Repiglican Hoglitics.

Soon to become available on a wide array of merchandise, which will be made available through CafePress and several other POD fulfillment companies I use... I present, the new symbol of the G.I.P. (Greed & Ignorance Party.) Copyright & TM -- Melhi.


I haven't thought the elephant a very accurate symbol of the Republican Party for a long time... but, I haven't had a good excuse to introduce what I believe to be a better symbol for them. Until now.

As some of you may be aware, the RNC is suing CafePress for allowing tradmark violations. The designs in question are designs that use various elephant depictions and/or the initials G.O.P. to refer to the Republican Party.

Despite both the elephant and the intials G.O.P. having been firmly in public domain use as reference to the Republican Party, since the 1800s, the Republican party's applications to trademark "G.O.P" and a SPECIFIC rendition of an elephant symbol (not just ANY pachyderm depiction as they seem to be trying to force) were approved in the 90s.

Many CafePress Shopkeepers have had their designs red-boxed (pulled from public view, but not deleted, permanently) as a result of the RNC's actions. The majority of these shopkeepers used the symbols in favorable, pro-Republican designs and many depended on these designs for their livelihood.

Thus, the RNC, in what's already shaping up to be a tough election year for the party at almost every level, managed to tick off the people who support and promote them, most. Smooth move, RNC. Way to fire up the base, there! (Note: At least one owner of a very successful right-wing shop has already told the RNC to remove him from their regular-contributers list.)

My new symbol for them is much more in keeping with their pork barrel spending and trough feeding -- and G.I.P. references pig, gyp and the Gipper, (who reshaped the party into what it is today,) all in one shot. The elephant? Maybe it was fitting in the 1800s, but they were a progressive party, back then. It was butchered for its ivory a long time ago.