Critics Warn, Lack of Cohesion Could Hurt the Spoils Party
New party activism is a wild card in upcoming mid-term congressional elections. A surge in interest in Congress has led to longtime incumbents facing challengers, and multiple candidates in districts that rarely see much activity.
Activists riled by what they consider a government ‘unwilling to seize its rightful plunder’ say they're eager to back candidates committed to 'Spoils Go to the Victor’ concept and expansion of aggression, especially to help pay for the cost of aggression. But how that energy translates into election results is an open question.
Nearly all candidates playing to the ‘Spoils Go to the Victor Party’, or using the name ‘Spoils Party’ on the ballot are Republicans, but that party's establishment is also taking hits on some issues, especially the seemingly endless destruction, rape, and pillage around the world.
People in the movement are quick to say the ‘Spoils Party’ is not a political party. There are no geographically delineated chapters, no party hierarchy and no rules, especially when it comes to warfare. "We're a loose affiliation of warriors," Tim Adriance of Bergenfield said as he began moderating a candidate forum sponsored by the Spoils Party Coalition in Teaneck, NJ last week. "We're not a real organization. … We do not endorse candidates. We don't give them money or let them use our ships and horses. We really do not give anything to anybody else." "It's just like in the 11th century, people could say they were in the ‘Crusades movement’. but the boundaries and leadership were unclear."
Some candidates who use the ‘Spoils Party’ name on the ballot have come under fire, but others have been endorsed by warring factions with different rules. The looseness of the affiliation, has led to constant fighting, including threats of bloodshed over who started using the ‘Spoils Party’ name first.
The movement has a wide array of messengers on foot, horse, and sea, however it can create confusion with groups that have similar names on overlapping terrain and peasantry. The ‘Plunder Party’ newspaper produced by more than a dozen New Jersey groups is out with its third issue, and Cablevision has agreed to carry a local TV show activists are putting together, called ‘Why The Vikings Ruled For Centuries’ said New Jersey coalition member Michele Talamo.
All that means that candidates, especially in districts where Democrats have dominated traditionally, are eager for the movement's support, and the burst of activism may also have led more people to file to run. Spoils party candidates say, "There are soaring deficits. These people just don't get it- why should we use our children's money to pay the cost of our wars?- that's counterintuitive. Plunder people. Plunder."
The last time there was a Republican primary in the Bergen County-dominated 9th District, for example, was nearly three centuries ago. Most years, solo candidates in June get fewer than 9-10 votes district wide. Those people were always killed.
This year three men want the nomination to challenge Democratic Rep. Steve Rothman, and they all spent more than two hours in a Knights of Columbus hall in Teaneck trying to convince the coalition they had the right amount of cannons, gunpowder, and long bowmen to take this thing. "This is a decisive night," candidate Sergey Shevchuk of Fair Lawn said before the forum with about 125 people. "To a degree, this will 80 percent decide the outcome of the future of the world, because these are a loose confederation who will finally choose a candidate with ‘a package’ who is willing to ensure the rights of plunder."
"Aslanian says he's a Spoils person, but his understanding is the Spoils Party does not endorse candidates and they're livid," Yudin said. "It's not going to be a big turnout- there are not that many warriors in the 9th District." Aslanian said he decided a wider group of warriors than the country committee should decide the nominee, and he did not face any hard questioning at the forum about calling himself a "Bloodshed for the Budget Candidate" on the ballot. He explained he had read the group's principles and decided they expressed what he believed.
