Posted on 03/02/2009 1:23:46 PM PST by lewisglad
First, from the perspective of electoral politics, Rush Limbaugh is not much of a factor. That's not to say he is unimportant in other ways. He influences lots of people and is certainly important from a cultural perspective.
But we're talking about elections - where more than a hundred million people participate. That has to change our evaluation of his influence. Additionally, he might be a hot topic for a few news cycles, but news cycles are drops in the bucket from an electoral perspective.
Second, there is value in the discussion among conservatives about the future of their movement. But that does not mean that the payoff is going to be electoral. This is a discussion by political elites for elites. Electoral politics - at least the difference between winning and losing - is inevitably non-ideological and non-elite.
Think of it this way. Suppose the Republican Party and the conservative movement fail to "reform" or "reimagine" themselves, but the country becomes highly dissatisfied with the governance of President Obama. What happens in 2010? I'll bet the farm that the GOP makes big gains in the House, ideological anemia aside.
Now, suppose that the party and the movement do reinvigorate themselves, translate their principles into compelling policy solutions and generally begin an intellectual renaissance on the right - but the country is pleased with Obama and the Democrats. What happens? Again, I'll bet the farm that the Republicans make little or no gains.
When you get right down to it, elections are fought over the state of the union and the country's opinion on how the majority party has managed the government. The parties get to tinker at the margins, and ideology can be a part of this tinkering, but it's important not to make too much of it.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
Epic Stupid Question.
ALOT!! HE IS OUR JOHN GALT!
No need to read any further.
Lordie I get sick of liberal types.
It must be awful living with their world views drowning in negativity and pessimism.
Exactly!
That article is retarded. I wasn’t even interested in politics until, as a kid, I heard Rush Limbaugh. I heard somebody articulating things in public I had always thought, but kept to myself, such as: “Gawd that Bill Clinton guy is a creep”, etc.
And then I realized I wasn’t the only one that thought Hillary Clinton was an obnoxious woman. So to say Rush doesn’t matter electorally? What a douche.
He matters WAY more than you, Jay.
Rush matters a hell of a lot more than Jay Cost.
And yet a change of only 300,000 votes (in a few specific battleground states) would have meant a McCain victory.
And yet a change of a 120,000 votes in Ohio would have meant a Kerry victory.
And yet a change of a few hundred votes in Florida would have meant a Gore victory.
To dismiss Rush because "more than a hundred million vote" is pure rubbish.
And a stupid article based upon a false assumption.
Can anyone imagine what kind of candidate for POTUS Rush would be? Someone who articulates Conservative values better then anyone since President Reagan.
Who knows?
Check my post 9. Internet high five!
And why is this maroon Jay Cost writing about him?
Rush is totally irrelevant. 50 million people listen to him because there is nothing else on the radio between noon and 3pm.
I wonder why jay is asking about RUSH?Must be scared.
Yeah...for someone that does not matter...he sure gets the attention like a person that does matters. Typical media...Jay just needs to shut his hole.
I would argue that Rush is more our Thomas Paine, than he is a John Galt.
Rush helps us articulate our cause (of conservatism), and that is sorely needed among many of those CINO's -- conservatives-in-name-only.
What our “leaders” don’t understand is that we rush limbaugh represents how WE feel so when they diss him they diss us! Why can’t Steele and the rest of them get that?????
Darn it, I want to know who Dagny Taggart is!
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