The whackos are all gathering in Texas these days. From Glenn Beck to Breitbart Texas, it's a morass of right-wing insanity.
Which is why there's something that's simply right about Allen West heading down there to take over as CEO of the Texas Center for Policy Analysis.
Wonkette explains:
Congratulations to disgraced torturer ex-Rep. Allen West on finding a jerb! (We were going to say “honest work,” but this is Allen West we’re talking about, after all.)
According to a big ol’ press release, come Jan. 2, 2015, the former disgraced colonel and former one-term congressman will become CEO of the “National Center for Policy Analysis,” a Dallas-based think tank that shills for the oil and insurance industries and thinks that global warming is a big conspiracy. And yes, it probably gets money from Koch Industries, too.
West is understandably excited about his opportunity to continue riding the rightwing gravy train contribute to the work of this important institution:
“I am humbled and honored to have this opportunity to lead one of the country’s preeminent think tanks,” said West. “I have long admired the NCPA’s innovative research in
West added, “I believe one of the NCPA’s strengths is that it is not headquartered in Washington, D.C. Working from the nation’s center, I believe the NCPA’s future is that of a leader in economic research as the most trusted policy analysis voice in America — philosophical, principled and policy proficient.”“It will be policy, not politics that secures a sound economic future for Americans — with growth, opportunity and returning the promise of the American dream for this generation and those to come,” West added.
Never mind that Allen West hasn't given one thought to policy analysis in his entire life. His is a life of parrotry and in this case, possibly mockery.
The TCPA isn't an especially reputable place these days. In June, their founding CEO (and father of the Health Savings Account approach to death), John Goodman, was fired after an in-office affair turned into a sex scandal with all manner of sordid details including a fat promotion for the mistress who then turned into the Wicked Witch of the West. Or Southwest, as the case may be.
According to documents, emails, and interviews with multiple sources familiar with the situation, Goodman’s firing stemmed from an extraordinary arrangement that was made with an NCPA employee named Sherri Collins, after Collins accused Goodman of assaulting her in a Southern California hotel room in 2012, D CEO has learned. To avoid threatened litigation for violating “both state and federal discrimination laws” over a period of many months, Goodman agreed to promote Collins from an assistant’s position to be the NCPA’s director of human relations, at a yearly salary of $85,000, plus a guaranteed annual bonus and other benefits, for at least three years, sources say. Collins had done “aspects of HR work” at previous jobs, NCPA spokeswoman Catherine Daniell says.
Never fear, righties. There's always someone to come in and stand in the breach on behalf of billionaires everywhere. Enter Allen West, Billionaire Puppet.
The notion of linking the words "think tank" and Allen West together would be funny if it weren't so pathetic.
