Is Rush Limbaugh a happy man?

The Priestly Pugilist ^ | 5/6/2009 | Priestly Pugilist

[Balt]

Is Rush Limbaugh a happy man? To some, the question may seem ridiculous, particularly to Rush; after all, this is the man who has everything. But to those of us who represent what can now only be referred to as the “old fashioned conservatives”—often misrepresented as “social conservatives” or “the religious right”—it is an obvious question; since it’s the person who has everything whom we instinctively recognize as having the most potential to be miserable.

Who are we? We are the ones who have been married only once, and who had no sex before our wedding nights. We are the ones who believe everything our respective Churches teach us, not because we are not thinking people, but precisely because we are, and recognize that no one person can determine truth without some kind of Divine mandate. We are sinners who have frequently fallen and seen others fall; but who recognize in that nothing more than our common humanity, and don’t consider our faith discredited by the fact. We are the ones for whom frugality and simplicity of life are virtues in and of themselves, regardless of the economic circumstances. We are the ones who believe that the United States of America became a great nation because, for most of its history, most of its citizens were God-fearing people who lived their lives according to the Gospel, and who see its decline in fortunes directly related to the converse.

And, perhaps most important of all, we are the ones who believe that “happiness”—however one chooses to define it—is the result of a well-ordered life lived in conformity with its own ultimate ends; which, for us, usually means the salvation of our own souls. So, I repeat the question: Is Rush Limbaugh a happy man?

Yes, we love listening to Rush for the same reasons most people listen to Rush: because he gives voice to what we are usually thinking; but we have always had to hold our noses doing it. Yes, our hearts swell when Rush so accurately exposes how abortion is the seminal issue that has the potential to destroy that particular political party which typically represents our interests, how the “country club” set laments our very presence in that party because we would rather lose elections than betray our heartfelt beliefs. But as we listen, there is no escaping what’s always in the back of our minds: that our principle spokesman is divorced three times, and is now “keeping company”—yes, we still use terms like that—with an “event planner” from West Palm Beach (and most of us don’t even know what an “event planner” is). As the “church lady” says, “Now, isn’t that special.”

When Rush announced his addiction to prescription pain medications, this was not a problem for us. We don’t like pain, either; and a lot of us know how easily such a thing can happen. We were universally outraged when a public prosecutor, running for reelection in a liberal county, became the first in the history of his profession to grant immunity to drug dealers in order to obtain evidence against an addict who became addicted through no fault of his own. And while we were objectively outraged when someone decided it was necessary to go public with the fact that a prescription for Viagra was obtained under an assumed name in violation of a plea agreement, we were still thinking, in the back of our minds: “What’s an unmarried man doing with Viagra?” Yes, that’s us! That’s who we are!

Once again, Rush has announced that he’s giving us another three day week because “some golf buddies are coming into town.” Despite the fact that he’s said many times, “I’m not retiring until everyone agrees with me,” the suspicion that he’s weaning us for his eventual retirement looms like a cloud, and causes us to think about who his successor might be. Glen Beck comes to mind: he’s just as smart, just as funny, just as passionate; and has, for us, the added benefit of being a family man—no “event planners” to cause us to hold our noses while we listen.

Be that as it may, whoever fills the EIB void when the time comes will have to be someone who does a little more than just hold and express the right opinions with passion; he’s going to have to be someone who walks the walk, not just talks the talk; someone whose rejoinder to the classic “your out of touch” argument is “No, I’m not. I’m one of you,” rather than, “Excellence...believe in yourself...I was fired seven times...you can do it, too!” as the “event planner” in the bathrobe chuckles in the background.

Rush Limbaugh, living on a diet of Allen Brothers steaks, surrounded by opulence, is a classic case that we have seen many times: believing in all the right things but unable in integrate them into his own private life; the kind of soul ripe for a deathbed conversion. It’s just a shame that, in such cases, death—or the prospect of it—needs to be part of the conversion process.

Toward the beginning of Barak Obama’s second term—and he will be elected again; the media will see to it, assisted by the blue-blood wing of the Republican party convinced that we must be ignored in order for them to win—he will announce the need for a Constitutional Convention. The wrinkled old document, written by slave owners encumbered by their own antiquity of thought, will no longer meet the needs of a new generation of Americans. In the new constitution, the government will no longer be a necessary evil which we tolerate for the sake of a well-ordered society and our mutual security; it will, instead, identify the government as the sole foundation of the nation. It will not be a document written by the people in which we tell the government what we, the people, will allow it to do for us; it will be a declaration by the government of what privileges will be bestowed upon the people as gifts. Among those gifts will be included anything and everything designed to keep the populace passive and the government in power: sexual license, free health care, guaranteed employment; with no one person being larger, greater, richer or more outstanding than another. We, of course, will be declared illegal, because we will advocate “hate.” Our children will be taken because we will choose to teach them that homosexuality is a perversion, abortion is murder, and freedom is more important than the common good—all things that Rush Limbaugh warned us about.

Wouldn’t it be better if Rush Limbaugh were really one of us? Rush is right about one thing: freedom and greatness, like all ideas, are born of words; and he is certainly the “word king.” What he often fails to recognize is something all great thinkers and speakers forget: “It is not those who say, ‘Lord, Lord,’ who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of my father” (Matthew 7:21).

Even in the new America Obama wants to create, we can be happy. Even in our prison cells we can be happy. Even on the scaffold we can be happy. The Matyrology is full of happy people because their lives—including the circumstances of their endings—were oriented toward that which they made the focus of their lives: the salvation of their own souls. I want Rush Limbaugh to know that happiness. He—like all of us—will need it when the time comes.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Rush is da man! A happy man! Go Rush!

[freedumb2003]

Answer: Rush is a happy, lovable little furball.

[Joe 6-pack]

I’ve been listening to Rush since the early 90’s...In the last year or two (i.e., the 2008 campaign run up and election) I got the sense that Rush has been trying to remain positive while feeling the frustration of casting pearls before swine. Sometimes, I get the feel that he’s ready to throw up his arms and say “Why bother anymore...people just refuse to get it.”

[Ann Archy]

Amen! I feel the same way....why am I fighting so hard for such STUPID people that vote for creeps like OBAMA????

Our country will be totally finished when people like Rush say "I'm outta here". I am CLOSE.

[EGPWS]

Is Rush Limbaugh a happy man?

So the destruction of conservatism continues.

Rush makes me happy 3 hours a day.

The rest of you just have to hash it out on your own.

Life is good.....

[Joe 6-pack]

I meant to add to the end of my reply, "I don't blame him."

[Jemian]

we were still thinking, in the back of our minds: “What’s an unmarried man doing with Viagra?”

Ummm, no, we weren't thinking that.

As to the original question: IT IS NONE OF OUR BUSINESS WHETHER RUSH IS HAPPY OR NOT.

[gorush]

Happiness occurs between the ears. “Having it all” or abject poverty are equally irrelevant in determining a happy psyche. Therefore only Rush can answer that question. (obviously, IMHO)

[Responsibility2nd]

But to those of us who represent what can now only be referred to as the “old fashioned conservatives”—often misrepresented as “social conservatives” or “the religious right”—it is an obvious question; since it’s the person who has everything whom we instinctively recognize as having the most potential to be miserable.

Lets be clear: Being a "social conservative" is NOT the same thing as being part of "the religious right".

While Rush is a SoCon, he is not a part of the religious right.

And speaking as an evangelical born again Christian.... I can accept Rush for who he is. I listen to him.

[dinoparty]

This is a good article. Rush usually says the right things and I agree with his views on almost everything, its just that he is most passionate about things that should be second in priority, and less passionate about the most important things.

[humblegunner]

Rush has announced that he’s giving us another three day week because “some golf buddies are coming into town.”

He needs to discuss my failure to worship him with the other high rollers.

It has happened before.

[trisham]

Perhaps I'm wrong here, but this article smacks a wee bit of envy.

[Shanty Shaker]

And gossip is biblical?

[EGPWS]

Happiness occurs between the ears.

If this is a "French liquor" joke, nope I don't wanna' even go there. ; )

[Sloth]

Rush is a political commentator. I don’t recall him applying for the position of prophet or pastor.

[dinoparty]

If so, that shows ignorance of human nature and political life. It is futile to try to “convince” everyone of what is right; irrationality is the natural state of most people ... always has been, always will be.

[Hodar]

we were still thinking, in the back of our minds: “What’s an unmarried man doing with Viagra?”

What pitiful dolt thought that? I want to sell that idiot a brige, or some swamp land in Florida. What imbecile would say to himself "Golly, what would a single, muli-billionare with a beach-front home in Florida, numerous cars and aircraft, and money to burn - what could he possibly do with Viagra?"

Sometimes I believe I'm alergic to stupidity. Does this dolt never watch 'Two and a Half Men'? Hmmm, virutally unlimited wealth, power and influence, cars, planes and boats ... do you suppose, just maybe there is an off-chance that every woman within a 5,000 radius would want to hook up with him? Hugh Hefner somehow survives with Viagra, and he isn't married either. Time to go for a walk before I pound my head against a wall.

[dinoparty]

Yet people want to treat him as such.

[svcw]

He makes me happy.