A right-leaning political advocacy group that started during the early days of the Cold War has been recruiting lawmakers across the country and appears to be enjoying a resurgence.
Politico profiles the John Birch Society, which is headquartered in Appleton, Wis. The group has been active in recent years, particularly in Texas, as it tries to influence United States policy and combat the liberalism it views in the U.S. government.
"There definitely is an increase in [our] activity, particularly in Texas, because Americans are seeking answers, but they can't quite put their finger on what some of the real problems are," the group's vice president of communications Bill Hahn told Politico.
The John Birch Society's policy prevents it from releasing its membership information, but Politico noted the organization once had 100,000 members who paid dues and a staff that was 60 people strong in the 1960s. Jan Carter leads the group's Central Texas Chapter and told Politico her state's membership figures have shot up.
"State legislators are joining the group," Carter said. "More and more people are ready to fight the liberals who preach globalism and want to take away our freedom, our guns, religious values, and our heritage."
The John Birch Society was formed in 1958 and fixated on a belief Communism was an immediate threat to the U.S. during the Cold War. These days, it supports a U.S. withdrawal from NAFTA and the United Nations.
USA Today wrote about the group last fall and argued the divisive political climate has provided a platform on which to return its influence to politics.
"Almost all the issues that are being discussed in the [presidential] campaign are issues that we've been involved with for a long time," CEO Arthur Thompson told USA Today.
It was reported last summer, meanwhile, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney spoke at a John Birch Society event.
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