"Isn't a Liability, and May Even Be an Asset"

"At a higher level still are operations that are in principle engaging in political activity, but mainly seem to be generating income for their organizers. Last week The Times published an investigative report on some political action committees raising money in the name of anti-establishment conservative causes. The report found that the bulk of the money these PACs raise ends up going to cover administrative costs and consultants' fees, very little to their ostensible purpose. For example, only 14 percent of what the Tea Party Leadership Fund spends is 'candidate focused.'

"You might think that such revelations would be politically devastating. But the targets of such schemes know, just know, that the liberal mainstream media can't be trusted, that when it reports negative stories about conservative heroes it's just out to suppress people who are telling the real truth. It's a closed information loop, and can't be broken."

 

Paul Krugman in The New York Times describes the Republican presidential campaigns as a "Springtime for Grifters."

As does Jonathan Chait in New York when regarding Ben Carson.

And Mike Lofgren at Consortium News explains the rise of conservative "anti-knowledge."