"Remember what I told you, Mr. Snerdley: There are no rules in the Democrat Party, there are only customs and traditions. Don't frown at me! Do you realize what a brilliant observation that is?" Rush Limbaugh, March 5 broadcast, 2008.
Love him or loathe him, the Right listens to Rush. Why? He’s entertaining. He’s bombastic. But answering beyond that, well, that’s why I listen to Rush.
Plenty of brave souls willingly espouse their political beliefs in public, but few delve the depths of why it matters to them so much as does Rush. I’ve been thinking a lot about Rush lately, and not because he’s so brazenly self-congratulatory. More so because he’s been saying the same thing for so many years and people still listen.
From what I gather that message all boils down to this: The Democratic Party wants to destroy this country.
aaryn b.
from so near the ocean, i can feel the mist blowing ove
March 11, 2008 at 09:05 PM
Well, if it's examples of personal-responsibility you're seeking, look no further than Mr. Eliot Spitzer in yesterday's press conference. He's setting a mighty fine example for Dems and Repubs to follow, now isn't he? Unlike Rush, who attempted to justify his proclivity for pharmaceuticals because addiction to Oxy-Contin is so very different than addiction to crack.
Alma
March 11, 2008 at 10:56 PM
Hi Aaryn,
You've picked two examples of opportunities for taking personal-responsibility that wound up being spun into "it's not really my fault and I'm sorry I got caught." There is a problem with accountability in public life, but the message shouldn't be "nobody's perfect;" it should be, "here's the way to deal with making awful judgments." Instead many public figures will point the finger somewhere else or become defiant in the face of scandal for fear of the pile-on. In a way, Imus is a good example of taking his licks after falling into disrepute. Taking personal-responsibility in public has to be hard.
Do you, or others, think it's better to build one's integrity rather than trying to keep one's job (as it appears Spitzer is doing now)?
Chuck
from Escondido, CA
March 12, 2008 at 12:12 AM
I'd just like it if Spitzer were honest about his why he did this. Is he a closet libertarian who believes the prostitution probition is wrong? Do he and his wife have an understanding in their relationship? Pending some answers, I'll just have to assume he's a hypocrite who violates the laws he used to enforce against others and betrays everyone around him, including his family.
Of course he's sorry he was caught - most people are sorry when they're caught. It'd be a nice change to see one of these scofflaw "leaders" be honest about their contempt for certain laws.
Matt Scallon
March 12, 2008 at 06:54 PM
Ronald Reagan used to say that the difference between liberal and conservatives was that, if someone were drowning in the ocean, a conservative would throw a life perserver out too short to reach the victim so that they would have to swim to the life perserver and a liberal would throw out a life perserver long enough to reach the victim, only to drop the rope when they catch the life perserver.
As one who's worked with the homeless and the poor, as well as one who's volunteered at a crisis pregnancy center, I have a better idea: let's throw out a life perserver long enough to reach the victim and continue to hang on to the rope. Not to belabor the analogy, but the drowning victim by definition can't swim to the perserver, and you should be enough of your brother's keeper to hang on to rope.
That should be the definition of personal responsibility. Sadly, neither party fulfills that requirement.
Steven
March 12, 2008 at 08:09 PM
Hell, -I- listen to Rush, just to hear what he has to say at times. An interesting man, I admit, and fun to listen to at times.
Jennifer
from Solana Beach
March 15, 2008 at 03:36 AM
Funny you talk about personal responsibility (with or without a hyphen) when in actuality no on really takes responsibility for their actions at all. They say things like "I'm sorry I hurt my family" or "I'm sorry I didn't live up to everyone's expectations."
It's all about deniability.
Alma
March 16, 2008 at 12:54 AM
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for your comment. I think you hit the nail on the head as far as the goal being deniability. Others' comments seem to suggest that this game plan is so transparent in politics we've each discovered a way to register the reality disconnect between what we are asked to believe and what our gut tells us is true.
LVnative from San Diego
March 20, 2008 at 09:58 PM
Rush Limbaugh? Good Lord, lady: Surely you can do better than that.
glenn from pt . loma
March 21, 2008 at 05:27 AM
Alma
I am the same age as rush limbut t Where was he when the Viet Nam war was going on ? I heard him when he first started and couldn't believe that someone could think like that . Was he under a rock ? The book "Conservatives Without a Conscious " by John Dean is a great read and insight into conservatism . Limbutt is to true conservatism as Brittany Spears is to Noam Chomsky .
Keep listening to Rush , watching American Idle(sic) Dancing With The Stars..ect it' all entertaining but does anyone learn anything in between the 4 min. of Rush on the air and the 8 min. of commercial breaks .
Americans base opinions on this .
It's pathetic this country has come to this .
Maybe .. just maybe the internet will help with this .But you have to sit down at the computer and that takes time as well. Shoot. Gotta go
Ornery from Northeast Ohio
April 05, 2008 at 07:55 PM
Doesn't matter if it's said by Rush, Coulter, Newt or W, the GOP is the party of personal responsibility. Whose fault is it if you marry the wrong person, too young, or start having kids before you can afford them? Why is it "society's" duty to bail you out? There's a reason why responsible people cough up the money for insurance premiums instead of more baling in their life.
In 1993, Hillary wanted an "enforced mandate for employers to provide health insurance coverage to all of their employees". Now, she and Barack want people to be forced to buy their own, which is certainly preferable. Hmmm, force people to do the responsible thing... interesting.
Speaking of Barack, it will be interesting to see how he "moves to the center" while tethered to the far left, fellow followers of Jeremiah Wright. I wonder if any words have been uttered in his church about "personal responsibility"?
Alma
April 11, 2008 at 06:33 PM
Hi Ornery in NE Ohio,
Thanks for your comments. You make good points about what you call forcing people to do the responsible thing, especially when it comes to Democrats playing "catch up" with traditional Republican value norms. However, where we disagree is whether one party can be said to be hyper-responsible.
Government subsidization has played a large part in building and sustaining our economy, but Republicans don't typically (in my experience) have difficulty accepting the "handout" when the money helps business interests. As long as taxes aren't raised, Republicans don't fight government involvement. But it's the the other side to the same coin: what is government subsidizing? Do we value as a society health care for all, or do we value the false sense of our own independence above all, even if it comes with lots of help along the way?
Personal responsibility applies to what we empower the gov't to do, assuming we take charge in dictating the actions of local, state and federal representatives, and it means we take responsibility for not being able to do it all by ourselves.
Ornery from Northeast Ohio
April 11, 2008 at 09:38 PM
"There’s a reason why responsible people cough up the money for insurance premiums instead of more baling in their life. " My spell check changed bling to baling. Glad the basic idea got through anyway.
"Republicans don’t typically (in my experience) have difficulty accepting the “handout� when the money helps business interests."
I'm in Ohio, and we've got industry folding up, and /or leaving all over the place. NAFTA was a feather in Bill's cap, now Hillary wants to distance herself from it. The Dems are doing everything in their power to shut down free trade with Columbia now. Yeah, let's lean toward protectionism again, that's always worked so well in the past!
We simply need more business interests in Ohio, not less. Not taxing the bejesus out of companies, isn't exactly a "handout". If that's what it takes to bring business back here... let's git-er-done!
You know what's ironic about Hillary and Obama's national health care proposals? Back in '93, Hillary wanted "business" to foot the bill for everyone's health coverage. Awful generous with other folk's money, eh? Well, now both their plans call for mandating people do the responsible thing, and buy their own coverage. What a concept! I can't help but think if this were presented by the GOP, they'd be vilified for shifting this heavy financial burden to "the poor".
Perhaps I am "hyper-responsible". Can't think of too many problems in my life, that I didn't bring on myself. From wasting money to over eating, driving carelessly, or even getting my partner pregnant, I'm 100% responsible for all that. I'm thankful I was born healthy in this age, in this country to good parents, because I had no say in that. I don't mind seeing tax dollars spent to help "less fortunate" people, but not when their problems are self inflicted.
Anthem
from California
April 14, 2008 at 04:58 PM
Is he a closet libertarian who believes the prostitution probation is wrong? Do he and his wife have an understanding in their relationship? Pending some answers, I’ll just have to assume he’s a hypocrite who violates the laws he used to enforce against others and betrays everyone around him, including his family. Of course he’s sorry he was caught - most people are sorry when they’re caught. It’d be a nice change to see one of these scofflaw “leaders� be honest about their contempt for certain laws.
glenn from pt . loma
April 16, 2008 at 04:03 AM
to ornery northeast ohio
Too much Am radio for you . Expand you're world think outside the norm , listen ,read do whatever to get as many opinions as you can , please .
Whatever money we spend on entitlement programs in this country is a drop in the bucket compared to what we spend in Iraq in one month . The hawks ,
Wolfowitz , Perle ,Libby ,Rumsfeld , Feith ,Kristol , Cheney , ect.. Bush and Powell being the dupes have run this country into the ground for their own idealogical purposes . It's why gas is outta sight the dollar is worth crap and it will take generations to get this country back . All of our kids , grandkids and probably more will pay for this . Talk about personal responsibilities , we're all to blame . I didn't vote for Bush so I feel a little less responsible but still....
This will haunt this country for many many years to come .Clinton , McCain
Obama elect 'em all . This tragic misuse of personal responsibility will haunt this country for a long long time.
glenn Pt. Loma
Palm Beach Pill Popper from USA
November 07, 2008 at 05:06 AM
Gee, I wish I had the Personal-Responsibility that Rush Limbaugh exhibits!
Now, only if I had 3 ex-wifes, an OxyContin addiction, a cigar habit and sat on my ass 3 hours a day flapping my jaw - I just might be able to earn $400 million like my hero.
