Guest Commentary by John McNeal *
What would you think of a person who said there is no finer practitioner of the art of politics than a fictional politician who pursued power at its venal finest, since Macbeth?
What would you think of a person who said he admired a fictional candidate, who schemed, duped, cajoled, seduced, blackmailed, extorted, and even murdered his way into public office?
What would you think of a person who said he couldn’t help but root for such a fictional office holder with such an awe-inspiring display of cunning and ruthlessness?
What would you think of a person who said he was so enchanted by such a character that he named his political consulting and media company after the fictional politician?
What would you think of a person who said: “No comment”, when told it was inappropriate to name a political consulting firm after one of the most malevolent characters in the history of politics?
Now, what would you think if that same person said he is a conservative activist and practicing Catholic (Christian), despite his expressed admiration for such an amoral, unethical, and evil fictional politician?
What was that you said? I’m making this up? No, these views and statements come directly from the person’s political consulting official website. He and his associates, not only express these views, they take great pride and bragging rights in them.
What does it say to America, when a self professed conservative Christian has such a high regard for a fictional politician who will lie, cheat, steal and even murder in the pursuit of political power? Can such views be defended on the grounds that these tactics are necessary in today’s political world?
Even if that were true, conservatives claim to be the guardians of western civilization’s Judeo/Christian moral and ethical high ground. The first imperative of that high ground is: “The end does not justify the means.” Western civilization is based upon the premise that no matter how morally and ethically good the desired goal (end), it does not permit (justify) the use of evil actions (means) to achieve those goals.
Modern Liberalism (Socialism) rejects these underlying moral and ethical premises and replaces it with moral relativism. It holds that achievement of the common good excuses any liberals engaged in action intended to achieve their goals. That is the reason the liberal establishment will rush to defend one of its own, but condemn a conservative for the same activity. They may claim it’s because the conservative is being hypocritical, but the true motive is based upon moral relativism: “What promotes the liberal agenda is good…anything that detracts from that agenda is evil.”
The primary question posed is whether a political consultant can maintain his integrity as a defender of the conservative moral high ground while publicly displaying admiration for “scheming, duping, cajoling, seducing, blackmailing, extorting, or murdering in the venal pursuit of power?”
The secondary question is whether a candidate or politician can maintain his integrity as a conservative by retaining the services of such a political consultant?
In the final analysis, the battle between conservatism and liberalism is a battle between good and evil. The weapons in that battle are ideas. But if we conservatives employ the same moral relativism as our liberal opponents, do we not become the enemy?
Oh, by the by, are you interested in knowing the identity of the real world players in the true life adventure? Just in case, here’s the cast of characters in the ongoing saga of life imitating art:
Urquhart Media, LLC, a corporation named after the evil fictional English Prime Minister, Francis Urquhart.
Bill Pascoe and Jeff Davis Sr. serve as Urquhart Media Associates.
Pascoe was the Media Consultant to Jim Oberweis in his recent 14th U.S. Congressional District loss to Democratic challenger BillFoster. Did the primary attack ads against State Senator Chris Lauzen hurt Oberweis in the general election?
Davis was a senior aide to former Gov. Jim Thompson…Is that a conservative credential in this “brave new world”?
Dan Proft is Principal of Urquhart Media. Among his few successfully elected clients is State Representative Beth Colson…Isn’t she the individual considered, by many, the most liberal Republican in Illinois?
With Illinois’ historical March primary elections, I would eulogize Dan Proft's current political activity around St. Patrick’s Day. I would sing the fabled Irish funeral dirge: “Oh Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling…”
Urquhart Media, LLC Website: www.urquhartmedia.com
From the Urquhart Media website:
“WHAT’S IN A NAME… (T)here is no finer practitioner of the art of politics than Francis Urquhart, the late Prime Minister of Britain…fictional lead character…a novel…turned into a television miniseries …showing one man’s pursuit of power at its venal finest… since Macbeth. Urquhart…schemes, dupes, cajoles, seduces, blackmails, extorts, and…murders his way (to election) ... in such an awe-inspiring display of cunning and ruthlessness that you…can’t help but root for this most evil of men.…As to whether it is inappropriate for a communications consulting firm to take as its namesake one of the most malevolent characters in the history of politics...We couldn’t possibly comment.”
“LEADERSHIP…(his) commentaries appear regularly in the nation’s leading journal of conservative thought…(he’s) a practicing Catholic…Dan Proft (is a) principal, Bill Pascoe (and) Jeff Davis (are associates of?) Urquhart Media, LLC”
* John McNeal is a conservative Republican activist. McNeal presently serves as Illinois Chairman of the Young Republican Alumni Network, Board Member of the Illinois Forum, Secretary/Treasurer for the Republican Assembly of West Suburban Cook County and Chairman of the Republican Assembly of Riverside Township.
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The views expressed by guest columnists do not necessarily represent those of RFFM.org.
I'll take the pleasure of completing Urquhart Media's mission statement:
"As to whether it is inappropriate for a communications consulting firm to take as its namesake one of the most malevolent characters in the history of politics...We couldn’t possibly comment without giggling like smirky ankle-biters."
Posted by: Goober Mcgilucudy | June 11, 2008 at 12:35 PM