Quotes of the day
posted at 10:35 pm on March 2, 2009 by Allahpundit
“The fact is that the GOP has been doing precisely what it claims it wants to do now – helping moderate and liberal Republicans it sees as more electable, at the expense of conservatives. Cornyn’s plan is nothing new. It has been tried and it has failed.
It is non-conservative Republicans who have gotten the party to where it is today. It is the massive spending and government enlargement that have forced a significant part of the base to abandon the GOP. It is the pork projects and the related corruption of ‘moderates’ that have dragged down the Republican brand. The people who have decidedly not been the downfall of the Republican Party are its conservatives.”
***
“What Limbaugh fails to understand is that any successful political movement is built of both true believers and evangelizers. True believers, like Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, fire up the troops. They tell their followers exactly what they want to hear, and they instinctively resist any compromise of their hallowed principles. As a general rule, true believers live and work and worship among other true believers, and they like it that way…
It should hardly come as a surprise that true believers aren’t always fond of evangelizers. After all, evangelizers tell true believers things they don’t want to hear. Just as devout Saudi Muslims are quick to question the Islamic credentials of Bengali and Malay and American Muslims who mingle freely with nonbelievers, Limbaugh is enraged by the likes of David Brooks and David Frum and Jim Manzi and Ramesh Ponnuru, conservatives who consort with the liberal enemy. Though all of these writers and thinkers disagree amongst themselves about a great deal, they share a basic belief that the party needs to do more than just promise tax cuts we can’t afford. And they recognize that a healthy political movement is always open to new ideas, and to questioning old convictions.”
***
“Rush knows what he is doing. The worse conservatives do, the more important Rush becomes as leader of the ardent remnant. The better conservatives succeed, the more we become a broad national governing coalition, the more Rush will be sidelined.
But do the rest of us understand what we are doing to ourselves by accepting this leadership? Rush is to the Republicanism of the 2000s what Jesse Jackson was to the Democratic party in the 1980s. He plays an important role in our coalition, and of course he and his supporters have to be treated with respect. But he cannot be allowed to be the public face of the enterprise – and we have to find ways of assuring the public that he is just one Republican voice among many, and very far from the most important.”
Blowback
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I don’t think Mr. Salam has a clue who Rush Limbaugh is. Rush Limbaugh is, by definition, an evangelist. An evangelist converts non-believers. Rush’s converts in an off month probably equals the lifetime total of David Brooks and David Frum and Jim Manzi and Ramesh Ponnuru combined. Times four.
To call these guys “evangelists” is sheer ignorance. Or maybe wishful thinking…
beatcanvas on March 2, 2009 at 11:26 PM
Well that’s possible, I don’t know what the polling for the general looked like, but I do remember I thought Specter was going to lose his primary until GW stepped in. It wasn’t really until 06 that the wheels came off electorally, so it seems more like a personal favor then a political move.
Spirit of 1776 on March 2, 2009 at 11:26 PM
Is this blog gonna be all Limbaugh all the time. As much as the schadenfreude is delicious I can only take so much, jeez. Who knew GOP civil war would be as boring as Limbaugh v…everyone.
DeathToMediaHacks on March 2, 2009 at 11:26 PM
What’s with these fairness doctrine-esque equal-time quotes of the day?
ebrawer on March 2, 2009 at 11:27 PM
i wasn’t even alive when reagan was president. I think you guys misinterpreted what i am saying. Im not denigrating him, im just saying that there are conservatives out there like me, especially in NYC, that could care less about rush
Chiasmos on March 2, 2009 at 11:29 PM
18-1 on March 2, 2009 at 11:21 PM
Spot-on. Excellent comment. I actually made a blog post about this exact thing a while back.
Michael in MI on March 2, 2009 at 11:30 PM
Folks, don’t buy off on the meme… fight it…
Rush is a Conservative, with a voice…
Not the voice of Conservatism.
If you allow the Left and MSM to personify the newly resurgent Fiscal Con movement by making Rush the face… they will dismiss the philosophy by attacking that face…
And Rush, like anyone, is just mortal and thus flawed… there is ammunition there.
Don’t let them control the narrative because you like Rush… because there are a lot of middle of the road people out there who do not.
Let him be “A” conservative voice… not “THE” conservative voice.
Romeo13 on March 2, 2009 at 11:30 PM
“I would be happier if the “Republican” pundits would pay more attention to what is threatening to America.”
amen.
notropis on March 2, 2009 at 11:31 PM
My family dog, Butch, has twice the IQ of David Frum and he’s been dead for 3 years.
GT on March 2, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Is this blog gonna be all Limbaugh all the time. As much as the schadenfreude is delicious I can only take so much, jeez. Who knew GOP civil war would be as boring as Limbaugh v…everyone.
DeathToMediaHacks on March 2, 2009 at 11:26 PM
Ruh roh…you’re not planning on stamping your feet, throwing another tantrum and leaving HA, are you?
Please say yes.
Bishop on March 2, 2009 at 11:32 PM
18-1 on March 2, 2009 at 11:21 PM
Excellent historical point. Love the list & wish the RNC could see it. Hope they would learn something…
Spirit of 1776 on March 2, 2009 at 11:26 PM
To me, it’s the only thing that makes sense. What did Specter ever do for Bush other than stab him in the back at every turn?
youngTXcon on March 2, 2009 at 11:32 PM
Seeing how Michelle is the captain of this ship as long as she wants. “We” don’t have any say. If you don’t like it, vote with your feet.
I myself find tremendous value in AllahP’s postings. I find myself drifting more and more to a good deal of Libertarian views. And it’s the old saw about conservatives leaving me, and not me leaving conservatives. It may be more the Republican party, than conservatives per say, but both are complicit.
juanito on March 2, 2009 at 11:33 PM
Rush Limbaugh is more intelligent than the entire obama administration put together. I known that isn’t really saying much, but I had to have a starting point. Throw in the Democratic half of Congress too.
hawkdriver on March 2, 2009 at 11:33 PM
I think we’ve seen this demonization of Limbaugh by Republicans somewhere else recently — Sarah Palin ring any bells?
The problem isn’t the Palins and the Limbaughs of the party, its the inbred hermaphroditic Washington “elite” Republicans. They’ve spent so much time fertilizing themselves and each other they have lost sight of the fact that there is a country or actual people outside the Beltway. They are no d*mn different than the inbred hermaphroditic Washington “elite” Democrats.
Neither of them think that the people outside Washington are entitled to run their lives without the guidance and enlightenment of the elites; the people who went to the right universities, who attend the right parties, who share the right friends, who vacation to the right places.
They don’t look down their noses at the people who went to the state universities (or worse no university at all), or go hunting on weekends, or go bowling with their co-workers; they don’t look down their noses at these people, they don’t even recognize they exist.
johnsteele on March 2, 2009 at 11:34 PM
What blog are you reading again, doofus? Because, I’m pretty sure this blog is not ‘all Limbaugh all the time’ as much as it’s becoming ‘Limbaugh sux all the time’…but then again, your reading comprehension has always been tenuous at best.
AUINSC on March 2, 2009 at 11:34 PM
Ah…. come on… Specter supported the President…
President Clinton that is…
Romeo13 on March 2, 2009 at 11:34 PM
Question: “Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?”
Answer: “Reading Frum’s Cliffs Notes.”
OneVision on March 2, 2009 at 11:34 PM
Related to QOTD Part 1: Isn’t it a shame that the a majority of the Congressional Republicans didn’t have any principles until now? Too bad they lost their way for so many years…
youngTXcon on March 2, 2009 at 11:34 PM
I honestly don’t know.
Spirit of 1776 on March 2, 2009 at 11:35 PM
Im not denigrating him, im just saying that there are conservatives out there like me, especially in NYC, that could care less about rush
Chiasmos on March 2, 2009 at 11:29 PM
So don’t care about him, fine, at least do so in a knowledgeable manner and with at least a bit of experience in the subject. You’ve never listened to Rush, depending instead on hearsay to formulate your opinion of him, otherwise your opinion is baseless.
Bishop on March 2, 2009 at 11:37 PM
Cornyn is also my senator, I did not realize he had gone so much into RINO land. I know he voted for TARP, which I wrote him and RINO Hutch scathing emails. I truly regret voting for that bum last Nov. So now the question is who is the bigger RINO Senator from Texas? I think Hutch still wins thanks to her open borders position. And unfortunately, she is going to run (and probably win) the Govs race next year. Bad for Texas, but maybe good for the Senate that we can get a real CONSERVATIVE in her place.
I have nothing more to say about Frum, other than Allah, please stop posting this boob. I know all you’re trying to do is stir the pot ala Palin postings.
davek70 on March 2, 2009 at 11:38 PM
Does Frum poop and it isn’t elevated for discussion on Hot Air?
Frum is an a$$ and his plans are not coherent.
Conan on March 2, 2009 at 11:39 PM
No, actualy Alinsky’s notes…
What is it… rule 5 about personification of an issue so you can attack the person, instead of the issue?
Romeo13 on March 2, 2009 at 11:39 PM
No, it’s that conservatives have no viable place else to go than the sorry-ass Republican Party.
ddrintn on March 2, 2009 at 11:45 PM
Well that, drug legalization, atheism, the trials of being a beta male and the need for conservatives to be more ‘mainstream’, like John McCain…yes.
AUINSC on March 2, 2009 at 11:50 PM
My point is that your post added nothing whatsoever over and above what Frum was saying. It merely echoed his thoughts.
If you don’t like what Rush says, that is your right. But don’t denigrate others’ beliefs and look upon them as if they don’t have minds of their own. We don’t idolize Rush as the embodiment of all that is perfect, as you suggest. (Such idolatry is for the Obama crowd.) Instead, millions of conservatives listen to him because, after they independently assess the value of what Rush says, they conclude that the man knows what he is talking about and that he speaks the truth. Listeners of Rush know how to think for themselves.
OneVision on March 2, 2009 at 11:53 PM
We can’t forget what we learned from the polls as contradictory as they were. People prefer smaller government, they don’t want to redistribute wealth and we certainly can’t forget how blatantly uninformed Obama voters were. How exactly do we broaden our party to appeal to people who don’t know what the hell they think or believe? Obama was a hardcore liberal pretending to be to the right of McCain. Scales are falling from the eyes of the sheeple though, and we’re only one month in this fail ship.
msmveritas on March 2, 2009 at 11:53 PM
Yup!
javamartini on March 2, 2009 at 11:54 PM
Ok, if you think the above post is AP’s writing then I would have to say you are as uninformed as the Obama voters are.
boomer on March 2, 2009 at 11:55 PM
Um, are you sure he isn’t exactly that?
tcn on March 2, 2009 at 11:56 PM
Who is making that assertion?
AUINSC on March 2, 2009 at 11:58 PM
And I see you missed my point TOTALY.
I didn’t denigrate anyones beliefs… but do warn against allowing the Left and MSM to potray a movement as a cult of personality.
If we allow them to make Rush the face of Conservatism, than any mistep that Rush makes, will be exagerated all out of proportion, just as his “Obama Fail” comment was.
But if you talk about the PHILOSOPHY of conservatism, about beliefs and NOT FACES, its much harder to argue against.
That is the point I was attempting to make… don’t LET them change the narrative and make it about personalitys.
Because when you do, then, just like happened with my origional comment, people take it personaly, and start to make all kinds of wild accusations (as I did NOT denigrate anyones beliefs nor look upon them as if they didn’t have minds of their own).
Romeo13 on March 3, 2009 at 12:06 AM
What is this guy talking about?
I don’t think that true believers have any problem at all with evangelizers, just as long as they are not evangelizing someone else’s principles and not doing a “Groucho”.
These are my principles, and if you don’t like them… …well, I have others.
- Groucho
To many “Grouchos” in the Republican party.
MB4 on March 3, 2009 at 12:09 AM
David From is dead? Well, that would explain a lot. His 401k must really have taken a hit if he has to keep working even after he’s dead. Poor man.
MB4 on March 3, 2009 at 12:13 AM
Several have and always do.
The site could be named “Allahdoesntwritethequotesofthedayhejustpostsexceptsfromarticles.com” and people would still claim they’re his words.
MadisonConservative on March 3, 2009 at 12:13 AM
Umm, actually, the real evangelists had better be true believers. If not, you wind up with a diluted synergistic theology that eventually dilutes the core values of the basic philosophy and causes fractures, divisions, and loss of core principles.
Oh, ….
AZfederalist on March 3, 2009 at 12:17 AM
Urban legends die hard.
Limerick on March 3, 2009 at 12:21 AM
I know and I’ve called several on it…just none that I’ve seen on this particular QOD.
AUINSC on March 3, 2009 at 12:24 AM
Actually, you have a good point there. By doing this, you also negate the attempt by the Alinksy worshippers to attack a person rather than a movement.
However, once again, the right (as in the wizards of smart, the pundits like Frum) are buying into the liberal premise that Rush IS the movement rather than a very articulate spokesman FOR the movement and jumping on the criticize Rush bandwagon. Right now the target is Rush, last fall it was Palin — the target changes, the premise and the objective don’t.
What people like Frum SHOULD be saying to the left is, “of course Rush articulates the conservative movement and does it well as do others in our party — if you don’t like what he said, get over it”.
Accepting the premises from the left forces us to respond to them and puts us on the defensive. What did Patton say about those who fight defensive wars?
AZfederalist on March 3, 2009 at 12:24 AM
Frum needs a cocktail. Peggy?
spmat on March 3, 2009 at 12:27 AM
He could also realize that it’s the NYTs and WaPos and NBCs and ABCs and NPRs of the country that made and make Rush Limbaugh possible.
ddrintn on March 3, 2009 at 12:31 AM
I say he’s weird!
No doubt he’s got a beard!
He’s a lunatic!
A city dwelling prick!
Two inflaming lips
And several whips
A lovely lad
A cursed cad
Oh, he’s a saint
He ain’t!
How hot is Hell
How deep is the Sea?
How can you revere Michelle
If she chooses he?
PercyB on March 3, 2009 at 12:31 AM
Wow. Some serious self-justification going on with all these Rush posts. Methinks someone doth protest too much.
Montana on March 3, 2009 at 12:33 AM
Without ideals the party has and is nothing. If Republicans just were made up of believers (drop the evangilist) we would not be in this mess. The problem is when your foundation is small gov, freedom, deregulation, but then when you get power the talk talk stops and the earmarks, spending, gov expansion starts.
Rush has always been and will continue to be a hardcore who doesn’t waiver. That may not be squishy and nice or even PC correct but leaders FOUNDERS are not that either. It takes heart and refusal to bow to popularity to be a leader and make the right not the popular decisions.
In the short term this mentality being hardcore is detrimental but in the long term you are proven true if your ideals are right.
Example of ideal: Iraq in the short term it was unpopular bad and costly but as things continue (considering Obama doesn’t ruin it very possible) it will be more and more right.
Example of lack of ideal: Republicans elected on basis of small gov, fiscal conservatism but instead expand gov and ring in record spending/debt.
Imagine the Republican party today if they had continued the 93′ gov cuts, deregulation, small gov, fiscal conservatism, tax cuts, military prowess? Today we would be celebrating our super majority while watching the new democrat party made up of blue-dogs trying to build their bonofides on our credentials and not the other way around.
The Republican party is a joke. Until/unless it allows then cements its leadership as hardcores it will never be but a sidekick to our socialist overlords.
C-Low on March 3, 2009 at 12:34 AM
I think David Frum is insinuating the searcher484 should be the spokesperson for the GOP.WashJeff on March 3, 2009 at 12:37 AM
Exactly, Frum is part of the problem, not the solution.
Its interesting to watch the Repubs gyrate through various attempts to “sell” themselves… to change their messege… or to (as Steele put it) Hip Hop up the party…
When the real problem they have is that they lost all credibility on Fiscal Conservative and Limited Government issues.
Their Actions and even some Party Planks, don’t follow any coherent philosophy anymore, and THATS why they have lost the last couple of election cycles (IMO).
Romeo13 on March 3, 2009 at 12:38 AM
Which is to say, if we had a truly objective and professional news media, commentators like Rush would be pretty much redundant. As Limbaugh likes to say, “I AM equal time”.
But no, Rush is a raging lunatic. An “embarrassment”. So is Ann Coulter. Maureen Dowd, Chris Matthews, Arianna Huffington and Markos Moulitsas are respected commentators on the national scene. They’re civil servants.
Look up “cultural para-stimuli”.
ddrintn on March 3, 2009 at 12:40 AM
Let?
Let?
I really can’t imagine the damage cause to your doorways as they are pried apart to allow your head to pass.
Limerick on March 3, 2009 at 12:41 AM
Well, in their defense, having lived through the 94/95 period when they were trying to remain true to conservatism, the media, Clinton, and his cronies engaged in non-stop attacks and demonization of Newt and company. Remember the infamous “kill Medicare” recording? A recording of a private cell phone conversation by a couple of Florida grandparents who just happened to be out on a drive near Newt’s place and just happened to have their cell phone scanner in their Cadillac on (didn’t your Caddie come with one), and just happened to have a recording device with that cell phone scanner. Then just accidentally released the recording to the media. Remember who took the arrows over shutting down the government during the budget debate? It is understandable how the Republicans kept getting pushed more and more into Democrat-lite just to tone down the media rhetoric. Not that it was justifiable nor did it ultimately do them any favors, but it certainly wasn’t just done for no reason.
We have to remember this in the future should the republic survive and the Republicans regain power — the media will be no less biased than it is today nor will it be embracing conservatism then. The media from that day forward will do its best to restore the socialists to power.
AZfederalist on March 3, 2009 at 12:43 AM
Imagine the excitement the Republican base will feel after being able to push the lever for another braindead RINO like John McCain. Just imagine the massive outpouring of volunteers and money that would engender.
Does that stupid bastard Frum have a clue as to what motivates a movement with excited voters?
TexasJew on March 3, 2009 at 12:45 AM
Obama wants Rush to lead the Republican Party. Democrats want Rush to lead the Republican Party. Rush wants to lead the Republican Party.
Oh yeah… has rush ever held elected office?
lexhamfox on March 3, 2009 at 12:47 AM
Perhaps a Snopes entry is in order.
Heh. Heh.
MadisonConservative on March 3, 2009 at 12:48 AM
Funny, I was thinking about this very statement…. but I think the Republic actualy died in the early 1900s when we moved more towards becoming a Democracy… its just taken a few generations for the effects to be really felt… as voters were slowly indoctrinated into the idea that they could vote themselves a free lunch (its not, we’re just putting it on our kids tabs).
But until just this month, I didn’t think this country could fall…
I wonder what citizens of the USSR thought in 1990…
Romeo13 on March 3, 2009 at 12:50 AM
Well, doorways actually shouldn’t be a problem as a Norwegian is really a Swede with his head cut off, or so I am told.
Cheshire Cat on March 3, 2009 at 12:57 AM
Obama is waterboarding our economy.
TexasJew on March 3, 2009 at 12:57 AM
More intellectual claptrap analysis from the pundits. Too smart for their own good. Rush is right. Period. Obama’s remake needs to fail. He will fail. Perhaps the country will be spared, but what a crime against our country is this Porkulus, Big Government takeover. I work in the real world watch the chattering classes chatter with their attempts at intellectual analysis while Rome burns. What is happening, here? The Media has betrayed this country, having pushed a green stick bs artist to run the country through one of its worst peacetime situations. Obama never ran anything that was a failure and a total blowout of millions of dollars. But did they tell people this? No. Why? Because Obama was a “clean, articulate young black man”. Idiots all.
mbabbitt on March 3, 2009 at 12:59 AM
Well, doorways actually shouldn’t be a problem as a Norwegian is really a Swede with his head cut off, or so I am told.
Cheshire Cat on March 3, 2009 at 12:57 AM
is this going to turn into another lutefisk post?
TexasJew on March 3, 2009 at 12:59 AM
Cry haddock and let loose the cods of war!
Cheshire Cat on March 3, 2009 at 1:01 AM
That sacred middle or moderate voters will go with the system that works. Once those ideals are shown to work its just a matter of proving steadily representing the same message and values to hold them.
These truths should guide the re-born conservative movement.
1. Socialism under all its names and alias has failed and will continue to fail.
-Hammer home examples of how socialism under all its names and alias have failed and how the Democrats specifically using socialist leaning ideals have failed (Welfare=Black families, Unions=US industry, regulation=small enterprise entrepreneurship, weak foreign policy=9-11, etc…).
2. Hammer home how CONSERVATISM under all its names and alias have succeeded and how conservatives specifically using conservatist leaning ideals have succeeded (Einstien=imagine today Einstien running how power lines down NY streets without X permit, X enviro survey, X million legal lawyer documents, 10 yrs this , 5 yr this study, protest, blah blah, Rockefeller= how could he just pump crude out of the ground and willy nilly ship it everywhere today?, Ford=just start a factory assembly line, etc..
2. Conservatism under all its names and alias have succeeded and will continue to succeed (IF APPLIED AND HELD).
-Hammer home how CONSERVATISM under all its names and alias have succeeded and how conservatives specifically using conservatist leaning ideals have succeeded (Einstien=imagine today Einstien running how power lines down NY streets without X permit, X enviro survey, X million legal lawyer documents, 10 yrs this , 5 yr this study, protest, blah blah, Rockefeller= how could he just pump crude out of the ground and willy nilly ship it everywhere today?, Ford=just start a factory assembly line, etc..
Hammer the truth how CONSERVATIVE IDEALS is the enabler of nearly every invention, new idea, and breakthrough of the last 200 years+.
—HAMMER HOME how if today it takes multiple pages of rules & regulations/permits/GOVERNMENT REGULATION to just have a hotdog stand how in the hell could Einstien, Rockefeller, Ford, etc… even been tried?
-Hammer home how Conservatism is the belief of REAL human freedom not some fake temporary feeling of the flesh, but real freedom and support of the human mind and ALL human’s TOP potential.
C-Low on March 3, 2009 at 1:06 AM
Good idea… but I wonder if the “term” conservative is not damaged.
Conservatism has gotten a bad rap the last few years because people who were not ACTING convervative, were still being called conservatives by the media.
So, to a lot of voters have linked the term conservative with hypocracy…
Hate to take a play from the dem playbook… but just as a lot of them no longer call themselves Liberals, but “Progresives”…. maybe we need a new term…
Romeo13 on March 3, 2009 at 1:21 AM
AZfederalist on March 3, 2009 at 12:43 AM
Thanks for the correction.
Its late and maybe a bit liquored up down this way.
I think the conservative movement should begin separating itself from the repubs. Not hostile or physically but just representing ourselves as conservatives and calling false conservative claimers out so they don’t tarnish the name brand. If done right a big tent Republican party our bretheren so seem to long for could exist without dragging the conservative good name through the mud when we have a 6 yr run like we just went through.
C-Low on March 3, 2009 at 1:25 AM
Sort of like McCain and Dole. Really worked, huh?
Johan Klaus on March 3, 2009 at 1:34 AM
“Progerals” or “Libressives”?
Yes , I like “Libressives” as they like to suppress liberty.
MB4 on March 3, 2009 at 1:41 AM
ABSOLUTELY NOT! This is the exact reason I say rConservatives should separate themselves from the party and openly call out the false claimers. A functioning Conservative alliance/party should exist within the Republican party.
Right now in the short term Republicans cannot survive no more without Conservatives than we can them. In the longterm BECAUSE CONSERVATISM WORKS AND IS RIGHT we will prevail but only if we can seperate ourselves from our bretheren Republican/demlight behaviors/policies.
Like the 10 commandments for gods people the conservative commandments.
-God
-Country
-Family
-Freedom/de-regulation
-small government = less tax
-public office as community service NOT A CAREER should be principle with goal of forced institution i.e. term limits
C-Low on March 3, 2009 at 1:54 AM
You sir are an idiot, you are exactly the people that we need to expose, and rid ourselves of. As Rush say’s there is no compromise on principals and true conservatism. You sir as Sean say’s, are clueless, to write this garbage , and expect real conservatives to believe your rhetoric. In the words of the Great One, “Get the hell out of here you LIB”
Navyret on March 3, 2009 at 2:41 AM
Right on the money.
Again, absolutely correct.
And I’ll tell you something; Rush, Hannity, Ingraham, Beck, and other talk radio hosts, Coulter too, they are NOT the answer. They like to point the finger at everybody else for the mess the Republican party is in, but it’s time for they point the fingers at themselves! THEY are largely responsible for John McCain ending up the Republican candidate. That’s because they forced McCain and Romney onto us as the only candidates that we have to choose from. It’s time for us to stop listening to these Republican talk radio hosts. The answer is to build a brand new mass movement with a completely clean slate. With patriotic, God-fearing, Bible-believing, Americans – that is who should build this country. Not of Republicans or Conservatives, or do-do heads that listen to talk radio or Fox… that’s NOT the answer. These Republican talk show personalities are not the answer. They are opart of the problem! And if you think I’m being hard on the right. The left are WORSE! The liberals are WORSE!!
apacalyps on March 3, 2009 at 2:44 AM
People can admire an advocate/leader for their cause that makes well-reasoned tactically-perfect arguments, that’s fine, but any good lawyer can do that. Just tell the lawyer which side they’re supporting today and they can make the points. But leaders that people actually follow, dutifully loyally follow, are advocates with real passion. That’s what Rush has–real passion. And that’s why he draws the crowds. An example from the other side is Howard Dean (apologies for even mentioning him in the same paragraph as Rush) who only has passion, and nothing else. Amazingly, Dean has lots of loyal followers…loyal crazy followers. It’s the passion. There’s no substitute for it.
RBMN on March 3, 2009 at 2:54 AM
How do these guys get to be called conservative? Does it ever work in reverse? Can I start a blog call myself liberal and then espouse conservative ideals, well I know I could, but would a wide audience buy into it, or would I just be considered a nutjob, and if nutjob it be, then why don’t we just call these guys nutjobs and be done with them? I know, I know it’s because AllahPundit is an atheist, and he has the devils work to do.
DFCtomm on March 3, 2009 at 2:55 AM
What’s passed on to the consumer is the tax cuts.
The new market should look like ….
Kini on March 3, 2009 at 3:23 AM
I lafed
Ugly on March 3, 2009 at 3:36 AM
I too have noticed this. Not necessarily in this thread but as a general trend of Allahpundit-bashing.
It reminds me of the behavior of last year’s infusion of Ron Paul trolls. So similar that it would not surprise me if it was some of the same people.
Gilda on March 3, 2009 at 4:11 AM
I have come to the conclusion after long and hard thought that the rep party is no more. I can no longer be a part of a party that has no core beliefs, that talk down to me and my family and that say anything and everything to get elected and then do what ever the hell they want once elected. This search for moderates is stupid beyond belief. I am a Reagan rep. I hate Bush and his father. They have destroyed my party and they have twice now allowed liberals into the whitehouse because of their stupid views. We had Clinton for 8 years but at least Newt was able to stem some of the crap that Clinton wanted. Now thanks to Bush 2 we have Obama and a dem Congress. All in the name of moderation.
I will not can not be a part of the party of bush. when/if the rep ever read history and come back to the ways of Reagan which means embracing a stronger federalism, lower gov spending, smaller gov, less taxes, more freedom. I do not want a nanny state and I do not want a daddy Bush state. I was born in a free country and I see my freedom taken away a little every day. I worry about my son and grandchildren living in a state controlled country and having no freedom, no upward mobility.
I do not listen to Rush much but when I do I see at least he gets it. Steele, Bush, Coryn, Frum, etc do not. They want to kick not only the social conservatives out the door but also the fiscal conservatives. they think they can win on national security. they are wrong. Well I said my peice and the rep party can go to hell for all I care.
unseen on March 3, 2009 at 4:13 AM
No, there is no comparison…..Rush only is successful because he talks about the values folks already have.
Jesse Jackson tells his followers what to think….and
goes where the wind takes him.
Rush has core beliefs, this is his moral compass.
Freedom,Capitalism,Strong military,less taxes,less spending,
individual responsibility.
Jesse is lead by his belief of culture of victims….
and mindless protest marches.
Big difference……
dec5 on March 3, 2009 at 4:20 AM
“I have come to the conclusion after long and hard thought that the rep party is no more. I can no longer be a part of a party that has no core beliefs, that talk down to me and my family and that say anything and everything to get elected and then do what ever the hell they want once elected. This search for moderates is stupid beyond belief.”
Lighten up.
Or not.
Anyway, your manifesto is seriously melodramatic. Is this the first time you’ve dumped the Republican party? If so, you might want to make the announcement at some more impactful time than 4 something a.m. Announce it again at 6:30 p.m. e.t. on a really active thread.
Save your ammo.
notropis on March 3, 2009 at 4:23 AM
I am so tired of hearing about “tax cuts we can’t afford”. The reason we “can’t afford” tax cuts is because government spending is out of control. Cut the fat out of the federal budget and we could balance the budget, pay off debt and give people meaningful tax breaks, and that would actually stimulate the economy.
Unfortunately, nobody – conservative, liberal, or otherwise – has had the guts to cut anything out of the federal budget for years.
OscarSchneegans on March 3, 2009 at 4:26 AM
Yes, it does sound like all the (R)’s want to do is tax cuts, but the whole message is lost in that sound bite. Taxes are used by Dims to control economic behavior and production. So, if you want to buy something politically incorrect like an SUV, they penalize you with a tax. But if you buy a politically correct Hybrid of some kind, you receive a TAX CREDIT. The GOP does need to learn how to counter the attack that a tax cut is only for the wealthy (who isn’t tired of that lie?!) Further more, when people stop buying the politically incorrect product, they cry about lost revenue and move on the the next behavior to demonize. I am sure most on the site will agree that a Flat tax no matter it’s form is the best way to go. And I know there is someone who has a brilliant argument for it, somewhere.
lwssdd on March 3, 2009 at 4:46 AM
Time for Conservatives to craft and control the message…and the news cycle sound bites.
This crap about “civil war” on the Right? Wishful thinking from the Left, that’s all. But, if we start listening to the Left…that alleged “civil war?” It’ll become reality in a heartbeat. We have been having this discussion for several years, through two general elections, too. Time to consolidate around the objective, and soon. What do we stand for and why? Simple as that. Don’t have to nuance everything, or nuance anything, or try to wrap our arms around the unbelievers…just let it be known who we are and why…that’s all that we need…and if the rest of America thinks it is a good idea, they’ll jump on board.
If they think the message, our basic principles are crap…then they always will and will reap what they are presently sowing.
Playing nice, trying to be liked by any and all, appearing willing to bend to the latest threat or concern, diluting our principles for a wished for short term advantage, viewing winning as more important than standing for something…well, it hasn’t worked out so well for the Right.
Why?
And once again…Rush is a private citizen, doing what he does best…motivate. If only our elected leaders, and those who are supposed to be organizing, supporting, and getting the word out would spend more time doing that — motivating — instead of trying to play the play cutesy little Washington, DC, parlor games…
Instead of directing vitriol and mea culpa’s in Rush’s direction, perhaps we really really need to direct cogent analysis toward ourselves?
The Left is already leaping with joy with their perception of serious discord on the Right. They are sowing doubt, more discord, and snarky commentary designed to embarrass, not assist. They always will. Why anyone on the Right would take one single iota of advice from anyone on the left is beyond me. Do you think for a moment that the Left is offering advice so we can win?
Rush is A voice on the Right…he is not the only voice on the right. Me. Others who care about principle, hell, even that Jonathan Krohn kid…all voices on the right, all unified by one thought…it takes principles to win, otherwise we are no different than the Left, with their “by any means possible” philosophy.
coldwarrior on March 3, 2009 at 5:49 AM
There. fixed it.
David Frum is an idiot. There, I said it. It was moderation, equivocation and David Frum’s moderate candidate, McCain, who lost this election.
It was Conservatism that won in deep blue California (prop 8). It was conservatism that won in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2004. (Hello! anyone remember “values voters”? And it was conservatism that was nowhere to be found in 2006 and 2007.
David Frum, we listened to your wing of the party! Your wing grew government, your wing lost the election. Its time for you to shut up and sit down.
American Elephant on March 3, 2009 at 5:56 AM
Is Frum hiring?
JiangxiDad on March 3, 2009 at 6:06 AM
“…they share a basic belief that the party needs to do more than just promise tax cuts we can’t afford. ”
Let these pseudo-cons keep talking and they eventually reveal what they truly are. It’s a bitch when the mask slips, isn’t it?
SKYFOX on March 3, 2009 at 6:13 AM
“…they share a basic belief that the party needs to do more than just promise tax cuts we can’t afford.”
Let these pseudo-cons keep talking long enough and they will all reveal themselves for what they truly are. Doesn’t it suck when the mask slips a bit?
SKYFOX on March 3, 2009 at 6:16 AM
I agree with the assessment that Rush can not be the face of the party! However, until conservative Republicans arise with courage to stand up against the democrats and the media what are we to do? There are no current Republican leaders (conservatives) willing to take the mantle and speak for us! Until there are, Rush is it! It AIN’T Michael Steele because he AIN’T a conservative. You guys can keep putting lipstick on that pig all day long…it’s still a RINO with lipstick on it! Maybe that is what you want…fine but it is not what I as a conservative wants and I will not accept it!
sabbott on March 3, 2009 at 6:17 AM
Best thing conservatives can do in response to David Frum is ignore him. Stop reading him. Stop linking to him.
His ideas, his policies, and his candidates have been tried and failed miserably.
American Elephant on March 3, 2009 at 6:18 AM
People on this board are defending Rush just for the sake of defending Rush. He made 38 million last year, he’s not one of you. I pray the gop makes him their face, he is the most polarizing figure in America. And please, chase away the moderate republicans, make all your followers pass a “purity” test, and then kick to the curb the ones that fail. Thats the way to broaden your tent. The conservative movement, defending the rich and un-regulated market capitalism….hows that working out for you?
athensboy on March 3, 2009 at 6:58 AM
That’s a lot of words from writers who clearly have no idea what they are talking about.
.
The GOP isn’t imploding because it is failing to evolve, it is cutting away gangrenous hunks of meat that are trying to kill it. I am so sick of these analogies that end in some version of a moribund museum remnant titled: Grand Old Party – Once one of the two political parties in the former United States of America. In 2008 the long troubled institution took a final death blow because it failed to recognize the global nature of government and eventually became irrelevent in the new world order.
.
Screw that. The rest of the world is completely f’ed up and I believe that if we stick to our guns they will eventually get their heads out of their asses and fight WITH us to BE FREE of this socialist crap.
.
This all smacks of the liberal mantra about wanting the world to like us again. Pthththt! To that.
BrideOfRove on March 3, 2009 at 7:02 AM
That’s a lot of words from writers who clearly have no idea what they are talking about.
.
The GOP isn’t imploding because it is failing to evolve, it is cutting away gangrenous hunks of meat that are trying to kill it. I am so sick of these analogies that end in some version of a moribund museum remnant titled: Grand Old Party – Once one of the two political parties in the former United States of America. In 2008 the long troubled institution took a final death blow because it failed to recognize the global nature of government and eventually became irrelevent in the new world order.
.
Screw that. The rest of the world is completely f’ed up and I believe that if we stick to our guns they will eventually get their heads out of their asses and fight WITH us to BE FREE of this socialist crap.
.
This all smacks of the liberal mantra about wanting the world to like us again. Pthththt! To that.
BrideOfRove on March 3, 2009 at 7:04 AM
Sorry for the double post. The computer seems to think it needed say’n twice.
BrideOfRove on March 3, 2009 at 7:05 AM
Isn’t it amusing that Rush has generated all this “discussion”? I don’t for one minute think he’s the face of the Republican party – he is doing a good job of being the voice (in the wilderness apparently) of the conservative segment that wants the Republican party to be what they once were and stand for the principles they once upon a time professed to believe in. He has the platform to speak from and the audacity to question. He motivates and reminds people what the conservative populace believe in and want in their elected officials.
IF he was as inconsequential in the scheme of things as the liberals say he is, WHY are they so disturbed by him? They fear his voice. They’re afraid that his voice will motivate, encourage and wake up the 48% that said no in November and increase their numbers. When that happens, then the liberal agenda becomes null and void.
The one thing Frum did say that I agree with “Rush knows what he is doing. The worse conservatives do, the more important Rush becomes as leader of the ardent remnant. The better conservatives succeed, the more we become a broad national governing coalition, the more Rush will be sidelined.” is true. If our elected officials ever start listening to their base and doing what they were “hired” to do, Rush no longer needs to be the loudest voice. Simple.
It’s up to we the people to change our representation in government. Stop voting for them. When we finally get people whose actions match their words….. welcome back conservatism. Of course now the problem becomes finding those people and supporting them. I’m tired of voting for the lesser of 2 evils.
ladyhawke53 on March 3, 2009 at 7:06 AM
Allow me to break this down to a level of simplicity that even a Big Brother liberal can understand: Obama and his Orwellian advisors are deathly afraid of the truth Rush speaks.
That’s it. All the rest is sound and fury…
They can’t silence him so they are trying to smear him and drive a wedge between Rush and his listeners. Won’t work. We aren’t stupid. And that’s why they’re afraid of us.
RandyChandler on March 3, 2009 at 7:10 AM
Again………….
………. please listen to Rush’s speech before posting.
Seven Percent Solution on March 3, 2009 at 7:11 AM
If Limbaugh were wrong, he would be ignored.
Just the opinion of a true believing evangelist. (Not mutually exclusive).
Restore Our Liberty
pugwriter on March 3, 2009 at 7:22 AM
Rush is a staunch defender of conservative, albeit at times globalist conservative, principles. Me, I am a paleo-conservative. There are a ton of milquetoast, mealymouthed, panty-waisted, sallow-chested, pasty-faced, hand-wringing parakeet males such as Frum and Allah who either can’t handle the truth or refuse to acknowledge the existence of the same.
We are facing an existential crisis and Frum and Allah are calling for more moderate navel gazing? They abandon PRINCIPLE on the altar of the illusion of victory?!
Dandies such as Frum and Allah, the parakeet males of the Republican party, shrink from the sting of battle and cower in the corner rather than enter the arena.
Well I say, damn the freaking RINO torpedoes and full speed ahead! It is no longer about unprincipled winning, but rather about PRINCIPLES alone. If we stand with the tired and weary sunshine conservatives such as Allah and Frum we will loose our country and our souls.
Charles Martel on March 3, 2009 at 7:24 AM
Operational term…”he made…” i.e., he earned.
What was his income 20 years ago? 30? Was he born into wealth?
From your posts, you haven’t the slightest understanding of wealth creation, entrepreneurship, nor the fundamentals of capitalism.
Let me put it to you in a very simple way:
[I got this from a now-former Soviet official many years ago.]
A capitalist and a Marxist are walking down a street. They both see a huge mansion, with a fine yard, two nice cars in the driveway…
The Marxist says, “No man should ever have a house like that!”
The capitalist replies, “No, everyman should strive to have a house like that.”
Is Rush one of us? You betcha. He got to where he is in a country that once admired entrepreneurship, honored the risk takers, did not stand in the way of the development of capital, nor the expansion of business, the expansion of careers, not just jobs. Ya think that Bill Gates, a multi-billionaire, was given a ton of money when he was young? No. He started out in a basement, a garage, a local warehouse…and built an empire, amassed astronomical wealth…employed hundreds, then thousands, made a bunch of them millionaires in their own right along the way. Wasn’t a government program that “gave” Bil Gates anything…matter of fact government went out of its way to try to stop him, lawsuits, claims of monopoly, all sorts of charges. he kept at it. Earned money. Employed people, lots of them.
According to your rubric, no one should ever ever listen to a word Bill Gates says, ever, because he is rich…not one of us.
He is certainly one of us…he just worked a little harder, tweaked an idea or so, had a dream and made it happen…on his own.
That, athensboy, is how things work when government gets the hell out of the way when an American is willing to take the risk, risk failure time and again, until that American gets it right.
Depending on government to bail you out, finding fault in those who believe that government is the obstacle not the helpmate…that actually produces what kind of wealth?
Rush speaks from a vantage point of having lived that American dream…from modest beginnings to a status you apparently envy.
Is he one of us? He typifies all of “us.”
coldwarrior on March 3, 2009 at 7:24 AM
Seven Percent Solution – I listened to the entire speech. What is it you think I am missing?
BrideOfRove on March 3, 2009 at 7:34 AM
In your America.
JiangxiDad on March 3, 2009 at 7:35 AM
I wonder if HA has noticed that the posters these days are predominantly new people and a lot of trolls at that. I think their drop in popularity has a lot to do with the crap AP keeps posting- who’s interesting in continual pissing matches with trolls? You might even say the Axelrod astroturfing ploy is working….
anniekc on March 3, 2009 at 7:37 AM
All this “All Rush All the Time” talk is just a distraction by Rahm Napoleon Complex.
IT IS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY THAT IS IN TROUBLE!
The PUMA`s have not returned. The progressives are trying to move the party more to the left. They have formed a PAC “Accountability Now” and are targeting all centrist democrat seats. The centrist democrats are more offended by progressive communists than Rush.
Wake up people accuse the Obamanation of their distraction deeds. They are in more trouble than the Republicans.
Jayrae on March 3, 2009 at 7:37 AM
I don’t understand why some people cannot see that the left secretly agrees with Rush regarding the conservative party being able to win. That’s why they hate him and are trying to destroy him, much like Palin. Are there that many foolish people in the party that will fall for their strategy. If you listen to Rush consistently and really think about what he says, you see he is dead on 99 percent of the time. He anticipates the left’s every move and they hate him for it. Wake up!
americanpatriot on March 3, 2009 at 7:38 AM
This has already been said but…Liberals are deathly afraid of Rush because he exposes them for what they are…illogical, nanny state cry babies…their ideas wither in the face of history as well as current reality. Liberals need complacency or the dark of night to advance their agenda. Conservatives generally welcome debate…Liberals cringe from it (Fairness doctrine)…Uhbuhma could not withstand 30 minute of debate with Rush so what does he advise…”Don’t listen to Rush”…it’s obvious isn’t it?
winston on March 3, 2009 at 7:40 AM
Just trying to do some preventative work.
boomer on March 3, 2009 at 7:48 AM
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