Previously CPAC was mostly a DC gathering for the 30 and under conservative crowd to get drunk and laid. Who could begrudge them that except MNGOPe types who'd do well to do either or both more. Then CPAC got monetized by Conservative, Inc.
Last year, Google was a major sponsor of CPAC. What more, really, is there to say? A major tech company, the most powerful tech company in the world, which consistently deplatforms conservatives and dissidents, ponies up to put on this farcical show.
This is akin to a Code Pink conference being underwritten by Lockheed Martin or Raytheon. Nothing is too stupid or contradictory for the odious lobbyist Matt Schlapp, head of the American Conservative Union, the headwaters of CPAC.
The fundamental problem with CPAC, apart from the obvious grift, is its determined insistence to avoid topics of real interest to Americans, the most important of which is immigration--both legal and illegal--and how demographic replacement could shortly make it impossible to elect a Republican president again. The corporate money behind CPAC doesn't care if America becomes a Third World hellhole.
Ann Coulter will never be more right than when she says immigration is "the" issue because immigration decides all other issues. It's irrefutable & Ilhan Omar is Exhibit A to this proposition.
CPAC today is utterly uncontroversial: socialism bad! free markets rules! Visit our vendors in the hallways to buy your tsotchkes that reinforce your Boomer mindset. "It's all so tiresome."
Nikki Haley, real name Nimrata Nikki Randhawa (see how that works?) hosted the official "Welcome Reception" according to CPAC's official agenda posted online. Did she charge $100,000, her usual speaking fee? She's a neocon as well so that's great.
This isn't to say CPAC is a complete wash. Sometimes interesting people who speak about relevant topics are not screened out. President Trump is scheduled to speak and it would be bad form not to.
Nigel Farage, Lee Smith, Andy Ngo, Saagar Enjeti, Sen. Josh Hawley, Gordon Chang, are among the quality speakers allowed by CPAC to make it appear authentic.
Pete Hegseth will speak as well (in the "FOX Nation" booth, subscribe now!) about his book, "In The Arena: Good Citizens, a Great Republic, and How One Speech Can Reinvigorate America," the paperback edition of which came out three years ago, in February, 2017. Okay. Everybody into the pool.
But the bad outweighs the good. Just days ago CPAC credentialed well known Leftist Jared Holt who engages on hit jobs on people on the Right, as well as another man who's a certified Antifa activist. Molly-Jong Fast is speaking as I write. If you don't know who these people are, that's by design. When you know, you realize that CPAC enables the enemy which, necessarily, makes them the enemy as well.
You won't see Michelle Malkin, the bravest conservative in the nation, Ann Coulter, always redeemable by her writing on immigration or even Laura Loomer (don't care what you think of her) who was thrown out of CPAC last year. What gatekeepers on the Right?
As @NickJFuentes said recently: "Free speech is essential in so far that we use it to challenge the status quo. CPAC wants to control the narrative so that regular people aren’t exposed to true right wing and nationalist positions."
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Closer to home we have our own iteration of gatekeepers and faux conservatism, The Center of the American Experiment, which I call, more accurately, the Center of the American Boomer.™ I endeared myself to it by writing honestly when Sen. Tom Cotton addressed their annual dinner, three years ago this June, by writing "Tom Cotton Red Pills The Center of the American Experiment."
I haven't said this before but I wrote that article because neither John Hinderaker, president of the "activist think tank," nor Scott Johnson wrote about the substance of Sen. Cotton's remarks. Both praised his credentials (by their insecurities ye shall know them) and how pleasant & funny he was: a good time was had by all. Pablum, perfectly in keeping with Center's mission to be impotent but liked. Don't get me started on the cowardice of Hinderaker when it comes to Kim Crockett.
Now, by invitation only, which still costs you $75 (what grifting?) we have this upcoming:
And who isn't for fweedom? Certainly not gullible Boomers!
Charlie Kirk is a joke who makes Mark Zuckerberg look human. He's head of Turning Point, USA, the cringe astroturf group that exists to make Boomers think they're not, in real time, losing their country to the Third World. Unlike Michelle Malkin & Nick Fuentes, he's not America First.
Candace Owens is an accomplished chameleon grifter: look up "Social Autopsy," her stillborn website designed to dox people who anonymously engage in wrong think. Before realizing where the money was, she trashed tea party patriots specifically and Republicans generally. This is her third, five figure, appearance at the Center of the American Boomer.™ She's peddled the "Blexit" farce, where large number of blacks will vote for Trump. This wasn't proven by the results from 2018 but no matter. She also married a white dude, something sure to go down well in the hood. Only Minnesota Boomers would fail to recognize a fraud of this stature.
David Prager, son on Dennis, is also speaking to the blue rinse haired crowd that makes up this "VIP event by invitation only $75" event. He's the son of Dennis. Last year the Los Angeles Times reported that "Tax filings show $237,500 went to his [Dennis] consulting firm. An additional $155,700 went to Prager’s son for help with fundraising." Cool, cool.
The outlier in this group is David Horowitz who is a stronger conservative than any of his co-attendees. "Fight fire with fire" is his mantra, something necessary, needed and true to our times.
He's a wartime conservative; the rest peacetime.
Buy their books, pay the entrance fee. Pretend you're saving America.
Attend CPAC or believe they speak for you.
Whatever.
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