figure out how to get an image in here, huh, LOL!?

Hope you're doing well!

Gem

[rsdefwgxvcfdts]

---- Shades of the "Knights Templars"

nah...the Illuminati (or Sigma Chi, or Pi Beta Phi, or...) .

[Brewpralgar]

are you saying that the dems libs etc. don't have their own enclaves were they gather to discuss policy etc.?

No. I have never said anything remotely like that.
But I am curious. What was it about my actual words that could possibly have led you to ask that question?

[qzgCVHex]

nah...the Illuminati.

[24MurinivaMak]

— Pat Robertson, Christian Coalition

— Howard Phillips, Conservative Caucus, U.S. Taxpayers Party

— Ralph Reed, Christian Coalition

— Ollie North

Anything those freaks and criminals do scares me.

[Brewpralgar]

Anything those freaks and criminals do scares me.

The Ollie North phenomenon has always confused me. I've never understood how someone who disgraced the uniform like that could become such a hero to the right wing.

[bestonlinepharmasy2]

The Ollie North phenomenon has always confused me. I've never understood how someone who disgraced the uniform like that could become such a hero to the right wing.

It's easy to understand. One, it's what the "Right- Wing" honors and stands for, and...

...all you have to do is have the 'right' friends, make the 'right' connections and become a member in good standing of the 'right' clubs and organizations!

Gem