The Party of Rush
Rahm Emanuel must have thought he died and went to heaven. The old Clinton attack dog knew what he was doing when he said of Limbaugh on Face the Nation: “He is the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party.” The bait laid, the trap set, Steele obligingly put his head in the noose and waited for someone to yank the rope.
He didn’t have long to wait as Limbaugh used his Monday show to belittle the RNC chairman by saying he was no “talking head media star” and that he should stick to raising money and running the party apparatus. Then, with Democrats all over the news shows and the internet giggling with glee, Steele was forced to basically acknowledge Limbaugh’s supremacy by apologizing to the talk show host after calls started to trickle in demanding his ouster.
Recognizing Limbaugh’s ego and genius at self promotion, the Democrats have developed this strategy based on Rush’s ruminations about wanting Obama’s policies to “fail.” As R. Emmett Tyrell of the American Spectator points out, this is a non-issue.
What Limbaugh clearly wants is for the president to fail in his apparent goal of bringing social democracy to our shores (through his nationalization of much of the economy and his onerous tax increases). Limbaugh wants this effort to fail because it will prevent economic recovery and the prosperity that has been allowed us by free-market economics. The whole controversy is a hoax. Yet now it is reliably reported that as many as a dozen top Democrats, some on the White House staff, are continuing this hoax and expanding it by trying to make reaction to Limbaugh an issue for the Republican Party to pronounce on.
Supposedly, if one declares admiration for Limbaugh in public one is politically an extremist. Alternatively, if one scorns him one is civilized to the utmost. The consequence is discord within Republican ranks, and — so Democrats believe — growing strength for the Democrats. Truth be told, here is but more evidence of my deeply held belief that politics for many — whether they be Republican or Democrat — is a form of neurosis. Come election time only the nuts will care which side you lined up on in this deviously confected hoax.
It may indeed be a hoax, but people like Paul Begala are using it to both savage Limbaugh and nail Republicans to a cross unless they repudiate the notion that Rush wants America to slide into economic meltdown.
Here’s the gentle Mr. Begala criticizing Limbaugh in a non-ugly, non-incendiary way:
“Rush is the bloated face and drug-addled voice of the Republican Party,” said Paul Begala, a longtime Democratic strategist who rose to prominence during Bill Clinton’s presidency. “Along with lots of others, I intend to continue to turn up the heat until every alleged Republican either endorses or renounces Rush’s statement that he hopes our president fails.”
I just love bi-partisanship, don’t you?
Steele and the rest of the Republican elites are frozen in fear, scared of offending Limbaugh and his 14 million weekly listeners, while terrified of the capable and confident Obama message machine and their ability to create hoaxes like “Rush leads the party” or “Republicans want America to fail.” This explains why Steele sat with his face hanging out on TV looking for all the world like a deer caught in headlights. A party bereft of confidence, of ideas, and at a loss about how to climb out of the hole they have dug themselves — if the GOP cannot confidently state to the cameras why President Obama’s policies are wrong, why they should be opposed, then it’s time to throw the lot of them under the bus and get people on TV who are willing to stand up and present an opposing viewpoint without fear of being placed in Limbaugh’s camp.
President Obama has used fear as a political weapon to convince a majority of Americans that his plan is the only way out of this crisis, that all the “experts” agree with him and that opposing him is akin to opposing economic recovery. And yet there are precious few party elders who can appear on a cable TV show without averring first and foremost that they wish the president all the success in the world but gosh darnit, gee whillickers does he have to spend so much money saving us?
Maybe we should write some stuff on 3 X 5 cards that these guys can take into the studio with them when they are asked if Limbaugh speaks for Republicans when he says he wants the president’s policies to fail. A strong, affirmative statement or two about why Republicans are opposing Obama’s plans to fundamentally alter American society and some snipes at the president’s ongoing efforts to destroy the free market while creating a culture of dependency can’t be that hard for the geniuses over at the GOP communications shop. Then again, considering what they’ve come up with recently, maybe we should have Rush write it for them.
I want a strong person who is NOT a career politician…preferably a strong man/woman who has run their own business…and knows how our economy works.
I want a pragmatic realist who will tell it like it is and not sell us candy unicorn dreams.
There is a person out there…someone who has worked the dirt and toiled the soil as good as any of us and has a stellar i.q. and a world of experience and a wide scope of true and GENUINE ‘hope’ for our present as well as our future. There is this person out there I want to put some of my faith in… an imperfeKt person but a gifted and WONDERFUL person just the same who believes in liberty and justice for all.
He/She is out there…
“..there is still one thing that eludes Limbaugh; being taken seriously as a conservative leader and pundit outside of his fan base.” I DISAGREE with your words here!
The liberals are scared to death of Limbaugh — he has a good track record of converting many of the kool-aide drinkers into conservative “life-time” members.
From what I hear he has 20+ million listeners per week, not the 14 as you suggest — and it’s growing!
Rush Limbaugh is a force to reckon with — if you disagree then you are drinking the kool-aide faster than you should be. Right now Rush is playing the President like a fiddle. How many entertainers do you know of can get the President and his “hired-guns” to waste so much time on a little old fuzz-ball like Limbaugh?
Sooner or later all the truth has to come out about this “fraud” of a President. Rush Limbaugh is the perfect individual to get the job done — none of our glorious GOP leaders seem to want the position!
A party that bends to the will of Rush Limbaugh is not a party at all. It’s just a lot of soft-headed sheep. The GOP needs to get its ideas from the people instead of a popular radio hack.
Delia — Unfortunately, the person you describe is unlikely to be a Republican, and absolutely guaranteed to not be a Conservative.
More importantly, anyone who tried to tell Republicans the truth about their party or their nation would probably be stoned to death.
Rush is just like you and me:
1. Our President is Obama now, the leader of America.
2. A Leader is not always right. Our criticisms are important in his decision making.
3. We are conservative after being Americans. We believe that if Obama overnight transforms his policies and programs into conservatism, he will do do good to all of us. That’s why we need to criticize and tell him that he is WRONG.
Item #1 is mandated by constitution. Our job as constituents. That’s why we call him Mr. President despite of our,,,, etc.
Item #2 is mandated by constitutions. Obama’s job, indeed. If he doesn’t honor that job and do something against us….. HE IS WORSE THAN NIXON’s ONLY SIN.
Item #3 is mandated by our own experience and intellect. Obama can’t do anything about it except killing us. If he can!
In short, no one can prevent these dynamics. Rush has to do his job… it’s his business. I and many of us tend to listen to Rush because we like it and it’s our right.
Obama can do whatever he wants now under the protection of the Constitution and the laws of the land (with sadly, weak opposition at the congress). BUT BEWARE, MR PRESIDENT. EVEN HITLER CAME DOWN FROM THE TOP. IT’S LAW OF PHYSICS…VERY CONSERVATIVE.
2. Bob Campbell:
“The liberals are scared to death of Limbaugh…”
No, the liberals are quite content with Rush Limbaugh being the voice of the Republican party. Hence the White House effort to advance the idea that Rush is in charge.
The only people who are scared to death of Limbaugh are Republicans who speak ill of him. (See Michael Steele, Phil Gingrey, Mark Sanford, etc.)
I have a short list of political analysts to whom I give respect. Rush is near the top of the list And,,, no, I do not consider Rush to be purely an entertainer. That he can deliver his message with some wit and snappy banter only improves the delivery. I enjoyed classes from a few professors who also had that talent.
Another whom I also pay close attention is our own VDH. These are two very different approaches to the same problem, each man sees impending doom on the near horizon. While Rush often uses bombast, and VDH’s words are like a surgeons scalpel, both men are on the same page. Isn’t that interesting…
Rush is a serious conservatives and deserving of our support.
The Republicans will either become the party of conservative opposition to the Marxist Party, unapologetic conservative opposition, or the Republican Party will become irrelevant.
For those on the left, lefter, leftist side of the political spectrum…it has become very comfortable dealing with a paper trained puppy as our entrenched media has become, a lap dog for the Democratic Party…which needs…. on only very, very, very rare occasions… the swat of a rolled up newspaper to keep them in line. Most of the time, they spend their days licking the faces (and the boots)of national Democrats.
Fox News, Hannity and a few struggling bloggers throw up a hurdle or two…against the walk in the park in our information stream that is enjoyed by the left wing of the Democratic Party.
However, for the most part…these obstacle creators and their principled dissent are successfully marginalized and propagandized out of significant relevance on the broad brush landscape painting of our information stream. Our information stream is not saved from the savage gang rape of the truth, no matter how hard these folks try to get some facts into the equation.
Hollywood and academia crush dissent sub rosa while deny they are doing it, in the very open and obvious manner …an “in your face” attitude, and with a relentless campaign to produce the “instant grits” stereotyping of anyone and everyone who doesn’t march in lockstep. Anyone who disagrees or dissents is attacked and crushed…principled dissent is not welcome under leftist fascism.
But they never…ever…have quite figured out what to do with good old Rushbo. They demonize him…he comes back stronger than ever. They attempt to marginalize him…he calls them on it.
They have come perilously close to trying to legislate away dissent entirely…very largely because of him.
They tried to mimic his success and failed so laughably…they sat around trying how to eliminate talk radio.
As someone who takes a seat in the cf bleachers…I am not a listener of Rush. I tend toward the style of Victor Davis Hanson, Glenn Reynolds, Jonah Goldberg, Stanley Kurtz, …it is the reason I am comfortable with the contributors to Pajamas Media and inter alia why I admire Roger Simon.
I do not self-identify as a conservative. My cyber-friends here may, at times, be disappointed in some of my stances.
But I am as committed a warrior against rampant leftism as any of them. I believe that leftism is a disease in this country and the gang rape of our information stream is the greatest evil perpetrated on this land of ours in its history. I believe the truth has been stolen from us and that there is NO other issue (not the economy, not terrorism, not war, not weather, not personal relationship sin) that matters as much…by a factor of a billion times or more. Without truth and facts we will always be lost in the wilderness.
And, here’s the rub. Rush…for any and all warts he may have as a commenter or editorialist, GOES AFTER THE TRUTH….tries to find where it has been hidden from us and attacks relentlessly the attempt to steal it.
While my politics may differ from his, while I appreciate a different STYLE…I cannot and will not assist in marginalizing another warrior in the battle to save our information stream from the complete rigging and gang rape it is suffering.
I do NOT want President Obama to fail. He is my President and I support him in that role as fully as any loyal citizen can. I will…I have…and I am going to continue to…express principled dissent when I believe his administration is pursuing a folly. Every citizen has that right, in fact, that obligation…in self-governing this land of ours.
More importantly, I will fight until I draw my last breath, anyone who attempts to put a stranglehold on principled dissent.
We must gain back the information stream and we must fight that battle first, last…and without hesitation or reservation. The Republicans have been utterly incompetent in doing so. Limp-wristed, mealy-mouthed, cowed, bowed and beaten. As culture warriors, they have been very…well…French. They have been great at retreat and surrender.
You know why nobody can identify a Republican’s face during a State of the Union address…modern Republicans can only be identified from the back. If you spend your life running away and hiding, apologizing and scuffling for the crumbs of approval from a rigged media, you aren’t going to accomplish many goals.
The two party system is broken…and because of our gang raped information stream, we are perilously close to a one party domination. NEITHER represents the worldviews of the center of this country. The economy is in tatters…a study of Bretton Woods would curl one’s hair and we are spending money like a drunken sailor on shore leave. And principled dissent is having its windpipe crushed.
Rome is burning, and Republicans are arguing over which fiddles to play. And truth is dying a little more every day…as our information stream belches out more propaganda.
Rush Limbaugh isn’t the problem. Rush Limbaugh isn’t the question. Rush Limbaugh is Gettysburg. He is the final battleground where the bodies will be strewn….and counted. I didn’t pick him, the leftists did…and the Republicans can decide whether to surrender there. The battle for the two party system is on.
Me? I want my information stream back. And hope out of the ashes arises a party that reflects my worldview. I don’t see one on the horizon, but I would bet I would have the largest army by a monumental amount, if we ever could find someone to lead us.
“Limbaugh, the entertainer has passed Obama while on the way to achieving his status as political bellwether of the GOP.”
Enough already. Conservatives and the current state of the GOP are mutually exclusive. Is there SOME overlap? Yes. But the current GOP bears little resemblence to conservatives. Limbaugh may be a ‘political bellwether’ for conservatives, but certainly not the GOP- at least not anymore.
Rick Moran writes
“In this respect, the irony is that both men — Limbaugh and Obama — start from the other side of that divide. Limbaugh, the entertainer has passed Obama while on the way to achieving his status as political bellwether of the GOP. Meanwhile, Obama was moving the other way, from political force to cultural celebrity”
Here’s a better irony. If you ignore what the media tells you about Rush and listen to what he says and stands for he makes all the sense in the world. If you ignore what the media tells you about “The One” and listen to what he says and stands for you wonder how he could be elected dog catcher.
All Rush Limbaugh really does is advocate America’s founding principles and self-responsibility. It seem that it’s his critics who have the bigger problem. It’s not surprise that control freaks – whether GOP or Leftists – would like to diminish his influence. He destroys their ability to pander and seduce.
Mr. Limbaugh is a strong voice for Classical Liberalism. He stands in the way of the leftist desire to return us all to a condition of indentured servitude, where technocrats have happily relieved us of our freedom to choose and live our lives as we see fit. Rush shines a light on the Machiavellian machinations of the political class. It’s no wonder that those who want to control you and have you quietly fall in line with their program despise him so.
Rush has come down pretty hard on the GOP for their failure to execute, abandonment of discipline, and compromise on principle. It’s entirely appropriate. The GOP is failing America while the Democrats rush to destroy it and your future along with it.
Free Speech and open debate is good for America. Rush Limbaugh is good for America.
Control freaks are not good for America.
Rick, you obviously don’t like Rush. He is not mean-spirited; he DOES love our country and its Constitution, which is what he is trying to protect (Unlike the Big O). He is an entertainer, true, but more importantly an America-first-idealist, constantly fighting for our rights and freedoms.
Steele, obviously, is a typical politician, when he should be an attack dog going after Obama’s failed policies while espousing a Reagan-styled conservatism, which, by the way, resulted in Republican victories. I voted for Steele because he portrayed himself a conservative. Is he a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’? If he is, then I hope he fails, just like Obama. The liberal dems have a definite plan which is working to keep the sheep placated while taking our freedom away daily! Steele’s plan is to ‘reorganize’, which falls far short of any long-range plan to success. When he was seeking my vote he asked for our advice; where are those emails now?
Keep up the good work as our conservative voice, Rush. Learn from him, Michael Steele, if you won’t hear from us conservatives. Losses in 2010 are in our future if you don’t wise up. ATTACK THE LEFT WOTH CONSERVATIVE IDEAS AND ALTERNATIVES.
GOP again is letting Obama and the Dem machine control the agenda. The more articles like this they can have us produce, the less energy we have to expose them for what they are and to mount an effective attack.
2010 may be a reversal of Obama fortunes but it won’t be due to our pundits.
Post #5.
It’s not just Obama but the entire demoratic party. He’s pushing his party’s agenda. With Obama in office the dems have nothing but green lights in front of them. We are to blame for putting most of the yahoos in office. It’s a battle of haves and have nots and the have nots are winning. So far it is manifesting we will all be have nots. First let me state I am not a republican. The republicans must find quality leadership. After seeing neophyte Obama at work republicans must have someone knowledgeable step forward. Two names pop up: Gingrich and Huckabee. I’m talking to conservatives because knee jerk liberals blast every republican. Forget about the media because they are just plain jerks. Palin is strictly a supportive candidate at this moment. The republicans shouldn’t put out someone of color merely to match Obama but someone who is qualified. Michael Steele is rising but has a long way to go. He must show leadership. He’s learning that now. I have doubts about Jindal’s ability to win a national election. Huckabee needed more national exposure and I believe he has it. Gingrich has been there and there’s no one more qualified. In my opinion it is his duty and responsibility to step up for his party and for conservatives. He should have ran for president instead of McCain. In any event we must reduce democrat control. They are a bunch of socialist loons and totally inept.
Mr. Moran:
“This explains why Steele sat with his face hanging out on TV looking for all the world like a deer caught in headlights.”
Well, I hope Mr. Steele learned his lesson early.
And I hope you have, also.
The Conservative movement will get exactly nowhere as long as it accepts, by default, the characterization of it provided by Democrats.
You want to “moderate” conservative principles?
Then become a Democrat…but don’t expect the rest of us to join you on your quest.
The message is very clear. McCain’s path leads to the Wilderness, Steele found that out the hard way and had to apologize to Rush while Rush is challenging Obama to an on-air debate.
You tell me who is speaking for Conservatives today.
11. Spider79 writes:
“If you ignore what the media tells you about Rush and listen to what he says and stands for he makes all the sense in the world. If you ignore what the media tells you about “The One” and listen to what he says and stands for you wonder how he could be elected dog catcher.”
Touche! Too bad so many prefer soothing narratives and others doing their thinking for them.
Steele is just not ready for prime time (yet). We ALWAYS let the Nazi comments pass, and Steels’s weak agreements really make us cringe. That was a big fat hanging fastball ready to go over the fence. The proper reply would be an incredulous “The CPAC was Nazi!?. Did you see or attend any of the Obama campaign rallies? It was the Democrats who were chanting slogans, using faux seals and titles, waving signs, and applauding wildy at every attack on the opposition. All that is missing is goose-stepping marches. It is the Democrats who champion Nazi-like killing of the defectives and unwanted in the womb and euthanesia masking it as “choice” and “death with dignity”. The Democrat party is reflective of Nazis, not my party”.
The easy reply to the Rush goading is “I may not agree with him all the time, but he is an American and a private citizen. All those in public office work for him, as they work for us all. He has the constitutional right to political comment and criticism of Obama, just like you had to criticize Bush. Rush is not the leader of my party, but he speaks for many and I respect and will fight for his right to speak his mind”. Stick to that and do not be goaded into rendering an opinion of Rush’s ideas.
I agree with cedarhill. Why are we wasting time on this? This is exactly what the dems want. And we do have wonderful leaders, they have just got to get out there, gut up, and fight the dems with some good ideas, some conservative values and some long lasting plans. Look at some of the young governors. There is talent there. And there are others also. But the main thing is to get busy on this, and this includes all of us. We all have to do our part.
Rush Limbaugh is not running for anything. He is a talk show host. The Obama administration wasting so much time on him makes them look scared and they really are looking paranoid, kind of like Nixon. The fact is Rush can be silenced very easily by turning off the radio but the problem for the left is many people understand and believe Rush, THAT IS WHY THEY LISTEN. This is great, he can keep nailing Obama without losing votes and all he has to do is keep to conservative principles. A smart politician in the GOP will know how to use that; the question is who is that person.
“President Obama has used fear as a political weapon to convince a majority of Americans that his plan is the only way out of this crisis, that all the “experts” agree with him and that opposing him is akin to opposing economic recovery.”
Sounds just like the “Global Warming” or, as we know it now, “Climate Change” bowl of tricks. Claim that all the ‘experts have decided’ and ‘it is consensus or proven fact’ and then deride anyone with differing opinions as skeptics and know-nothings out to destroy the ecology.
Now we have the president of the United States using the same tactics against those with differing opinions. The One doesn’t know what will happen, but he has to act as if there is no other choice.
Remember: The sky is Falling! Wolf!
This crew accuses W of using fear to coerce the public at the same time they are guilty of the same tactic.
tom
Rush Limbaugh is not another Oprah Winfrey. He is far more brilliant than than the famous TV personality! This is why Barack Obama has made a serious mistake in attacking Limbaugh. Our feckless president cannot even begin to compete intellectually with him. It is my understand that the number one radio talk show host’s ratings are skyrocketing.
That means more middle of the road people will listen—and be converted over to the principles of conservatism.
So what does this do to the conservative whine about Hollywood? That actors or celebrities should, as Laura Ingrahandsome puts it, “Shut up and Sing.” I guess if it’s OK for a disc jockey to run the Republican party, I guess it’s OK for Susan Sarandon to protest the war. Nice job, conservatives – you’re finally starting to figure out this whole “free speech” thing. The more you support it, the more you’re gonna like it. Trust me.
Doesn’t matter what one thinks about Rush, CF is right it is about the control of information. Nearly everyone understands the allusions to “1984″ and Newspeak but a discussion of “Fahrenheit 451″ and book buring (control of information flow) needs to be seriously entered into. Rush is the flash-point for this battle.
Well, they’re at it again.
The democrats have created another paper tiger with this Rush flap. Their accomplice’s in media are lapping it up. Everyone with an ounce of honesty and integrity (also missing from most democrats), knows that Rush does not in any way speak for the Republican party and is not interested in furthering their agenda, except as it relates to his conservative principles.
Republican’s still are missing the boat in this situation. They lack leaders that are willing to be mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. How many times have we seen Al Gore’s “He betrayed our trust!” rant? Yeah, he’s a nut-bag, but he’s passionate about his position. Republican’s just don’t have anyone with that level of enthusiasm. They need some firebrands that can go out and do some yelling and screaming and getting the base motivated. Sure, they need to get back to their conservative roots, but they really need some strong personalities out there that don’t lay down every time a democrat tells lies about them.
The left is correct to go after him. Limbaugh appeals only to a fraction of the electorate, a fraction that cannot grasp that non-ideological thinking can even exist… i.e. Progressive = government loving, conservative = government hating is NOT the way the electorate views things.
The problem is that if you don’t realize that this thinking can even exist, you can’t begin to address it. You certainly won’t understand it any more than you understand my words, which is easily proved: most of you will read this and assume I’m a leftist.
#8 ricpic
Embracing Limbaugh is the surefire way to insure that the party is irrelevant. Of 110 million voters in the last election Limbaugh has a claimed 20 million fans. 90 million see him as a hypocritical imbecile. A million kids get out of school each year and are voting age. These aren’t Limbaugh fans. Math alone isn’t working in your direction.
ricpic @ 8: AMEN. The sooner we stop bickering, unite, and adopt your philosophy of “unapologetic conservative opposition”, the sooner we drive the Marxists from power.
I think Rick nails it – the party needs a spokesperson both on point and that can catch the public’s attention, and all the Republican party has right now is Limbaugh. Is he polarizing? Absolutely, but the White House picked the fight. Rush is not under the kind of constraints they are, and he’s now more focused than ever on spending three hours a day deconstructing their arguments and policies. It was a dangerous move by the lib brain trust to goad him.
And while Democrats despise Rush, there are a lot of Republican moderates who are not fans of him either. Can he get passed their prejudice to make the conservative case? The Dem plan is to get moderates to either leave the party or undermine the true believers on the right wing. Listen to Frum and Brooks, Parker and Noonan; they’re some of the rebels leading the sabotage. Ironically, only a few months ago we were talking about conservatives abiding moderates as a big tent philosophy, but now you have moderates agitating for conservatives to be kicked out!
Can’t we all just get along?
You guys are following the wrong Rush. I say grab a six pack, smoke a doobie and turn up 2112 on your stereo real loud!
Asking if we “hope” Obama’s policies succeed at reviving our economy is like asking us to hope that gravity suddenly begins to repel instead of attract. It isn’t going to happen. And it would be bad if it did. I only hope for sanity and liberty to prevail, eventually. Any other questions about hope?
Isn’t there a Republican with some balls? Good Lord, someone needs to stand up and take on Obama and make the points we all know to be true!
Rush Limbaugh is a Conservative Republican an Obama is a Marxist. That is the black and white of it. The RNC at the moment is filled with RINOs and has ceased to be an effective body.In fact politics has become so corrupt, it doesn’t matter which party is in power.
G Alston
We assume you are a leftist because you are obviously a gnostic.
Do us all a favor and drop the “a million kids get out of school each year” line. You have beaten it to death.
When this is even a question bantered about it illustrates the lack of strong leadership within those who are the elected of the party. It is truly as sad day when some are actually looking to radio talk show hosts as the defacto leadership of the Party.
I have listened to Rush since inception and thoroughly appreciate his humor and keen insight on conservatism. He is a master of his art and his place at the pinnacle of his profession is evidence of that fact, though he is just that, the best radio talk show host in the land. As far as the RNC they need to get off their proverbial butt and have the present leadership forcefully step up to the plate or find someone who can.
When the “Fairness” Doctrine comes around, Rush needs to demand that he be given equal time on the heavily partisan Democrat Oprah’s show.
Fair is fair.
#33 — Do us all a favor and drop the “a million kids get out of school each year” line. You have beaten it to death.
It appears that math skills aren’t a conservative thing.
It’s ancillary to the fact that 90 million voters aren’t Limbaugh fans and illustrates that the big number is getting even bigger.
I’m waiting for one single fact that counters it. Thus far not one has appeared. Griping about it doesn’t make it not real. Is this part of the finger in the ears “lalalalala” strategy?
“It is truly as sad day when some are actually looking to radio talk show hosts as the defacto leadership of the Party.”
And why is that? Why is a radio talk show host presumably some sort of inferior creature? That simply isn’t a rational assertion.
I vote that we replace Steele with Limbaugh as RNC chair.
There is not enough substance of barak hussain ” I got elected because I look black ” obama to begin to compare him to Rush.
It is the idea of the true color of our nation that Rush says daily that scares the hell out of this administration.
It’s red white and blue not black and white.
The liberals may control the black and white for now, but they faulter and hide under communist rocks in the sewe when they see red white and blue. They along with barak are all traitors.
As lifelong Republicans, we, a little over a years ago, jumped ship. The GOP as we have known it for the last 60 years is dying. Limbaugh’s rantings are just adding to the death rattle.
This whole Rush bit is just a distraction, a misdirection by the Democrats. Get the public talking about this type of nonsense while the Dems push through all their extreme far left agenda while we’re not looking too closely. What’s next, revival of the Constitutional anti flag burning amendment?
Income redistribution will provide the bread to the masses, now all we need are more circuses.
#36
“It’s ancillary to the fact that 90 million voters aren’t Limbaugh fans and illustrates that the big number is getting even bigger.
Fact?? You have mentioned no facts at all. What you have are 2 unprovable assumptions:
1. Everyone who does not listen to Rush Limbaugh hates Rush Limbaugh.
2. No recent graduates like Rush Limbaugh.
(31) drjohn
Isn’t there a Republican with some balls? Good Lord, someone needs to stand up and take on Obama and make the points we all know to be true!
—————
Yes there is. And she is a woman.
Congresswoman Michelle Backmann
http://bachmann.house.gov/
She was on the Chris Baker radio show this morn.
http://www.ktlkfm.com/cc-common/podcast/single_podcast.html?podcast=chrisbaker.xml
The CNN stories on Limbaugh wanting Obama to fail are misrepresenting what was actually said. Limbaugh said he wanted the socialist-leaning policies Obama is behind to fail. Saying you want a person’s policies to fail is a lot different from saying you want the person to fail. CNN doesn’t make this distinction in their desire for catchy headlines.
Is Al Sharpton the defacto leader of the Democrats ?
My favorite line from this dust-up is a comment on your own blog Rick (and perhaps you should start the queue):
“What we really need is a convenient, web based way to make it easier for Republicans to apologize to Rush.” (Chuck Tucson 3/3/09 3:39 pm)
What puzzles me Rick is why you dabble at radio and media for punditry purposes, and then you audaciously dismiss Rush as someone not taken “seriously as a conservative leader and pundit outside of his fan base.” By all means, set up your points of disagreement — but render judgment on his importance? You should be so lucky as to have Rush even notice and dismiss your efforts.
The Obama administration does not look paranoid. as some has suggested. Initially I thought, ignore this person who’s rhetoric and B.S. speech to brings out the worst kinds of prejudice and hatred. McCain and company did that during the election and look where that got them. However, watching what Rush is doing now makes me think, yeah, go for it. Rush can be face of the Republican party. Good for him and all those who choose to follow him like sheep. Good luck with that.
After the 1st QTR fundraising numbers come out on SarahPac, even the naysayers in the Republican party will be begging Sarah to leave Alaska in 2010 and raise funds for every Republican incumbent.
David B (#41). I think, for us Dems, we could also look at this stuff as a distraction from what the Obama administration is doing that the people who voted for him really believed he would deliver. Take for instance health care. Are we going to get a national health care plan …does that equal univseral health care as I thought? Or are we distracted to the point that we’ll get more bandaids on a failing system. I hope we are all wrong and I will keep the faith.
Absolutely agree with Giner (#40). As a formerly registered Republican, I have watched the party disintegrate with sadness. It almost seems to have splintered into…dare I say it…something akin to neo-fascists. No, liberals don’t fear Limgbaugh. It’s extremely difficult to fear a drug-addled buffoon. And as with every president elected since I could vote, I offer my respect to the office and give the holder a chance to enact their campaign promises. If they don’t, then out the door they go four years later (or in some cases, eight). I’m certainly not going to judge anyone less than two months into the job. And I’m certainly not going to base any voting decision on political ‘analysis’ from any pundit, talking head or drug-addled buffoon. I would like to think I’m capable of forming my own opinions. One of the ‘sheeple’ I’m not!
cfbleachers I hung on every word you wrote and I couldn’t agree more. The fight for a two party system is on and the main fronts are #1 The Information Stream as you put it, #2 our children and their indoctrination to left ideologies in the school system and #3 The Judicial branch of our government which is the tool used to impose the will of the minority on to the will of the majority.
On the subject of Steele and Rush, Steele doesn’t need to apologize to Rush he needs to embrace him and every Republican should embrace Rush as well. After all it was the corrupt media that created Rush and talk radio. They tried to force the conservative POV out of the marketplace and the marketplace responded with right wing talk radio. Rush is the Frankenstein monster of the fairness doctrine. He is a living representation of the lefts inability to remove free speech from the airwaves and he should be celebrated for his achievements.
Talk radio is the last front on free speech in American. Once it and Fox have been silenced so too will the two party system be silenced. It will exist in a shell but much like Chicago politics the left will punish bad republicans who speak out of turn and reward good republicans who support the power structure. The question today is, “Who are the good republicans and who are the bad republicans?” It will be easy to tell, just watch MSNBC. If they are on the hit list they are probably working to preserve your free speech rights. I should say that although I have framed this essay on right versus left, I believe sincerely that there are good democrats out there that believe in the two party system and they will be part of this fight.
“Fight the Change”
35. Agamemnon: HUH? The “fairness” doctrine does not apply to talk shows. Oprah is entitled to choose her guests as she likes. The “fairness” doctrine applies to political campaigns in an attempt to ensure one party does not get more new positive or negative coverage. It attempts to ensure that NEWS stations do their jobs. Some would like to say that Obama got better coverage during the recent campaign. I completely agree. Why? Because the McCain campaign were soooo negative at rallies. There were negative and so therefore so was the coverage.
50. culchiewoman: THANK YOU!!!
It’s good to see a varied discussion about a Moran article. He censors posters at this own website… likes to spin the narrative.
I stand corrected about the fairness doctrine. Apparently it has a bigger scope than the rules pertaining to political campaigns. Sorry! Here some news, though, for Rush fans who think that if this policy is revived, it will hurt conservative talks shows — Obama has made perfectly clearly that he again the doctrine as it curbs free speech. How’s that for an example of liberals trying to stifle opposing views?
Pelosi is the real leader of the Dems. Obama will not even attempt to cross her. He hinted at it while considering the Stimulus Bill but quickly turned and praised he “leadership.” Face it BO and rahm are just carrying her purse. Whatever changes she wants to his budget she will get.
#42 — Fact?? You have mentioned no facts at all.
Of course I have. 20 million claimed fans/listeners is a much smaller number than 90 million. That’s a fact. People can choose to tune in. 90 million do not. That too is a fact.
Meanwhile, it appears that you think you can name a child who *is* a Limbaugh fan, thus in your mind disputing my contention. Sorry, ace. Doesn’t quite work that way. For our purposes anything under 15% may as well not exist, and it’s highly doubtful that it’s even that high. It’s certainly not relevant to the bigger picture and does nothing to dispute the overall point.
Thanks for playing though. Next.
56. PAR: Oh, I wouldn’t count on that. I can see why it might seem the case, but Obama is a VERY smart guy and the only purse you might see him carrying is Michelle’s.
well I happen to agree with Rush, I want obie to fail, and fail hard, as he is doing now.. the man is trying to shove socialism down our throats using class division and cleverly crafted speeches full of sound and fury … signifying nothing, but unlike the fool on the stage this actor wont be done in an hour and heard no more.
the demoncrats are going to run roughshod over anyone who dares to call them on their BS… they will demonize those who dare to disagree with the almighty magic negro who is going to make everyone’s problems go away by making everyone equal… via taxing the rich… spreading the wealth around (his own words caught on tape that everyone of the liberals have conveniently forgotten), and making everyone beholden to massive government, and socialist programs =/
what the liberals cant stand is that the evidence of the wannabe king of the U.S. policies are a failure right from the start, the stock market tanked immediately after the pork laden “stimulus” bill was passed, and all the other “budget” fixes were tossed into the mix. the markets are dropping fast to a level we have not seen since the end of the carter years… curiously coinciding with the last time the demoncrats controlled congress with a liberal democrat as POTUS… hmmmm interesting
so this is why I and all normal thinking people want obie to fail and fall flat on his face… he and his party are more of a danger to this nation than bin laden, hamas, hezbolla, iran, north korea, china, syria, are or ever could be. The policies they want to make us live under will destroy this nation from within faster than any other 9/11 style of terror attack could.
59. MadcapMagician: Can I assume you’re a man? I hope so.
“so this is why I and all normal thinking people want obie to fail and fall flat on his face”…you truly are a model citizen. I’ll bet you mother, father or the people responsible for your upbringing are very proud indeed. My suggestion? Step away the druggy radio host show (for it is truly attacking I’m sure) and read a good book. Take a walk, a deep breath and you’ll find the world a bit less toxic.
Also, show a little respect. You might completely disagree with OUR President, but calling him “obie” doesn’t speak very well about your manners.
“I didn’t vote for him but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”
- John Wayne on the election of JFK
I don’t care how creatively you interpret Limbaugh’s comments. He crossed a line in what he said and revealed the truth — that his ideology and success as an entertainer are more important to him than anything else, including the well-being of the country. He could learn something about patriotism from the Duke.
Nobody (Democrats aside) ever claimed that Limbaugh was a leader in the Republican party. Nor is he in reality a spokesman for them, or even for their values.
What he is, however is a leading voice in the conservative movement. He’s only tied to the Republican party insofar as the Republicans are conservative, which isn’t all that much of late.
Certainly, he tends toward the Republicans, because historically, they’ve been the more conservative of the two parties. But if you listen to his show, which I do occasionally, he’s been spending his time, when addressing Republicans, in trying to get them to return to conservatism.
I think I’ve said it here before, and I still consider it the core of this; The attacks on Limbaugh and trying to get him in the public’s perception as the face of the Republican party, is an orchestrated attempt to separate the Republican party from it’s conservative base thereby rendering it impotent.
That strategy, however, backfired when Limbaugh challnged “The One” to a debate, from which Obama will run as fast as heis proverbial legs can carry him.
If his success as an entertainer were paramount, don’t you think not having someone to joust with in the White House would hurt his career? I’ve spent a few years in Radio, my freind and will tell you his numbers and his profits, always get better when there’s a Democrat in the WH.
Do try again.
#57
Very clever. First you subtract 20 million Limbaugh listeners from 110 million voters and pretend that it represents a meaningful number. Then you assert that all 90 million of those people think that Limbaugh is a “hypocritical imbecile”. You also claim that Limbaugh has no listeners among recent graduates.
When someone points out the fallacy of both of those arguments, you change them. The 90 million people who think Rush is an imbecile become 90 million people who could listen but don’t. Still an unprovable assertion, but less obviously fallacious. Since you really don’t know how many young voters listen to Rush, you guess at a number and then decide that it is irrelevant. When you say “For our purposes”, it really just means “I know I am right and I will ignore any data that contradicts my central thesis”.
You guys are following the wrong Rush. I say grab a six pack, smoke a doobie and turn up 2112 on your stereo real loud!
Thumbs up, Pat J
4. Rotwang:
“Delia — Unfortunately, the person you describe is unlikely to be a Republican, and absolutely guaranteed to not be a Conservative.”
~
Lincoln was a repub.
62. Eric Florack: The “One” you are referring to has not need to run from a debate with the likes of Rush Limbaugh. He’s got far more important items to attend to right now…don’t you think?
66. Delia: Lincoln may have belonged to the Republican party then, but his part more resembles the Democratic party today. A look at history shows that the parties sort of switched places at some point. I mean, the civil war certainly doesn’t speak for anti-federalism or state rights, does it? His best quality was that he did what he believed regardless of the politics that surrounded him. Also, pretty amazing for a guy who (it’s been documented) suffered from major depression.
EVEN THE NEW DEAL WASN’T THIS FAR LEFT
The economy is off the rails and going forward, Obama will own it completely.
http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/03/america-has-far-left-president.html
Perhaps you and I think so. Since, however, we now know that this attack on Limbaugh came from the White House…. it seems fair to suggest he may not think so.
PleaseChange…please change!
You mention the only reason that Obama got better coverage was because he had more positive messages??? Obama got elected because the press wanted him elected. This is a media presidency and he owes his current title to the media. They stopped being the watchdog group that they are supposed to be and started being political activist. But they didn’t tell anyone they were doing it and that makes them duplicitous in their role. They have taken advantage of the public trust and gotten a man elected who doesn’t have the experience to deal with the complicated issues he’s dealing with today just because he shares their ideology.
He’s clever don’t get me wrong, but not experienced. Additionally, no president has ever gone after private citizens and tried to silence any voices of decent more than Obama has in his first 30 days in office. Rush isn’t a public official and isn’t bound to anyone’s rules or so called lines that can’t be crossed. He’s an entertainer and a conservative republican and although I don’t agree with everything he says I agree he has the right to say it. The Whitehouse should be ashamed of themselves for attacking a private citizen like they are in the name of political gain. Who next, Joe the plumber, me, you?
G Alston says: “Embracing Limbaugh is the surefire way to insure that the party is irrelevant. Of 110 million voters in the last election Limbaugh has a claimed 20 million fans. 90 million see him as a hypocritical imbecile. A million kids get out of school each year and are voting age. These aren’t Limbaugh fans. Math alone isn’t working in your direction.”
Dead on! Obama is a complete genius. Rather than attacking Rush outright, he’s set up a game where Republicans are forced to criticize Rush for fear of alienating their majority of consituents who think it disgusting and traitorous to wish Obama to fail. Obama’s team knows that Rush is a such a vain windbag that he cannot stand criticism, and will immediately lash out against any Republican who tries to marginalize his words and by extenstion his influence. So now Obama just gets to sit back and watch his genius game unfold:
1. Republican leadership is exposed as impotent cowards who can’t stand up to Limbaugh.
2. The Republican party is exposed as having no real leadership or plan other than “I hope he fails.”
3. Republican infighting continues as the stupid one’s continue to cling to Rush while the smart ones realize that “I hope he fails” is a prescription for losing your next election.
4. Moderates and Independents, i.e., the ones who decide elections, flee the Republican Party as they clearly can’t help but notice that Republican thought and ideology has been hijacked by a drug-addicted sociopath.
5. Republicans remain in the wilderness until they shed the extremist conservative message and after losing several national elections begrudingly move towards more centrist platform.
#65 I don’t get high but a 6-pack and some 2112 sounds good!
Everyone’s missing the point. The Dems are playing hardball, here. They are using the power of the Presidency to shape the political discussion. They are trying to tie the entire Republican party to Rush’s polarizing voice.
They are forming a narrative: “The Pubs are all right-wing whackjobs like Rush.” Next will be Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity. Polarizing figures. Before you know it, the public will all hold that same view. Thereafter, the Dems will paint any Pub viewpoint as right-wing whackjob drivel. They will thus further marginalize us.
The proper counterattack is to dismiss the narrative as a strawman argument. Refuse to discuss it as anything more than that. “Rush is just one voice of conservatism, albeit a powerful one, but he doesn’t speak for the whole party. In fact, we agree with many of his positions, even if we don’t always agree with his style. This is merely a petty attempt to tie all Republicans to Rush’s style, rather than to the substance of our positions. We refuse to engage in such gutter-politics.”
#62 Eric I think your right one. The republicans are so weak right now they are playing right into the power play. I disagree that it backfired. The main stream media won’t punish Obama for not taking the challenge…he’ll never be held accountable to the challenge. So those on the left simply don’t know about it or they are told about and given a line like Pleasechange’s line “He’s got better things to do then debate the likes of him”…if he had better things to do why did his administration go after Rush in the first place!
I think Steele needs to embrace Rush and all conservatives. As much as they hate Talk Radio it’s the Democratic’s and their media allies that created it!
#72 Steve P have you lost your mind? The Republicans are the centrist party. The democrats have been moving further and further left since the 2000 elections. Just because Rush is an extreme view point doesn’t mean the party is extreme. John McCain was a moderate from Arizona; Barak Obama was a liberal with extreme radical associations. Obama got elected because he promised to lead from the center. Of course he promised to prop up the coal industry and not take away guns rights too…we’ll see.
The reason everyone’s so upset on the right is because the party is vulnerable and he’s dismantling it as we speak. He’s trying to turn the U.S. into a single party socialist republic (that’s a far left affiliation) If that happens you’ll be wishing ole’ Rush and those nasty conservatives were still there annoying the anointed one.
68. PleaseChange:
“66. Delia: Lincoln may have belonged to the Republican party then, but his part more resembles the Democratic party today. A look at history shows that the parties sort of switched places at some point. I mean, the civil war certainly doesn’t speak for anti-federalism or state rights, does it? His best quality was that he did what he believed regardless of the politics that surrounded him. Also, pretty amazing for a guy who (it’s been documented) suffered from major depression.”
Wow, you peeps are acting all ‘civil’ to me today. I’m not even sure how to handle that [lol].
Haven’t the ‘democrats’ become less democratic? I think the Dems of today are a far cry from their brethren of yesteryear.
http://www.sctimes.com/article/20090223/OPINION/102230048/-1/archives
Repubs and Dems have always been polarized…and politics have always gotten down and dirty and outright nasty. Politics is not a Gentleman’s game…
Bless your pea pickin’ heart for being so cordial with me though…it’s refreshing and I truly appreciate it.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Why run from Rush? I say we embrace him. He certainly scares the hell out of the Democratic wingnuts! They’ve got their own crazy moonbat in Pelosi that they seem to revel in. Why should the Republicans not embrace one of their own? Rush is pretty much spot on with all of his observations anyway right? Besides, I find it quite humorous that Gibbs STILL comments on a radio personality at press briefings. Ha! Shows you the power Rush has over the democratic party. Rush indeed!
Note to Steve P…..While you seem to revel in pointing out the GOP lack of leadership, do you not wring your hands over Pelosi’s obvious control over your President? I’d think you’d be so angry that THE ONE doesn’t even get to make his own policies. Poor dear is being led around on a very short leash by Madam Speaker.
I love you Marxists that keep harping on Rush’s past drug use. Of course you ignore the fact that your guy in the White House is a confessed cocaine user. Hypocrites. I don’t see the conservative posters here calling Obama a drug addled bafoon…but if they wanted to there is certainly evidence to do so.
RickM says:”I love you Marxists that keep harping on Rush’s past drug use. Of course you ignore the fact that your guy in the White House is a confessed cocaine user. Hypocrites. ”
Rick, you’re not getting it. Rush has been railing against drug abusers for years, even when he was an abuser. That’s why he’s a hypocrite.
Obama used drugs as a kid, when most people do, but was never an addict. But more importantly, he’s not screeching on the radio daily about how drug users are scum and deserve harsh sentences.
That’s why you get to keep the hypocrisy crown.
@72 Republican thought and ideology has been hijacked by a drug-addicted sociopath? I never knew that 0bama was the head of the GOP! You learn something new every day!
Go on. Keep stuffing your fingers in your ears as your sugar daddy flames out. Everything’s fine & dandy in hopeychangey land – that’s why you’re here twenty times a day spinning like a top. Not even 1/4 of a year into his first term and the Head Narcissist In Charge is down to 59% – even with the Gramscian media’s shilling. (Keep in mind, this assumes that said media shills are conducting honest polls with the correct sample sizes). That’s roughly where Bush was when the Iraq insurgency started to pick up. Now, messiah-boy has nowhere to go but down. Panic time!
If anything, 0bama’s fixation on Rush shows that he’s in over his head and is flailing about for a distraction to buy himself some time. Not a good sign at all for the dems this early in the game.
“Obama used drugs as a kid, when most people do…”
Spin, spin, spin. Always an excuse for their beloved Teleprompter Jeebus. Kinda cute, really.
Out of my graduating class of roughly 120 students, there were perhaps four or five committed potheads. Practically no one abused anything other than alcohol. It was pretty much the same thing when I went to college a few years ago (although by then heroin, etc was available for those who wanted it). The few drug users were often people with poor work ethics, unstable family situations, and/or psychological problems. (Sound familiar?)
IMHO the Messiah did some permanent damage to himself with his past drug use – this may explain his weird gaffes & inability to function without a teleprompter. He really does come across as quite ignorant, even for someone who was “affirmative action’ed” into every position he’s ever held.
What ever happened to he guy that claimed Obama was smokin’ a crack pipe while he gave him a blow job…is that guy still alive?
Put a sock in it.
Rush’s ratings are going through the roof now, giving more people a chance to actually hear his message instead of the media’s portrayal thereof. And when that happens, Rush wins, conservatism wins, and liberalism loses.
Nothing wrong with Rush; Calls it like he sees it. People in the U.S. are afraid to do that any more. If you don’t think I’m right, take a look at these comments; Total cowards. Sceered to use their Constitutional Rights.
The must-have teleprompter is used to keep his lies in order.
By the way; What is it costing the citizens for Obamatard to take his jaunts around the U.S. for his press opportunities? In dollars and carbon emissions? He doesn’t really care; He’s now king and every things free!
Steve P….Obama wins the hypocrisy crown bub….Remember his “no Pork” rule in during the election cycle? Geez…what happened to that campaign promise? He’s getting harder and harder to defend isn’t he? I’m feeling sort of bad for his followers. I guess they’ll have to idol worship elsewhere soon. Any plans for yourself yet Steve? I did hear Michael Jackson was going out on tour again soon. Just a thought.
Sweet Allah on a pogo stick. The Magic Negro thinks P/E stands for “Profits Earnings Ratio”.
http://blog.republicanreporter.com/2009/03/05/profits-to-earnings-ratio.aspx
Do tell me again about that wonderful Hah-vahd intellect.
I kid you not – I’m glad 0bama won the election. America was going down the tubes regardless of whether we elected McGeezer or Teleprompter-Jeebus. At least with T.J. our decline is entertaining.
Limbaugh’s racist,misogynist message is not well received by the vast majority of Americans. Hate and fear are poor selling points, that and rapidly changing demographics will reduce the GOP to a regional party by 2030. The majority of voters in the USA will be non-white by 2042. Unless the GOP can figure out a way to stop coloured folks from having children, the GOP is doomed. That is the future. Buh-bye GOP !
89. Cybergeezer:
“By the way; What is it costing the citizens for Obamatard to take his jaunts around the U.S. for his press opportunities? In dollars and carbon emissions? He doesn’t really care; He’s now king and every things free!”
~
Valid point. -And, “Obamatard” is my new favorite word. lmao!
Rush is a private citizen with a radio show. He is not the leader of the Republican party. He has a point of view that is popular with a vast majority of the country. I agree with Rush that if Obama’s aim is to bring socialism to the United States, I want it to fail (ref: France). During the Bush administration the Democrats talked extensively about how Bush was failing. Did the media ever raise a stink about that? No, they played along and now they’re doing the same thing with Rush, just turn on MSNBC for five minutes.
What does the Obama attack machine say about the administrations view of the first amendment of the Constitution? Remember when “Joe the plumber” asked a simple question about Obama’s tax plan? In no time flat democratic inside operators went through a private citizen’s records to dig up dirt to discredit and silence him. Joe’s (not his real name) private information was splashed on every news outlet across the country.
Can the brown shirts be far behind? Will it come down to people being imprisoned for speaking out about the Obama presidency? Is this the type of representation we want in Washington? When private citizens question the government, their lives are run under a microscope in the attempt to dig up dirt with the willing accomplices the media? Many don’t know that currently there are websites dedicated to turning in people that have any anti-Obama stickers on their car (google it …I won’t provide their link). Why? From all I’ve seen these sites are ran by Obama supporters. Do the hard core Obama supporter believe in a National Socialist style of governing? Where is the outrage from the people that claim they are so tolerant of others? Where is the media when the people are attacked by their own government? They are talking about a private citizen expressing his views on a radio show.
Personally I kind of enjoy it, in a mean sort of way, when Demopaths say nasty stuff about Rush.
For one thing, they never listen to his show, so they never have more than a short phrase of his (at most) to complain about. All I have to do is look innocently curious and ask for the rest of what Rush had said, or whether they listened to the show, or ever listen to the show. They usually sputter and fade out pretty quick.
I also like it when they complain about how awful he is. All I have to do is ask them to explain why, and innocently keep asking questions till I uncover the gaping vacuum of ignorance behind their ritual complaints.
When one has enough time and a few drinks it can be fun.
Finally who the hell made the Demopaths the arbiters of social acceptability and morality???????
Why the hell are we supposed to care what they think?
– Rush is fine, just fine.
– If the Demopaths want to posture about how Rush is the bogeyman, let them. Why not? It’s not like they actually know something.
– Backing nearly anything Rush says is usually a safe bet, as he’s normally talking simple (if sophisticated) common sense. Back Rush blind and you’ll come up right more often than wrong.
– Nobody speaks for Rush except Rush. Anybody else is perfectly entitled to say, “Hey, I wasn’t there at the time” or “I don’t have an opinion, why do you care?” or “Hey, I’m not the guy’s press agent”.
After all, it’s better to remain silent and look like a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt.
#PleaseChange — with all due respect, I have read all your posts — if you could marry Obama I am sure you would — for some of us conservatives out there we think “Obie” (actually I like to call him the “Bamster” like Rush does) is very anti-American. Socialism, Facism, Collectivism, Obamaism, whatever you want to call it, doesn’t sit well with many people that would fight, and yes, even die for our Great Nation. And no, I don’t want to marry Obama — I want him to find another line of work, maybe in Iran — the sooner the better!
Hey, I haven’t seen many websites mention this but Newt Gingrich is considering the ‘possibility of 2012 presidential run’ – http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/06/gingrich-floats-possibility-presidential-run/
If he runs for President in 2012 (with Palin as VP?), I’ll ABSOLUTELY vote for him!!
Aaaand for good measure….
Obama Lied, Our Economy Died: http://derekerwin.blogspot.com/2009/02/obama-lied-our-economy-died.html
“Socialism, Facism, Collectivism, Obamaism, whatever you want to call it…”
Confused much?
Listen, you live in the same world I do. Today I drove to work in my privately owned vehicle to my publicly owned for-profit company, put in a day’s honest work, for which I will be generously compensated with actual money (not just food and shelter), and when I get my check, I’ll be free to buy whatever I want with it.
No one has knocked on the door of my privately owned home to demand I join the Party.
No one has arrested me because I said something they didn’t like.
There is no gulag to be sent to for offending the Great Leader.
If by some chance my income quintuples, I will gladly pay 5% more taxes. Not because I’m some pinko lefty, but because it’s a small price to pay for being wealthy!
Where is this socialism, fascism, collectivism, you talk about? It doesn’t exist!
I think all you guys need to calm down, take a breath, shut off the radio, and start thinking about this outside of the box of philosophical purity.
“Where is this socialism, fascism, collectivism, you talk about? It doesn’t exist!”
Yeah, that’s why 0bama, HRC, and goodness-knows how many other dems are hard core Alinsky disciples. Scratch the surface of this hopeychangey garbage and you get the same ideas that left millions dead in the past century. “Spread the wealth”. Bankrupting major industries. Attacks on free speech. The list goes on and on.
I am an independent. I have read posts from both sides. I have watched the last admin’s fiscal policies lead to where we are today. right or wrong, bush was in charge, just like Obama is in charge now. I hold Bush responsible for what he left us with and I hold Obamaresponsible for getting us out of it. I have seen what the past’s policies have come to. Only pure partisans would want to continue going back to the same philosophies that clearly have failed. I support the president and the country in which I live.
For all you sad individuals that support the “Campaigner in Chief” and his policies; Stay tuned; This administration is having a large fleet of busses built that will have the capacity to run over every citizen in the U.S. And this includes you!
Rush Limbaugh is much more presentable than Chicago Thugs.
Nine-of-Diamonds”
“Spread the wealth”. Bankrupting major industries. Attacks on free speech.
A) The wealth wouldn’t need to be “spread” if it was more evenly distributed. Example: FreeWave technologies out of Boulder, Colorado. The headline reads, “Boulder company shares $9 million with employees.” Yeah, employees. A hundred of them. If it were an investment bank on Wall Street the headline would read, “Wall Street company pays $9 million to the board of directors.”
B) “Bankrutping major industries.” Who did that? The industries themselves. No, it was CRA and Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama. They couldn’t even stop the invasion of Iraq, but they can bankrupt entire industries? Give me a break, man.
C) “Attacks on free speech.” Like when Barack Obama had Rush Limbaugh arrested and thrown in jail? Or when he shut down the Rocky Mountain News for publishing that mean article about him? Attacks on free speech?? Don’t you think you’re overstating things a bit? Just a little?
Rush badmouths the guy daily, so Obama’s press secretary calls him out. That’s an attack on free speech???? No, that’s one of the benefits of free speech. The back and forth.
I mean, do you even think about this stuff before you repeat what you heard on the radio?
Like any other ploy from the political machine currently occupying the White House it is intended to distract and divide. Don’t let it. Ignore it as being beneath reproach when talking amongst conservatives. Denounce it to the masses as being what it is, ridiculous. When the Democrats define the conservative movement and Republican party, we will surely have lost.
The people of the United States that are part of the conservative movement, or are independents or democrats that are sharing similar beliefs, we need to focus on supporting our Representatives in Congress and the Senators to let them know we are behind them and believe that they should do what is right. Even Senators Snow, Collins, and Spectre, who voted on the Stimulus Bill need to be suported. Although I’d like to add that Spectre, Collins, and Snow need to hear how wrong they were to pass that Bill.
Republicans have become wimps … they are nothing more than less and later democrats … the core of ruling elite in the party are country clubbers … they are intellectually dull and morally noodles.
Read Gramschi! Read Alinsky! Read our very own Bowdler!
===============
It’s all about compromise. Compromise something and then compromise it again and again, until there’s almost nothing left of the original but a faint flavor and a tiny blush of color.
Oh, and market it as the real thing every step of the way.
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American culture is neither as enamored of military pomp as last century’s Germany nor as candidly brutal as Russia or China.
The American path path to the government takeover of everything will travel through miles and miles of small, smiley faced, brush-between-meals and play-nice, sweet sounding increments.
You boil a frog by placing him in a pot of cold water and raising the flame gradually. By the time the frog realizes he has a problem he is already half-way dead.
We won’t, the way say Putin did, go to Rush’s broadcast station, shut it down for a week, arrest the executives and bankrupt the CEO. We’ll just pass another fairness doctrine and bleed off a few percent of productive capital and air-time. If a few small radio or TV stations go broke, the public won’t notice, although investors will.
We’ll freeze up marginal amounts of capital by taxing capital gains that won’t break the biggest corporate players, but may well kill a few thousand small businesses here and there. Nobody will notice, except a some financiers and investors.
We’ll do these things from a thousand angles and American freedom and wealth will bleed away through thousands of tiny cuts.
And all the way to slavery and penury we will be proclaiming our humanism and freedom.
It’s the American way.
The American way to die, that is.
Curious that now supporting classical liberal concepts such as individual liberty and personal responsibility framed in a constitutional republic and guided by the rule of law and the underpinnings of the golden rule – curious that such beliefs held by both the Founders and latter day advocates such as Rush could be considered “extremist.”
100. “Just Me”
“I have watched the last admin’s fiscal policies lead to where we are today.”
Wall Street Journal
Under the previous administration (G.W. Bush)
US Gross domestic Product Grew 2.2% from 2001-2008
US Economy is 19% larger then the one Bush inherited from Clinton
US Employment (U.S. Unemployment office)
2001-2007 average unemployment 4.7%
5.2% was the average on President Clintons watch
8.3% in Europe since 2000
The current economic down turn was largely caused by the bad debt sold off by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mea. Bush started sounding the alarm in 2001. McCain proposed Legislation to regulate the secondary mortgage giants in 2005 and the democratically controlled congress voted 100% against the measure. Republicans screwed up too and Wall Street was greedy but to say the previous administration was responsible for this crisis is just overly simplistic and inaccurate.
I’m a Moderate republican, fiscally conservative and a social centrist. I respect your independent status however you can not get acurate knowledge from the sound bite drive media you obviously trust to get your information. Trust no one and question everyone when it comes to political coverage (yes even John Stewert, the Colbert Report and Family Guy have there own agendas). There are huge forces at work out there and they are not about keeping you well informed.
God is our leader!
Conservatives do not hold to a single “leader” as defined by liberal propaganda machines. Most conservatives actually define themselves as leaders and follow their faith, convictions, principles and have discernment on the issues, thus God is the leader of the conservatives. Loving our enemy is one principle that we hold to that most liberals sadly, do not.
When all is said and done;our affienative action Stalin and his liberal tumor allies,are simply trying to suppress conservative political speech,by intimidating,or silencing Rush. It won’t work pukes;all it’s doing is getting Limbaugh more free publicity.