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Line 33: − − ==Eisenhower and Johnson== − Welch wrote in a widely circulated statement, ''The Politician,'' "Could Eisenhower really be simply a smart politician, entirely without principles and hungry for glory, who is only the tool of the Communists? The answer is yes." He went on. ""With regard to ... Eisenhower, it is difficult to avoid raising the question of deliberate treason."<ref> Quoted at [http://www.jbs.org/jbs-news-feed/1375-glenn-beck-talks-with-jbs-president-john-f-mcmanus "Glenn Beck talks with JBS President John F. McManus" Aug. 15, 2006]</ref> − − In the 1960s Welch insisted that the Johnson administration's fight against communism in Vietnam was part of a communist plot aimed at taking over the United States. Welch demanded that the United States get out of Vietnam, thus aligning the Society with the far left.<ref>Stephen Earl Bennett, "Modes of Resolution of a 'Belief Dilemma' in the Ideology of the John Birch Society," ''Journal of Politics'' 1971 33(3): 735-772, </ref>
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==Conspiracies==
==Conspiracies==
The organization was founded by [[Robert Welch]] in 1958 to fight subversive infiltration of the United States.<ref>Welch said he named the Society after [[John Birch]], the first American to die in the [[Cold War]]. </ref> He designed the Society like the Communist movement, with a strong leader at the top (himself), with each lower level following the orders they were given. In practice the local chapters were little more than discussion clubs and rarely engaged in much activism. Society literature denounced collectivist infiltration from Communists, the [[United Nations]], and various front groups. Welch himself decided that the root cause of most of the troubles was a two-century-long conspiracy of the "Illuminati," a group supposedly founded in Bavaria in 1776. He declared it was responsible for the French and Russian Revolutions and the two world wars, as well as evils of Lincoln's income taxes, Wilson's Federal Reserve, and Roosevelt's New Deal. Most insidious of all was the United Nations. It also controlled the Communist party and the Trilateral Commission. The only member of the Illuminati he could identify by name was [[Nelson Rockefeller]]. Reagan was suspect beacuse he picked for vice president the choice of the Illuminati, [[George H.W. Bush]]. Welch argued that the Illuminati was subversive of good government, destructive of religion, and used professional agitators and massive terror to destroy the good people, while manufacturing smears to destroy the brave souls who tried to expose it.<ref>There's more; see Stewart (2002). </ref>
The organization was founded by [[Robert Welch]] in 1958 to fight subversive infiltration of the United States.<ref>Welch said he named the Society after [[John Birch]], the first American to die in the [[Cold War]]. </ref> He designed the Society like the Communist movement, with a strong leader at the top (himself), with each lower level following the orders they were given. In practice the local chapters were little more than discussion clubs and rarely engaged in much activism. Society literature denounced collectivist infiltration from Communists, the [[United Nations]], and various front groups. Welch himself decided that the root cause of most of the troubles was a two-century-long conspiracy of the "Illuminati," a group supposedly founded in Bavaria in 1776. He declared it was responsible for the French and Russian Revolutions and the two world wars, as well as evils of Lincoln's income taxes, Wilson's Federal Reserve, and Roosevelt's New Deal. Most insidious of all was the United Nations. It also controlled the Communist party and the Trilateral Commission. The only member of the Illuminati he could identify by name was [[Nelson Rockefeller]]. Reagan was suspect beacuse he picked for vice president the choice of the Illuminati, [[George H.W. Bush]]. Welch argued that the Illuminati was subversive of good government, destructive of religion, and used professional agitators and massive terror to destroy the good people, while manufacturing smears to destroy the brave souls who tried to expose it.<ref>There's more; see Stewart (2002). </ref>
===Eisenhower and Johnson===
Welch wrote in a widely circulated statement, ''The Politician,'' "Could Eisenhower really be simply a smart politician, entirely without principles and hungry for glory, who is only the tool of the Communists? The answer is yes." He went on. ""With regard to ... Eisenhower, it is difficult to avoid raising the question of deliberate treason."<ref> Quoted at [http://www.jbs.org/jbs-news-feed/1375-glenn-beck-talks-with-jbs-president-john-f-mcmanus "Glenn Beck talks with JBS President John F. McManus" Aug. 15, 2006]</ref>
In the 1960s Welch insisted that the Johnson administration's fight against communism in Vietnam was part of a communist plot aimed at taking over the United States. Welch demanded that the United States get out of Vietnam, thus aligning the Society with the far left.<ref>Stephen Earl Bennett, "Modes of Resolution of a 'Belief Dilemma' in the Ideology of the John Birch Society," ''Journal of Politics'' 1971 33(3): 735-772, </ref>
==Rejected by most conservatives==
==Rejected by most conservatives==
One survey in the early 1970s found the typical John Birch Society member was middle or upper-middle class, Republican and Protestant. He was also fairly young and well educated: the majority of the sample was under 40 at time of recruitment and had completed at least three years of college. A later survey in the mid 1980s found the membership then was disproportionately Southwesterners, young, urban, male, and Catholic. They were consistently conservative on secular issues, antigovernment, and negative toward communism. The evidence does not support liberal notions that irrationality, social strains, or status anxiety explained their beliefs.<ref>Stone (1974); Wilcox (1988) </ref>
One survey in the early 1970s found the typical John Birch Society member was middle or upper-middle class, Republican and Protestant. He was also fairly young and well educated: the majority of the sample was under 40 at time of recruitment and had completed at least three years of college. A later survey in the mid 1980s found the membership then was disproportionately Southwesterners, young, urban, male, and Catholic. They were consistently conservative on secular issues, antigovernment, and negative toward communism. The evidence does not support liberal notions that irrationality, social strains, or status anxiety explained their beliefs.<ref>Stone (1974); Wilcox (1988) </ref>
==Further reading==
==Further reading==