As a mentor once told me, you don’t get paid what you’re worth, but for what you do. As Limbaugh has openly stated many times–most recently in his NYT Magazine profile–”My first goal is to attract the largest possible audience so I can charge confiscatory ad rates.” The left can whine and gripe all day long about how he isn’t worth that kind of money, but his syndicator would clearly beg to differ.
However, one key distinction between Rush and A-Rod that isn’t addressed is the issue of publicly-financed stadiums. By state and city governments absorbing what is arguably most sports teams’ single biggest sunk cost–their massive arenas–player salaries are artificially inflated. From what I’ve read, the new Yankee Stadium is being financed largely by the team, but they’re the very rare exception to the rule. Say what you will about Rush, but his business isn’t on the government dole.
