I agree with your assessments PKM, especially on the motives of the thread spammers. And IMO, they should receive a suspension for incessant thread spamming. It is NOT helpful to discourse it is hijacking.
Friendly suggestion Jim and mods.
I'm curious as to your definition of thread spammers. Posting the same post from thread to thread is clearly spam. But is coming into various threads to post your opinion spam? Since the topic on this thread is Bush's poll numbers, it's hardly off-topic to discuss Bush's immigration position, since immigration reform is the leading subject lately.
Or is your definition of spam someone repeating opinions you don't want to hear?