Opinion
Is Rush Limbaugh Really All You Got?
March 12, 2009 - 11:00pmWith George W. Bush skipping town and Colin Powell divorcing the GOP, the Republican Party has been searching desperately for a new romance.
Jealous that the Democrats found their soul-mate in Barack Obama, the heartbroken Party tried to rekindle an old flame with John McCain, but it seemed the age difference was just too large.
Discouraged but not defeated, Republicans took a chance with Sarah Palin. The affair fizzled, however, when the party realized that there is much less to Palin than meets the eye.
Their next hope came in the form of Bobby Jindal — the kind of clean-cut young man any forefather would approve of. But after his blundered performance following Obama’s address to Congress last month, it seems the Louisiana Governor is destined to remain permanently in the friend zone.
Maybe it was desperation — or maybe Bush destroyed the GOP’s self-esteem — but at the 2009 Conservative Political Action Conference, the Republican Party fell for Keynote Speaker Rush Limbaugh. Who could resist an ultra-conservative radio talk-show host who looks and acts as if he stared into the sun too long?
The speech, which reiterated Limbaugh’s wish for Obama to “fail,” inspired fellow Republican commentator Sean Hannity to declare him “the most articulate voice of Reagan Conservatism in the country.”
Is that a compliment or self-deprecation?
In any case, Limbaugh fever spread across America, even making its way to the White House where Obama stated, “We can’t let people like Rush Limbaugh stall this economic stimulus bill, that’s how things don’t get done in this town.”
Fox News has even been calling Limbaugh, “Obama’s Public Enemy #1.”
I guess that makes Sean Hannity Flava Flav?
Limbaugh has embraced his new role as de facto leader of the Republican Party with great enthusiasm. However, it doesn’t look as if there will be a Cinderella Story for Limbaugh. Conservative pundit David Frum explains, “If you’re a talk-radio host and you have five million who listen and there are 50 million who hate you, you make a nice living. If you’re the Republican Party, you’re marginalized.”
Why do so many people hate Rush Limbaugh?
Well, it probably has something to do with the bile he spews on his daily talk show, including — but by no means limited to — the following:
• “They’re [African Americans] 12 percent of the population. Who the hell cares?”
• “I’m not saying we should bring [slavery] back; I’m just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark,” and
• “We are being told that we have to bend over, grab our ankles […] because [Obama’s] father is black, because this is the first black president.”
I wish I could say he’s off his meds, but somehow I doubt it.
As for his lack of female support, he has wondered aloud many times why the “babes” (his term) think he’s a sexist swine.
It’s probably because of statements such as, “feminism was established to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream,” and “women were doing quite well in this country before feminism came along.”
Plus, it doesn’t help that he talks like a pubescent Porky Pig with a (mildly) successful speech coach.
So why has Limbaugh become the premier suitor to the Republican throne?
Three reasons: (1) He commands a homogenous army of sour, milk-white men (the bread and butter of the Republican Party), (2) Jindal and Palin are hopeless and (3) he is a relentless bully who intimidates the GOP.
Last week, for instance, Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele called Limbaugh “an entertainer” with “ugly” and “incendiary” messages. For a moment Steele almost had me fooled into believing he has principles. The next day, after a tirade of pressure from the usual GOP suspects and a blasting on Limbaugh’s radio show, he retracted his statement. “I have enormous respect for Rush Limbaugh,” he insisted. “There is no attempt on my part to diminish his voice or his leadership.” Too bad.
Not all Republicans are willing to grovel, however. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has pleaded with Obama to “stop talking about Rush Limbaugh at the White House — work with us to solve housing and banking.”
Unfortunately, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has joined Hannity in calling Limbaugh the “voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party” in a thinly veiled attempt to alienate moderate conservatives and implode the GOP.
Obama overcame extraordinary odds to become President, and this failing economy poses a new set of similarly daunting challenges. I can sympathize with him for choosing to slap back at Limbaugh. But this is a dangerous time to get distracted.
At the best of times, the Democrats and the Republicans provide healthy competition for one another — a Balance of Terror of sorts. But without (gasp!) smart Republican leaders to effectively challenge the Democratic ideas, Republicans — and by extension the American people — stand to suffer greatly.
The Democrats need to stop trying to set the GOP up with Rush Limbaugh. They have Obama. They should want the Republicans to be happy, too.
And the Republicans need to dump Limbaugh ASAP. I mean, there are other fish in the sea, right?
Democrats vs. Republicans - And the People Get Lost in the Fight
After watching Democrats blast Republicans and Republicans blast Democrats for years, you would think that the people might really wise up! The truth is that the Republicans aren't as bad as the Democrats would have you believe and they aren't as good as the Republicans would have you believe. The same is exactly the case for the Democrats. The only winners in this battle are the politicians! While the people have been conditioned to choose sides without doing much thinking along the way, the politicians have gleefully embraced the concept that they can get by doing almost nothing of significance if they win the "spin" battle - and the media serves as willing co-conspirators with them.
You only have to look at the past record of government to see how truly ineffective they have been! The energy problem as been around for decades - and nothing significant has been done by either party.
Social Security reform has been a standing joke for 30 or more years. It comes up in almost every campaign because it's a useful tool and provides a great scare tactic for both sides - but neither really does anything about it.
The current housing collapse and resulting financial crisis never had to happen! If the politicians had been doing their jobs, it wouldn't have! Politicians not only allowed, but encouraged the letting of bad loans - yet now they would have you believe it was the lending institutions that were the cause of all this. Clearly the lending institutions fell short in meeting their responsibilities - but they don't make the laws and they didn't lower the standards without the help of a Congress that was trying to make political points by not only allowing but encouraging Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to make ridiculously bad loans. Let's face it. We are now living in a society in which everyone would be robbing banks if government simply changed the rules to make it legal.
With regard to the writer's diatribe against Rush Limbaugh and the demise of the Republican party, I suggest that you go back to the days of Reagan when the Republicans took the reins of government and read a few newspapers yourself. According to the press, the Democrats were on their way out - maybe forever! Didn't happen and the Republicans aren't gone for long either! Yes, Limbaugh is an easy target if you don't have the time to do some serious reporting, but if you really want to be a relevant journalist, you might undertake a sincere investigation on how and why our economy got into it's current state and do some thoughtful reporting on what needs to take place to fix it and prevent such a disaster again. Of course that might require that you let go of the apron strings of your favorite party and focus on issues rather than "spin".
The press used to actually do that!
Republican and Rush
I will let you know a secret, Missouri tigers are going to beat all the liberal bs out of you. Thank God I don't live out East!