The GOP's eternal flame of freedom

I found this CNN story through Americablog, and even I found it just too amazing to be true. Guess what--it is true. From CNN.com:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The only bright spot in the nation's capital for Republicans these days seems to be a flame that burns 24 hours a day in the courtyard at the campaign headquarters for Republican senators.

The Eternal Flame of Freedom is near the National Republican Victory Monument, which commemorates the 1994 "Republican Revolution," when the GOP wrested control of Congress out of Democratic hands.

Even in the cold, snowy days of January, the flame blazes as a beacon of hope for some and as a memory of the days when Republicans were in power and called the shots in Washington.

Now, the GOP is taking orders from Democrats and doing a lot of soul-searching as it tries to right itself and return the party to its glory days.

Now the rest of the CNN story is about how the Republicans have been completely stomped out of power in both Congress and the White House, with President Barack Obama racking up a huge public approval rating of 84 percent, according to a CNN poll, and that the House easily passed President Obama's economic stimulus package without a single GOP vote. The story also has a lot of Republican politicians saying how they must rebuild their party for the future, select a new chairman for the Republican National Committee, and regain their voice as an opposition party for the 2010 election. It is a no-brainer story. But what is really interesting is this Eternal Flame of Freedom. I didn't expect it to exist, until I read the CNN story, and did a little research. There is a National Republican Victory Monument with an Eternal Flame of Freedom. What is more, you too, can get your name inscribed on National Republican Victory Monument, and the Eternal Flame of Freedom:

The Patriotic Americans who have achieved recognition as PLATINUM MEMBERS for their leadership in the Republican Party and their loyal service to our Republican Presidents are eligible to have their names inscribed in the granite tablet which is the Republican Victory Monument.

This eloquent monument, which is located just to south of the Eternal Flame of Freedom in the courtyard of the Task Force's national headquarters in the Ronald Reagan Republican Center in Washington, DC, is a permanent and public tribute to the few top members of the Task Force.

How much does it cost to become a Platinum member of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. I couldn't tell how much it would cost to become a Platinum member of the NRSC, however their membership prices varied from $150 for an individual membership to the Republican Presidential Task Force, to $28,500 for individual membership to the Majority Makers. I'm thinking that to get your name inscribed on a monument, next to a flame, you're probably going to have to spend around a million or so. And you get some cool benefits, like "credentials in the form of a membership card handsomely embossed with the members' name and PLATINUM MEMBER status, as well as Certificate of Membership and a platinum lapel pin will be recognized as a symbol of membership in the top echelon of this heralded Republican Party entity," and "a specially commissioned, full size American flag has become one of this organization's central traditions."

I'm surprised they haven't thrown in a Ronco Pocket Diaper Steamer to help clean up the messes made from those whiny Republican congressional crybabies.