The Young Eagles seemed harmless enough — just an organization created by the Republican National Committee (RNC) to woo the next wave of conservative donors. Young Eagles membership was open to any individual younger than 45 and had only two stipulations: that the individual donate annually and that the donation meet a predetermined minimum value. Receiving donations from $2,500 for 21− to 25−year−olds to as high as $7,500 annually for 36− to 45−year−olds, the Young Eagles were a highly successful fundraising operation.
But what did one get for one's several−thousand−dollar annual donation? One had the opportunity to participate in "national meetings, regional meetings, the annual Young Eagles Summit, and conference calls," according to the Young Eagles' Web site. Well, why join then — is that really worth the money? Maybe for the deep−seated feelings of pride and patriotism felt when giving money to support a political ideological platform? Maybe for the feeling of supporting the political process in a meaningful way?
Or maybe for the West Hollywood lesbian bondage nightclub outings the Young Eagles held, subsidized by the RNC, at Voyeur, which describes itself on its Web site as "a destination for provocative revelry that combines eroticism and nightlife exclusivity." Sounds like family values to me.
But the risqué outings weren't the only costly trip the fundraising group embarked upon. With news of "bondage−gate" breaking last week came a flurry of RNC receipts for high−end Beverly Hills hotels and swanky Los Angeles restaurants and cocktail bars, all of which picked up the tab for Young Eagles outings.
Though GOP Chairman Michael Steele was not in attendance at any point during the $2,000 spending spree at Voyeur, responsibility for the event, as well as for the recent spate of hopelessly frivolous spending by the RNC on private planes, limousines, event catering and even designer flowers, has landed squarely on Steele's narrow, awkwardly slumped shoulders. Many in the media have argued that bondage−gate reinforces to the American people that Republicans are out of touch and could care less about the average American, and that such a grave transgression will surely hurt the Republicans at the polls in November midterms.
What's ironic about this entire spectacle, however, is that even though Republicans will certainly take a blow to their already tarnished image, they will not be the only ones to suffer. This type of incident affects all incumbents: Republicans or Democrats, radicals or moderates, many−term senators or freshman congressmen.
Midterm elections regularly bring about a fair amount of backlash to whichever party controls Congress, or at least the presidency, but this particular set of midterms in November promises to also showcase a rapidly growing anti−incumbent backlash. Phrased differently, it doesn't particularly matter to a lot of voters with which party a candidate identifies, just whether or not they have been in office for the past few years.
Politicians caught frequenting strip clubs and wining and dining with socioeconomic and political elites in cosmopolitan bars only further reinforce the image so many Americans have of their politicians — of self−indulgent, hypocritical bureaucrats with only two concerns: to find the next major donor and to get re−elected.
Certainly Democrats will disagree with this assessment, but they cannot honestly claim that this sort of hedonistic spending is endemic to the Republican Party only, nor can Republicans claim this is the only incident of its kind to have ever happened to the RNC — this one just happened to make news. Realistically, well−seasoned politicos on both sides of the aisle must understand that bondage−gate will have political blowback for incumbents on both sides come November, regardless of which party's operatives were caught reveling in eroticism and nightlife.
--
Teddy Minch is a senior majoring in political science. He hosts "The Rundown," a talk show from 3 to 5 p.m. every Friday on WMFO. He can be reached at Theodore.Minch@tufts.edu.
