Thom Tillis and the Indelible Stench of Karl Rove

The American Conservative Union issued its "Ignorant Camp Followers" "Defenders of Liberty" award to Republicans in the NC General Assembly, based on how their ALEC-addled drones voted on 12 bills, and House Speaker Thom Tillis, without whose iron grip on the flow of legislation none of the 12 bills would have passed, did not make the cut.

He missed voting on two of the 12 bills, and that's a serious -- and serendipitously happy -- no-no to the American Conservative Union. How cool was it to be able to deny recognition to Tillis on a technicality!

Poor Thom Tillis! Dissed once again by conservatives, who owe him everything, really, but who don't trust his sucking up to the country club elite.

Those Pure Conservative Values

An object lesson in the corruption of big money, involving an amusing example of "pay-to-play" by the American Conservative Union, headed by one David Keene, who has never been shy about strutting his "traditional moral values" along with his "commitment to a market economy." Turns out his moral values are highly sensitive to whatever the market will bear.

Keene tried to extort $2-$3 million from FedEx to support its side with "op-eds and articles written by ACU's Chairman David Keene and/or other members of the ACU's board of directors" in a legislative battle with UPS, FedEx's bitter rival in the package delivery business. When FedEx refused to play (ahem, pay), David Keene began writing those op-eds and articles in support of UPS.

The ACU is denying that it took any money from UPS. Somehow, we doubt that denial.