This has been perhaps a critical false alarm for all of us who claim the moniker of "Conservative".
Up to this point, many of us rely of the megaphones of folks like Rush, Beck, Hannity, Boortz, Levin and others to put voice to the thoughts and concerns we all think. This is why Rush and the others are as successful as they are: they have the courage and means to say what we think, and to make what we think heard, even when their Lord- and Ladyships in Washington don't want to listen to us. It has been comforting, empowering to us to know that thanks to these men and women, our point of view isn't being drowned out by the hue and cry of the Idiocracy.
However...
As painful as it is to consider, there is a new paradigm unfolding inside the Beltway. Washington elitists on both sides of the aisle are being made increasingly uncomfortable by the lines of questioning they wouldn't have to face if only the examining light of "talk radio" (et.al) wasn't illuminating their every corrupt move. Congress-shits openly talk about reinstituting the "fairness doctrine", to hobble, obfuscate and mis-direct the attentions of those watching them. FCC officials speak brazenly of plans to revoke station licenses from "mega-conglomerates", and in turn hand them to "more diverse" broadcast formats. Administration hacks openly revise or remove web pages that show them in any less than a complimentary light, and use the power of the FCC, IRS and any of a myriad of Federal police agencies to harry and harass political opposition. By all appearances, the executve and legislative branches of the Federal government are only awaiting a good, scary crisis they can use as pretext for breaking into their censorship candy store and running wild.
Their strategy behind these tactics will be to divide American opinion, and conquer us, one little piece at a time.
Are you ready?
If the politicians, bureaucrats and lawyers shut down talk radio tomorrow, would you be sufficiently informed to pick up where Rush, Hannity and Beck leave off, at least in your own neighborhood? Could you explain your conservative principles clearly enough to your neighbors? More importantly, could you, as, say, a straight-laced social conservative, find enough common ground with the more moderate - yet still fiscal conservative - neighbor next door to stand shoulder to shoulder with them?
Rush frequently refers to America's "rugged individualism" as one of our defining characteristics. As much as we have enjoyed gathering together to listen to him, and the others, are we ready to be rugged individuals when if the unthinkable happens?
Greetings from Costa Rica on New Year's eve,
I think you make a great point. I love Rush, I want to be sure I am understood and not misunderstood. For a good 10-15 years Rush was the absolute voice and force for the conservative movement; hell he enlightened and converted many of us to become much more vocal and focused.
At the same time I want to share a story. Years ago one of my clients was looking for a president of their company as the president was retiring. They went outside the company and hired one from another company. My business partner was amazingly critical of that move; but moreso critical of the retiring president. His contention was, and I agree, that every manager's primary job is to create subordinates who can come in and replace them. That is the only way a company can continue to grow and prosper is if they have the management talent to do so. When a company must hire management from the outside the executives are publically admitting that they failed in one of the prime responsibilities of their job, create their replacement.
With that being said, the rhetoric about the libs dancing on Rush's grave is music to my ears for two reasons. First is I hope it is many, many years premature. Second is they do not get it. If Rush retired tomorrow the conservative movement would not be rudderless. Wonder how hard it would be for Palin to come in and do his job, just by way of example. What the libs do not get is just how powerful the conservative movement is becoming, all the way down to the local level, leaders are being developed all over the country. Think Cheney wouldn't be terrific?
I am a member of a group in Illinois and they are protesting the Gitmo prisoners coming to Illinois. They are so on top of that issue, holding meetings, protests, the head of the group is flying to Washington to meet with key officials etc. Five years ago that would not have happened. Same thing with the group I am involved with in Florida. They are about to take a sitting Republican Governor down who was a shoo in for the open senate seat in 2010, take out the head of the Florida Republican Party and the conservative candidate that came out of nowhere, Marco Rubio, is now neck and neck in the polls with a fraction of the funding.
I love Rush, I want him back believe me, but at the same time the libs reaction to me is music to my ears. It is amazing just how much they underestimate just what is taking place in this country. Rush indeed deserves the credit; but like a good manager he has enabled many good qualified people to come into the game which is all that much better for America. While we may all chuckle at Rush's ego, he has done nothing but encourage the Ollie North's, Glenn Beck's and many others too numerous to mention.
God bless him,
5412
PS: If Rush just went on the circut giving speeches like the one he gave earlier in the year think how powerful that would be. Personally he is part of my life most every weekday and I prefer to keep it that way. At the same time, if he was giving key speeches here and there it would be tremendous.
