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Tuesday, March 3,2009

Rush Sticks the Landing at CPAC

Radio talker's speech distills conservatism to its essence

By Theodore Hausmann III
In his "first ever address to the nation" delivered to the Conservative Political Action Committee last Saturday, conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh electrified attendees of the conference by distilling conservative ideals down to their essence- the freedom of every American to achieve greatness through individual effort, unencumbered by "onerous taxes, regulations, and too much government".

 

Not surprisingly, liberal pundits and commentators heard a speech that was, according to CNN commentator Bill Schneider, "Angry, mocking, bullying, harsh, and full of contempt."

 

What speech was Schneider listening to? Once again, the left is simply lying about the content of talk radio and the viewpoints of talk radio hosts. One has to believe that no one on the left actually LISTENS to talk radio- they simply crow loudly about it at every turn, without doing their audience the simple courtesy of actually knowing what was said before they comment on it.

 

Limbaugh's speech was uplifting, positive, and actually almost fawning toward President Obama himself. Limbaugh declared, "President Obama is one of the most gifted politicians, one of the most gifted men that I have ever witnessed. He has extraordinary talents…" However, Limbaugh did not back down on his assertion that he does not want the President's policies to succeed because he feels that these policies will not be good for the country. Those disagreeing with this logical presentation of the workings of the American political system would perhaps benefit from a simple parable:

 

Your neighbor thinks he can be financially successful raising bees in his backyard to harvest honey. This neighbor is currently pursuing the permits and licenses necessary to implement a full-scale beekeeping business on his property.

You, on the other side of the fence, have 3 kids that spend most of their time in your backyard. You grill often, you entertain on the patio, and you enjoy your morning coffee outside when you can.

Of course you want your neighbor to be successful in life, but is a beekeeping enterprise going to be good for the 5 neighbors with yards adjacent to his hive development? Probably not. Bee stings do not contribute positively to the mood of an outdoor birthday party.

So, even while you wish your neighbor success in life, you oppose his efforts to obtain the beekeeping licenses and permits- because you feel that if these efforts are successful, it will be to the detriment of most of the other residents of your neighborhood.

 

This is all Limbaugh is saying, and all he has ever said. If one feels that President Obama's policies will be detrimental to the country as a whole, and the American way of life as we have come to know and enjoy it, one would be foolish to wish for the success of these policies. This is not an angry, bullying, mocking, or harsh opinion. It is simply the logical way to think about any policy- whether it relates to international economics or your neighbor's bees.

 

The liberal reaction to Limbaugh's speech is predictable. In the "progressive" parlance, words have meanings you won't find in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. A few examples:

Bipartisanship: leaving your ideas at the door and agreeing with the Democratic party line.

Anger: any expression of opinion that is in opposition to the Democratic party line.

Fairness: ensuring that all Americans are equally mediocre in achievement and reward.

Prosperity: the continued complete and total power of the Democratic party.

The Fairness Doctrine: the silencing of all opposing viewpoints through government regulation.

The Employee Free Choice Act: the removal of the secret ballot, which is the highest form of free choice as developed by the human race.

 

Barack Obama reminded us during his campaign for President that "words matter". Limbaugh reminded conservatives on Saturday that their words still matter- as long as they continue to speak them out loud.

 

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REPLY TO THIS COMMENT
I saw the speech and I read the transcript. Mr. Schneider is correct. The speech was "angry, mocking, harsh and full of contempt." His remark about the President's agenda, that he hoped it fails, is indefensible. He wishes for a depression so he can prove a point? I feel sorry for the Republican Party these days. They have no ideas or solutions beyond tax cuts and if Rush Limbaugh is their leader they are in deep, deep trouble.

 

"He wishes for a depression so he can prove a point?" No, he doesn't want to see the country remade as a European welfare state. I don't see what's shocking about this.

 

REPLY TO THIS COMMENT
Anybody who thinks his comment on "Wanting Obama to fail" is indefensible obviously DID NOT read the transcript or watch the speech. Rush wished for Obama to fail insomuch that he wished his socialist policies fail so that America might prosper and move out of depression. Try listening next time.

 

REPLY TO THIS COMMENT
Here is the full transcript of the speech, as well as a few links to the video of the full speech. Please- if you think this was an angry speech, read, watch or listen and provide examples- even one single example, one piece of concrete evidence would help the cause of those who seek to misrepresent the views of conservatives: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_030209/content/01125106.guest.html

 

REPLY TO THIS COMMENT
The twisting of language has become the art of the right. They laud and adore personal freedom as long as it means the freedom to steal your money through valueless packaging of mortgages, sell you goods that could kill or maim your children (naturally without recourse for you), and obtain government largesse through military contracts that are let without competition. That is what they call "fair and balanced". The idea of regulation so that those who operate in the marketplace have to do so in a manner that is not fraudulent, that is called "socialism". The idea that wealthy right wingers can own all the media and thereby control speech and information to the public in a supposed democracy, that is "freedom". The idea that saving the illegitimate banks and wall street is necessary and capitalistic but trying to find ways to prevent further foreclosures and a depression, that is "socialism" is just absurd. This crap is packaged for people who couldn't tell you the first thing about the American revolution or the Constitution itself. American is NOT capitalism, whatever that actually stands for now. The United States is a republican democracy - democracy limited by a constitution to limit the potential tyranny of the majority. It is a social compact with representative government. It is an elected leadership - it is not simply a market scheme where the rich can continually get richer until we resemble the unstable governments of South America of the 60's-90's. Labeling our leaders and using scare tactics to avoid taking responsibility for the last 8 years of reckless spending, illegality, and lack of regulation is simply false and disingenuous. Unfortunately, it has become the hallmark of Republicans and conservatives.

 

I don't know what you mean by "republican democracy," but the political system of the United States is actually categorized as a Constitution-based Federal Republic. Since you bring up the Constitution, it is actually a document protecting negative rights (ie. protection from thiefs) and in no way provides for positive rights (ie. I have a "right" to other people's money in the form of free food stamps, free education, free transportation, free health-care, free abortions, free child-care, free elder care, free green-jobs, free hand-jobs, etc...) The only gurantee is the right to life...meaning that no-one, not even Tom who thinks that anybody who is successful is evil, can limit the life of another. By making broad statements about somebody's right to earn and produce, you limit their right to life because earnings and productivity are the only things that sustain life.

 

 
 
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