Duck, Here Come the 527s!

No, 527s are not new commuter jets. According to Wikipedia, 527s are tax-exempt organizations created under American tax code section 527 to nominate, elect, appoint, or defeat a candidate for public office. Candidate committees and political action committees (PACs) are also created under section 527. The term refers to political organizations that are not regulated by the Federal Election Commission. Because 527 organizations do not directly donate money to any candidate for federal elective office, they avoid regulation. The line between advocating issues advovating a candidate has brought much heated debate and litigation. Most 527s are run by special interest groups. In recent elections, 527s have relied on member donations to finance, produce, and distribute attack ads, brochures, and DVDs purposely designed to twist, distort, and sensationalize in order to smear the opposition candidate. Truth, honor, and integrity are not required.
A name like The American Issues Project Organization (americanissuesproject.org) seems to imply a fine group of people interested in issues that concern most Americans. Yet, hidden beneath the title are the beliefs and goals of a narrow slice of the population, an ultra conservative 527 group. On their website, the organization states its goals to "preserve the strong, traditional American ideals that made this country special" and "promote conservative values that have stood the test of time" and "make the U.S. A. a blessed nation." It is based on their strong belief that traditional American values are under attack. To promote their own interests, American Issues Project members support the 2008 Republican McCain-Palin ticket.
As in many conservative speeches and writings, the American Issues Project uses conservative code words to disparage and demean those outside their narrow circle. These words contain a dark, foreboding undercurrent of meaning. Sometimes referred to as dog whistle words, they contain messages in which only other conservatives understand the intent. To others, code words sound innocent and harmless, even quite American and patriotic. Conservative code words and phrases have been used quite often during the last eight years and during the election season. Examples of code words for persons on the left may include: the Hollywood elite, the cultural elite, the Eastern elite, cosmopolitan elite, liberals, radical feminists, angry blacks, angry left, advocates of surrender, Democrat Party, liberals, the media, activist judges who legislate from the bench, and, of course, illegal aliens. Code words for conservative policies include: religious choice, school vouchers, the war on terror, a land of laws, pro-growth business environment, pro-American energy policy, radical Islamic extremists, return to strong leadership, and a sense of patriotism and faith in America. A familiar Bush foreign policy phrase has been "attack them where they live so we do not have to fight on American soil."
The American Issues Project organization is led by Ed Failor, Jr., a conservative blogger and former senior advisor for the John McCain campaign, and Ed Martin, controversial former chief of staff for Missouri Governor Matt Blunt. So far, this 527 group has distributed thousands of brochures in battleground states, designed to raise doubts, questions, and suspicion about Barack Obama, accusing him of an association with Bill Ayers. Obviously, regulation by law, veracity, or conscience does not apply.
The work of the American Issues Project organization is far from finished. No doubt the vicious attacks on Obama will intensify during the final 50 days of the campaign. Smear ads and brochures will appear in newspapers and on radio, TV, and computers intended to damage the Democratic candidates. They will do their best to paint Obama as different, untrustworthy, and scary. The 527s are betting their fortunes and their political careers and futures on John McCain. Lacking a true moral compass, 527s will do and say anything to win.
Keep your clicker and recycling bin handy.