In June of last year when I moved to Columbus, Ohio, I decided to write the Ohio Republican Party a check. Not because I support the Ohio Republican Party. No, I wrote a check to the Ohio Republican Party because I strongly oppose their work. See, I figured that if I donated $5, the Republicans would in time send me enough junk mail to not only waste that $5 donation, but actually spend more money on me than I gave to them. Call it a negative donation, if you like. It worked like a charm when I was living in North Carolina, so I expected the same here.
Well, I have to say I am a little bit disappointed. I’ve only received 9 solicitations in the past 6 months, and while that’s nice and all, it certainly hasn’t led them to spend anything close to $5 on me yet. The Ohio Republicans really are going to have to do better. Oh, don’t get me wrong: I get a lot of entertainment value out of the little letters they send. It was such a kick to see three Democrats referred to as “Hillary, Barack and Kerry.” The women and the blacks get first name treatment, but even the opposition’s white man gets the respect of a last name. How charmingly repugnant! I find little turns of phrase like these give me the kind of bracing wake-up I expect from a midnight diaper change.
But despite the entertainment, I am, yes, disappointed in the Republicans. Can’t they be a little bit more counter-productively active than that? So today, when I got the latest solicitation, I wrote back. Checking the box next to “Other,” I wrote “$0″ in the blank, and followed that with a little note: “Unfortunately, I can’t send anything to the GOP right now. But please keep sending me mail — I really appreciate it!”
It’s true, and yet not in the way they think. I do so hope the little gambit works.
a little note about the names — the fact of the matter is that “John” could refer to any of a number of people, and while Clinton is not unique, a first name is sufficient to bring to mind the right person, whereas a last name might make you think of Bill. Obama honestly could go either way, as the pulic knows no other by either name, but given the right wing’s name games with him so far, I think I might prefer them referring to him as Barack. of course, tha thas problem as well, but …
hey, are there t-shirts yet that say “Be A Barack-us!” or are we not there yet?
I loved the A-Team, wasn’t that Mr. T’s character?