Evidently now Rush Limbaugh is the head of the Republican party and you just can't criticize that old gas bag if you are a Republican or a conservative. Oh, how far the Republicans have fallen that a corpulent, drug-addled, windbag with an AM talk radio show is now their leader!
So, if you're a Republican and if you've said something bad about Rush you can go to the web and automatically generate an apology letter to that jackass Limbaugh.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
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27 comments:
Maybe one of the more conservative posters here can answer me something I have never really understood about so called 'dittoheads'.
On the one hand they seem to take just about everything the man says very seriously, at times bordering on revealed Truth. On the other hand, if someone of less conservative stripe is offended by what Rush has said, the frequent response is, "It's just humor, can't you take a joke?" Or maybe similar with "It's satire..."
Far as I can see it's either something big and important or it's 'just a joke'. I can't see it being both.
But maybe I'm just missing something?
I think I can answer your question, even though I don't really listen to Rush. I used to listen frequently (more than 10 years ago, when my job kept me in my car most of the time).
There is no question that Rush is an entertainer/humorist in the same way as Jon Stewart. As an entertainer, his main purpose is to attract listeners (i.e. increase advertising revenue to make lots of money). If his show started losing money, I can guarantee that he would stop doing it.
But the secondary purpose of his show is to use his style of humor and entertainment to promote his own personal views (usually political). He is smart enough to realize that the presentation of any point of view, no matter how important, needs to be entertaining if you want people to continue to listen.
Basically, he is a successful, modern example of a political satirist. He is a Republican (I assume), but is not a leader of the GOP in any form. At most, he is a sounding board for GOP viewpoints that he espouses. As a satirist, it is inevitable that his humor will be offensive to some.
So in a nutshell, he is seeking to illuminate important issues through humor, irony, and hyperbole (In a similar way to Jon Stewart, Michael Moore, Bill Maher, etc.). Does that make sense?
Let’s face the facts. The Obama administration is desperate to get America focused off the economy, the disastrous markets on to another issue. This little apology ploy is nothing more than juvenile politics. First they demonize a plumber and now a radio host. Obama doesn’t seem to handle criticism very well.
Rush is not their problem. He is an American with a radio show who has successfully pointed out the many failures of this short lived administration. In other words, he is doing what the dems did while Bush was in power, second guess every move and rattle the administration. It's effective.
G- That much I had already understood about Rush. What still confuses me is what seems to be a dichotomy of 'just a joke' and 'great wisdom'. To my mind if it's great wisdom it's not 'just a joke'. It would be a profound joke, an enlightening joke, a vastly insightful satire.
Perhaps I'm not explaining myself well. I just see a disconnect here that Rush's fans seem not to see.
A rough analogy (in my perception of things) might be two people discussing a famous song writer. One is greatly admiring of the work of the musician, while the second person is greatly jealous of the well known musical guy. Upon seeing the second man is jealous, the first fellow says, "Why be jealous? It's just a little ditty!"
(note, it's a rough analogy, not exact)
You lost me on the jealousy part. I'll try an example.
Many years ago, Rush coined the term "feminazis" to describe the militant feminist movement. It was a rather graphic way to describe the arm of the feminist movement that is trying to force their particular viewpoint on the rest of society. I'm sure there are some people who are extremely offended by that name. The name, of course, is a joke. They certainly aren't sending people to the gas chambers, etc.
The use of that word makes a serious point. But at the same time, it is a joke. And my guess is that those who are offended by the use of that word are offended by the actual WORD (which is a satirical reference) rather than the literal point he is trying to make.
So I guess the point I'm trying to make is that the offense typically comes from the satiric elements of the show, not from the serious points that the satire is trying to illuminate.
Lou,
I agree with you that they are probably just trying to create a distraction from what is really going on. They're probably trying to divide the opposition as well. Rush is a very polarizing figure.
Rush is indeed a polarizing figure. So much so, that the majority of Americans do not like the man. He has a very loyal, very right wing, very mindless crowd who follow and listen to him regularly. The Republicans would be wise to distance themselves from this man instead of kow-tow-ing to his every utterance.
Sigh, as I said it was a rough analogy, using the emotion of jealousy rather than the emotion of feeling offended. The point being that each is a strong and unpleasant emotional reaction, which the admiring person claims not to understand.
I think I understand. I don't know the specific people or situations you've experienced. But if they are like me, they have a very "thick skin" and think everyone else should be the same way. I personally think Americans tend to be way too sensitive in things like this, particularly when it is clearly intended to be humorous. Maybe that's why I've always enjoyed The Simpsons. Matt Groening is an equal-opportunity offender.
G- thanks. That's actually the most sensible answer I've come across, and I agree with you on that. Well said. Even though I may take issue with a lot of what Rush claims or espouses, I won't go into that here, as I don't really see any point to it.
Enjoy your humor where you find it.
With all this said, wouldn't all of us like to see Obama and the congress focus on our economy rather than Rush? Americans have lost 50% of their 401K/403b/etc and our president is in verbal jabs with Rush. The folly of their website shows us they still waste the tax payer dollar and time disparaging who they view as the adversary. That is fellow Americans who oppose their approach. Presidents always have critics; the noble thing to do is not to provide them an audience. Rush is practicing what he is paid to do. Obama and his minions should learn from his example
Actually, no. From what I've seen so far of this administration's and congress' economic plans, I think they will be incredibly harmful to the nation. I'd prefer they both not touch the economy for the next four years, focusing instead on international issues.
Leave it to Stephen Colbert to eloquently summarize this Rush bullshit...
There's a form to apologize, but can you do anything else? I'm going to go check now. :)
I guess you misunderstand G. I desire to see Obama to actually cut spending and go back to the time proven techniques that stimulate economies. Not this reckless spending spree he is on. I once read a book by a very bright minded German socialist who summed up this mess that Obama is pushing us further into.
He laid it out something like this. Democracies fail as the people realize they can vote themselves entitlements but the number of those who pay their own way dwindle. At some point, the well runs dry & the incentive to work fades generation after generation. Driven by voters who increasingly vote themselves new entitlements, nations continue to pass legislation that will drive them even deeper into debt and further compromise the financial stability of the nation for future generations. Collapse at some point becomes unavoidable.
I understand. I would be elated if this administration would turn toward fiscal responsibility. But from what has happened and been proposed in just the first month and a half, it looks like a fantasy.
Gee, if you listen to the right wing crowd you'd think the Obama administration was just conducting a money grab, when in point of fact, it is trying to clean up the giant fucking mess left to us by the last right wing administration. I guess some folks disagree with government programs of any kind, but I'd rather have tax money spent on roads and health care and infrastructure than to lower taxes on the super wealthy or to piss the money down a rat hole in Iraq (how many billions lost or stolen there?)
So we will piss our tax dollars down the rathole called Afghanistan. Well at least it will be on the formal budget.
Let's see. The current administration has already passed an $800 billion spending behemoth. Now it is trying to push through a $400 billion spending bill for fiscal 2009. They have outlined hundreds of billions over the next few years for a universal health care system. They have admitted that they are planning to run deficits over $500 billion for each of the next four years.
Where do you think that money comes from? It comes out of the pockets of taxpayers. Where does it go? Into the pockets of other people. That isn't a "money grab"?
While they might be trying to clean up the mess that was handed to them, they are failing. Things are getting worse. How long are you going to give them a pass for the continuing descent of the economy?
I agree on Afghanistan, Bawdy. I think that is a big mistake and I'd prefer that the Obama administration not escalate things there.
Hmmm, G, maybe a little longer than 2 months, doncha think?
And G let us not forget, This mess Obama keeps complaining about was administered not only by the GOP but by a Democrat congress since 2006. He tends to leave that part out. I must say as well, at least in Iraq we have something to show for all the money. This stimulus has only brought us 50-32. Fifty days of Obama and a 32% drop in the market.
I ran across an opinion poll a couple a days ago done in 2006. 51% of the Democratic party was hoping for a George Bush failure. I found it ironic they are complaining about one radio host.
I think you meant say your "great grandchildren tax money" spent on roads, health care, etc...there CSM. Too bad they have no say.
csm,
Fine. How long? 100 days? 6 months? A year?
I just want to make sure we don't have one of those open-ended things where people can just blame the previous administration as long as things are getting worse, but as soon as they start to turn around, that's Obama's doing.
Personally, I think Obama has had plenty of time to put his mark on this economy. He has outlined his plans. He has pushed through the "stimulus". And Mr. Geithner has given his views to congress. And the economy continues to plummet.
Obama has undeniably has put his mark on the economy. The decision in any economy is do we allow the rich to engender jobs and redistribute the wealth through job opportunities and investment or do we take 60% of the affluence from wealthy Americans and redistribute this wealth through government programs. Analysis from a historical perspective is pretty clear on which approach will inevitably be most successful. Obama doesn’t believe the wealthy Americans will do the right thing and consequently they must be forced to part from the fruits of their labor. If this was American idol I could understand the hero worship, but these are real issues he seems quite ill-equipped to deal with sensibly. Between his cabinet defections, ruinous market drops and his attacks on a radio host, he could not be off to a shoddier start.
Well, G, I'm not sure I can put an exact timetable on it. I now for damn sure it is longer than 70 or 80 days. The problems that he is faced with took decades to develop and fester, now the nattering nabobs of the right say he's had more than enough time to fix things... I am astonished at the stupiditiy.
I don't think anyone expects the new administration to have "fixed" things by now. But what we've seen is a disturbing pattern of making things worse.
This administration and congress have taken their disregard for the constitution and blatant power grabs to an absolutely shocking level in less than three months.
We all need to place a Rush apology on a website like Apology Center - http://www.ApologyCenter.com Umm...maybe not.
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