Rush Limbaugh (Oh, I hope this thread survives its 1st page)

[mokes310]

The only legitimately smart Republican pundit that I've ever seen is Ben Stein. Every other one is useless to the world!

 

[Credge]

I've found Savage to be the only AM radio host worth listening to. Everyone else seems incredibly venomous.

 

[RagnorakTres]

I have never even bothered to listen to all that political double speak. O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Cheney, they are all mean, closed-minded, bitter personalities who believe that our traditions hold sway over new ideas. They are the main reason I consider myself an centrist libertarian rather than a libertarian conservative. Many of the Republicans' ideals are ones I share myself, but their fashion of turning everything into an attack on all new ideas (especially science) makes me sick. Creationism in particular sets me off, as does the mentality that all religions except Christianity are wrong. That isn't the idea of Christianity. A Christian attitude (inmy opinion) is one of tolerance and love towards our fellow beings. It was NOT meant to be used as a form of separation.

Creationism pisses me off because it is a load of self-serving bullsh*t meant to get schools to teach religion; their main argument is that evolution is a theory, not a fact, and I have to say that that is an uneducated statement of the most epic proportions. It is still a theory because we have no way to prove it yet. Like gravity. But also like gravity, it holds true as far as we have been able to ascertain. I'm not saying that perhaps an alternative to evolution shouldn't be taught in school so as to present the whole picture to students, but not that. Never religion masked in bad science and guesswork.

Sorry, intentional duplicity masked as stupidity really sets me off.

 

[curlycrouton]

Sorry to just post YouTube links, but I thought this video is pretty well-made and gets its facts right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IwIRNM5noY

 

[sheic99]

I've neglected to keep up with current affairs, but he said that he wishes for the Obama administration to fail? That's a rather ill-advised statement, isn't it? I mean, sure, you might not want your political rivals to do well, but desiring their failure implies that you would like the American public to go through hard times, just so your own party is more likely to take the top spot in future. Must be regretting that quite a bit.

Oh, I guess I was a little quick to lose hope in decent conversation. Since you haven't heard this, Break, I'll give you the skinny. There was a big push in the media and the Democratic party shortly after Obama was elected to get Republicans to announce that they wish all the best for Obama and hope he succeeds as President. Most Republican leadership obediently got in line and made such an announcement. Rush on the other hand would have none of it, and publicly declared on his program and confirmed several times later that he wishes in no uncertain terms for Obama and his Presidency to fail.

Now, for a liberal (or Democrat, moderate, whatever you consider yourself to be) to understand this, an analogy is necessary, because you have to see the situation through our point of view:

What if a man had been elected President last year whose primary stated solution to fixing the economy was the reinstitution of slavery? Ridiculous, I know, but consider: He is the President, and he has promised to do everything in his power to bring slavery back to our country. Given the chance to publicly address his policies, would you state your hope that this new policy of slavery will solve our economic woes and offer the new President your best wishes for a successful administration? Or would you denounce him and his policies, and indeed publicly hope that he fails to carry out his pro-slavery legislation? Simply, would you want him to succeed or fail?

You see, to conservatives, government control of the private sector is as abominable as slavery. That is how we perceive the current trends. And that is why Rush and I hope for Obama's failure.

Publicly declaring someone to fail and not being wishing him success are two different things. If Rush just kept is mouth shut, then he would have less of a problem, but he didn't. He wanted attention by the media. This was a publicity act to gain controversy and bring people into his show. The only thing Rush truly cares about is his ratings.

 

[Echo3Delta]

To be a bit fairer to the bloviating idiot, his opinion is that Obama's success would mean the erasure of what Rush cites as core American principles of self-determination and personal freedom. I think Rush is grossly wrong on that in a great many ways, but if he actually believes that democracy and free enterprise would collapse under a new New Deal it would make sense for him to hope it fails.

Then again, it's hard to be certain whether Rush actually believes that or is instead just playing to the crowd for shock value. And that's why I despise the man's public persona; it's that he's a right-wing counterpart to Moore and Stern pandering to the lowest of our impulses, lowering the tone of debate into a schoolyard screaming match.

-- Steve

Well nice job, Steve, on beating me to the punch with that fair analysis (ad-hominem not-withstanding). Question though: Have you ever listened to Rush's program in full? Or better yet, his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference a week or so ago? Yes he jokes and makes fun and even gets mad sometimes, but Rush's logic and message is well-thought, well-spoken, and decidedly high-brow imo. Of course, if all you've heard of him are the media's and Democratic party's portrayal, then I can definitely see how you got that opinion.

 

[black lincon]

Personally, Rush is an over-opinionated blowhard who someone needs to remind that he was one of the conservative talking heads who said you can't criticize Bush because he was the President. But, really, talking about Rush just gives him more power & credibility than he deserves.

Didn't Nixon say something fairly similar?

However despite all that I like rush, care to know why? Well it's simple really, he's the single largest contributer to the downfall of the republican party, I'm really looking forward to a multi party system and I thinks I's going to happen in the next decade or so unless the republicans feel like changing their ways, but if they did they wouldn't be republicans.

We won't have a multiparty system. The government just is not set up to be such. To win an election you need the majority vote.

Not set up for it yet, I know I didn't go through step by step whats going to happen in my opinion, but I do believe a multi-party system is still a ways away. I mis-spoke when I said the multi-party system is going to happen in a decade, I meant the republicans are going to falter and there will be many moderate to extreme parties, with the dems on top by a wide margin. If you want me to further into this I can but If it happens it will happen slowly, very slowly, and the dems won't be happy about it.

 

[Mr.Switchblade]

I listen to him like I listen to Bill O'Reilly.

I find tickling to see serious-faced arrogance at that level.

Oh, and I'm sure he was more credibility and command over the true heart of the conservative party than any senator/pundit/public figure.

I just wish Tom Leykis was as popular.

Oh, and INB4ThreadLock due to disagreeable content!

Sadly this mentality is what is causing the rest of the world to lose faith in Americans.

 

[Johnnyallstar]

Nah, the issue is that even though Obama won, the people around him are still running a campaign for being "revolutionary," and they needed a new target to revolt against, so they picked Limbaugh because he's the easiest target.

 

[sheic99]

Personally, Rush is an over-opinionated blowhard who someone needs to remind that he was one of the conservative talking heads who said you can't criticize Bush because he was the President. But, really, talking about Rush just gives him more power & credibility than he deserves.

Didn't Nixon say something fairly similar?

However despite all that I like rush, care to know why? Well it's simple really, he's the single largest contributer to the downfall of the republican party, I'm really looking forward to a multi party system and I thinks I's going to happen in the next decade or so unless the republicans feel like changing their ways, but if they did they wouldn't be republicans.

We won't have a multiparty system. The government just is not set up to be such. To win an election you need the majority vote.

Not set up for it yet, I know I didn't go through step by step whats going to happen in my opinion, but I do believe a multi-party system is still a ways away. I mis-spoke when I said the multi-party system is going to happen in a decade, I meant the republicans are going to falter and there will be many moderate to extreme parties, with the dems on top by a wide margin. If you want me to further into this I can but If it happens it will happen slowly, very slowly, and the dems won't be happy about it.

How would the democrats not like that? When a major party splits a major gain is given towards the opposite party. Look at Bush, he loved the fact that some Dems voter for Nader.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

The only legitimately smart Republican pundit that I've ever seen is Ben Stein. Every other one is useless to the world!

I'd be careful of citing him... I lost a lot of respect for his integrity after reading academic reviews of Expelled. It's not that he doesn't understand the core of evolutionary theory, it's the dishonest way he edited guests comments out of context to imply greater support for ID in academic circles, and how he used misleading stock footage to equate biology with Mad Super Science with Frightful Consequences, that make me doubt the man's word.

-- Steve

 

[black lincon]

Nah, the issue is that even though Obama won, the people around him are still running a campaign for being "revolutionary," and they needed a new target to revolt against, so they picked Limbaugh because he's the easiest target.

What? Obama ran a campaign trying to pin himself as a moderate, who was willing to go across party lines. Now we know he isn't a moderate and he can try all he wants but most people aren't that interested in being bi-partisan but he is definitely not "revolutionary". The reason anyone goes after Rush is because he's a brash blow heart who has a knack for making enemies.

 

[Johnnyallstar]

Nah, the issue is that even though Obama won, the people around him are still running a campaign for being "revolutionary," and they needed a new target to revolt against, so they picked Limbaugh because he's the easiest target.

What? Obama ran a campaign trying to pin himself as a moderate, who was willing to go across party lines. Now we know he isn't a moderate and he can try all he wants but most people aren't that interested in being bi-partisan but he is definitely not "revolutionary". The reason anyone goes after Rush is because he's a brash blow heart who has a knack for making enemies.

I said the people around him, not Obama himself.

 

[black lincon]

Personally, Rush is an over-opinionated blowhard who someone needs to remind that he was one of the conservative talking heads who said you can't criticize Bush because he was the President. But, really, talking about Rush just gives him more power & credibility than he deserves.

Didn't Nixon say something fairly similar?

However despite all that I like rush, care to know why? Well it's simple really, he's the single largest contributer to the downfall of the republican party, I'm really looking forward to a multi party system and I thinks I's going to happen in the next decade or so unless the republicans feel like changing their ways, but if they did they wouldn't be republicans.

We won't have a multiparty system. The government just is not set up to be such. To win an election you need the majority vote.

Not set up for it yet, I know I didn't go through step by step whats going to happen in my opinion, but I do believe a multi-party system is still a ways away. I mis-spoke when I said the multi-party system is going to happen in a decade, I meant the republicans are going to falter and there will be many moderate to extreme parties, with the dems on top by a wide margin. If you want me to further into this I can but If it happens it will happen slowly, very slowly, and the dems won't be happy about it.

How would the democrats not like that? When a major party splits a major gain is given towards the opposite party. Look at Bush, he loved the fact that some Dems voter for Nader.

Because the dems would have a lot of power and since, like you said, you need a majority vote, and the dems have the easiest time getting that if the republicans weren't there, they would have to give up that spot because if we make it so parties can form coalitions like in parliament the dems stop being the top dog.

 

[Ignignoct]

I listen to him like I listen to Bill O'Reilly.

I find tickling to see serious-faced arrogance at that level.

Oh, and I'm sure he was more credibility and command over the true heart of the conservative party than any senator/pundit/public figure.

I just wish Tom Leykis was as popular.

Oh, and INB4ThreadLock due to disagreeable content!

Sadly this mentality is what is causing the rest of the world to lose faith in Americans.

SUPER-DEFENSIVE RETORT GO-GO!

What mentality?

The fact that many people follow Rush as if it were a fact-driven update on the true condition of modern America?

I dare you to say anything bad about Tom Leykis. Dude is a saint!

AND FOREIGNERS LOVE ME DAMMIT!

 

[Anton P. Nym]

Then again, it's hard to be certain whether Rush actually believes that or is instead just playing to the crowd for shock value. And that's why I despise the man's public persona; it's that he's a right-wing counterpart to Moore and Stern pandering to the lowest of our impulses, lowering the tone of debate into a schoolyard screaming match.

Have you ever listened to Rush's program in full? Or better yet, his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference a week or so ago? Yes he jokes and makes fun and even gets mad sometimes, but Rush's logic and message is well-thought, well-spoken, and decidedly high-brow imo. Of course, if all you've heard of him are the media's and Democratic party's portrayal, then I can definitely see how you got that opinion.

I used to listen to him in the '90s. I felt his grasp of international affairs was apallingly weak even then, and though his rhetoric refers to high ideals he was all too ready to focus attention on tasteless trivia if it supports his line. I grew very, very tired of his yammering on the Monica Lewinsky thing back then and I wasn't even much of a Clinton fan at the time. (Clinton's reputation in my eyes has been greatly brightened in light of the acts of his successor. If the cost of managing a budget and sustaining constitutional law in office is a few soiled dresses, so be it.)

-- Steve

 

[mokes310]

The only legitimately smart Republican pundit that I've ever seen is Ben Stein. Every other one is useless to the world!

I'd be careful of citing him... I lost a lot of respect for his integrity after reading academic reviews of Expelled. It's not that he doesn't understand the core of evolutionary theory, it's the dishonest way he edited guests comments out of context to imply greater support for ID in academic circles, and how he used misleading stock footage to equate biology with Mad Super Science with Frightful Consequences, that make me doubt the man's word.

-- Steve

Oh, I agree completely with you, I'm just saying that he's the only "legitimate" one that I've ever seen. Perhaps I should have added the quotes before.

 

[black lincon]

I listen to him like I listen to Bill O'Reilly.

I find tickling to see serious-faced arrogance at that level.

Oh, and I'm sure he was more credibility and command over the true heart of the conservative party than any senator/pundit/public figure.

I just wish Tom Leykis was as popular.

Oh, and INB4ThreadLock due to disagreeable content!

Sadly this mentality is what is causing the rest of the world to lose faith in Americans.

SUPER-DEFENSIVE RETORT GO-GO!

What mentality?

The fact that many people follow Rush as if it were a fact-driven update on the true condition of modern America?

I dare you to say anything bad about Tom Leykis. Dude is a saint!

AND FOREIGNERS LOVE ME DAMMIT!

I just looked up Leykis and according to a quick look over of his wikipedia page he's not a saint, however I do take that with a pinch of salt because, well you know. However I guaranty that if you mentioned that you like rush to a foreigner they would stop liking you quick, and if they didn't know who rush is point out that that means you supported bush, then they will ultra-hate you.

 

[Ignignoct]

I listen to him like I listen to Bill O'Reilly.

I find tickling to see serious-faced arrogance at that level.

Oh, and I'm sure he was more credibility and command over the true heart of the conservative party than any senator/pundit/public figure.

I just wish Tom Leykis was as popular.

Oh, and INB4ThreadLock due to disagreeable content!

Sadly this mentality is what is causing the rest of the world to lose faith in Americans.

SUPER-DEFENSIVE RETORT GO-GO!

What mentality?

The fact that many people follow Rush as if it were a fact-driven update on the true condition of modern America?

I dare you to say anything bad about Tom Leykis. Dude is a saint!

AND FOREIGNERS LOVE ME DAMMIT!

I just looked up Leykis and according to a quick look over of his wikipedia page he's not a saint, however I do take that with a pinch of salt because, well you know. However I guaranty that if you mentioned that you like rush to a foreigner they would stop liking you quick, and if they didn't know who rush is point out that that means you supported bush, then they will ultra-hate you.

I listen to Rush (not often) because his arrogance is funny.

Yeah, if you say you're ideologically aligned with the dude you're going to catch flak, and his listeners know that; nay, I'd go as far as to say they get off on it.

I was half-sarcastic about Tom Leykis as he is an advocate for single men's well-being, while be overtly and hilariously chauvinistic. Give him a youtube listen sometime.