| | The John Birch Society opposes the deployment of utility smart meters at residences out of a concern for both privacy and radiation health risks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/energy/item/24569-the-great-smart-meter-con|title=The Great Smart Meter Con|work=New American|accessdate=January 2, 2017}}</ref> The John Birch Society worries that society will become so dependent upon technology that it will evolved into a "technocracy" where technologist will be in control.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/environment/item/24927-alex-newma-patrick-wood-warns-technocracy-takeover|title=Researcher Warns of Technocracy Takeover|work=New American|accessdate=January 2, 2017}}</ref> | | The John Birch Society opposes the deployment of utility smart meters at residences out of a concern for both privacy and radiation health risks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/energy/item/24569-the-great-smart-meter-con|title=The Great Smart Meter Con|work=New American|accessdate=January 2, 2017}}</ref> The John Birch Society worries that society will become so dependent upon technology that it will evolved into a "technocracy" where technologist will be in control.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/environment/item/24927-alex-newma-patrick-wood-warns-technocracy-takeover|title=Researcher Warns of Technocracy Takeover|work=New American|accessdate=January 2, 2017}}</ref> |
| − | It was moderately active in the 1960s with numerous chapters, but rarely engaged in coalition building with other conservatives. Indeed, it was rejected by most conservatives because of the outlandish conspiracy theories of its leader [[Robert Welch]]. [[William F. Buckley]] and his ''National Review'' regularly attacked Welch, and by 1965 was attacking the Society as well. Starting with Welch considered conservative President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] a Communist stooge, it was deeply distrustful of all presidents since Franklin Roosevelt. | + | It was moderately active in the 1960s with numerous chapters, but rarely engaged in coalition building with other conservatives. The singular focus of JBS was against communism. But the [[mainstream media]] so relentlessly smeared JBS that quasi-conservative groups, such as [[William F. Buckley]] and his ''National Review'', regularly attacked [[Robert Welch]] and JBS perhaps to gain favor with [[liberals]]. Buckley was ultimately given a show on [[PBS]]. |
| − | Eisenhower cabinet member [[Ezra Taft Benson]], a leading Mormon, spoke in favor of the John Birch Society, but in January 1963 the Mormon church issued a statement distancing itself from the Society.<ref>Gregory A. Prince, "The Red Peril, the Candy Maker, and the Apostle: David O. Mckay's Confrontation with Communism," ''Dialogue: a Journal of Mormon Thought'' 2004 37(2): 37-94,</ref> The JBS was exiled for decades from the mainstream conservative movement. However, the American Conservative Union alled it to be a co-sponsor of the 2010 Conservative Political Action Conference. In 2012, the American Conservative Union board voted to not invite the JBS to the conference. | + | Eisenhower cabinet member [[Ezra Taft Benson]], a leading [[Mormon]], spoke in favor of the John Birch Society, but in January 1963 the Mormon church issued a statement distancing itself from JBS.<ref>Gregory A. Prince, "The Red Peril, the Candy Maker, and the Apostle: David O. Mckay's Confrontation with Communism," ''Dialogue: a Journal of Mormon Thought'' 2004 37(2): 37-94,</ref> In 2010, the American Conservative Union allowed it to be a co-sponsor of [[CPAC]], a leading conservative conference. In 2012, the American Conservative Union board voted to not invite the JBS to [[CPAC]]. |