Did you see David Brooks's "Masters of Sleaze" column? It demonstrated that he could supply the ironic moral voice desperately needed by today's conservatives:
"Back in 1995, when Republicans took over Congress, a new cadre of daring and original thinkers arose.... [Y]ou no longer had to choose between being an activist and a lobbyist. You could be both.... And best of all, you could get rich while doing it....
"Before long, folks like [Graver] Norquist and [Jack] Abramoff were talking up the virtues of international sons of liberty like Angola's Jonas Savimbi and Congo's dictator Mobutu Sese Seko--all while receiving compensation from these upstanding gentlemen ...
"Tom DeLay's former chief of staff helped run the U.S. Family Network, which supported the American family by accepting large donations and leasing sky-boxes at the MCI Center.
"Ralph Reed, meanwhile, smashed the tired old categories that used to separate social conservatives from corporate consultants. Reed signed on with Channel One, Verizon, Enron and Microsoft to shore up the moral foundations of our great nation. Reed so strongly opposes gambling as a matter of principle that he bravely accepted $4 million through Abramoff from casino-rich Indian tribes to gin up a grassroots campaign."
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