Posted on 11/08/2006 11:54:25 AM PST by Ol' Sparky
'Liberated' Limbaugh flays GOP for lame campaign
Radio host: Conservative values not trumpeted by 'I'm-afraid-of-my-shadow Republican Party'
Posted: November 8, 2006
2:10 p.m. Eastern
By Joe Kovacs
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
Radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh says Republicans are to blame for their own demise at the polls by failing to run a campaign trumpeting conservative values.
"You and I hunger for ideological leadership and we're not getting it from the top. Conservatism, conservative ideology was nowhere to be found in this campaign from the top," Limbaugh said today in his post-election analysis. "The Democrats beat something with nothing. They didn't have to take a stand on anything other than their usual anti-war position. They had no clear agenda and believe me, they didn't dare offer one. Liberalism will still lose every time it's offered."
Democrats took control of the House of Representatives for the first time since 1994, with the fate of the Senate still uncertain.
Limbaugh said Republicans allowed themselves to be defined by Democrats and the media, and says they instead should have gone on the offensive.
"It's silly to blame the media. It is silly to blame the Democrats. It is silly to go out and try to find all these excuses," he said. "We have proven we can beat them. We've proven we can beat Democrats. We've proven we can withstand whatever we get from the drive-by media. Conservatism does that. Conservatism properly applied – proudly, eagerly with vigor and honesty – will triumph that nine times out of 10 in this current political environment and social environment in this country. It just wasn't utilized in this campaign."
Limbaugh, a longtime proponent of conservative ideology, believes the primary reason Republicans didn't campaign on their beliefs is "fear of criticism from those in the so-called establishment; and nobody wants to be criticized and nobody wants to go through their life in fear."
He listed a number of benchmarks which should have been the basis for successful campaigns including no terrorist attacks on the U.S. since Sept. 11, 2001, gasoline prices averaging $2.08 per gallon, increased take-home pay, a strong economy and an unemployment rate at a historically low level.
"We all know that there's very positive things happening out there, but it was not trumpeted by the people who should have been shouting it from the rooftops because they were proud of it," Limbaugh said. "They should have been shouting it from the rooftops, 'Look what we've done! Look how America can improve. Look how your future is brighter!' ... instead of allowing the template to be set by its critics. ... You have a defensive, Gee-I'm-afraid-of-my-shadow Republican Party."
In answering questions about how he feels about the election results, Limbaugh said, "I feel liberated. ... I no longer am gonna have to carry the water for people who I think don't deserve having their water carried. ... If those in our party who are going to carry the day in the future both in Congress and the administration are going to choose a different path than what most of us believe, then that's liberating. ...
"There have been a bunch of things going on in Congress. Some of this legislation coming out of there that I have just cringed at. And it has been difficult coming in here trying to make the case for it when the people who supposedly in favor of it can't even make the case themselves."
During the last mid-term congressional election in 2002, Limbaugh proclaimed the Democratic Party to be in total chaos, and advised it to drop failed strategies if members wish to see political gains in the future.
"They're a party in total disarray, total collapse, total chaos," he said at the time.
During the 2004 campaign, Limbaugh said the Democratic Party was completely without a leader in its hunt to regain the White House, and members were desperately trying to invent one.
"They are so absent leadership right now it's a joke," said Limbaugh, "and everybody knows this in the media, and the Democrats are out trying to manufacture one – they're trying to create one. And they've got this list of nine candidates for the Democratic nomination, and nobody can name one of them."
Maybe it's time to take over the Libertarian party. Or maybe to start a new Conservative party. Anyway, you can't blame the Libertarians, because they don't run the mainstream media, and they didn't have commanding majorities in the House and Senate for the last six years.
Personally, I've been giving him that benefit of the doubt ever since he let Kennedy write the education bill. And frankly, I'm fresh out of conservative compassion.
Israelis will by now have realized that they are on their own, so you may well be right.
Israel's only serious ally in the world has been the American Christian Right. And they have now been unceremoniously benched by the 'rats with the help of America's leftist Jews. Go figger.
Exactly, and a clear lesson for all future GOP candidates who attempt to do business with 'rats on a "bipartisan" basis: it will profit you nothing if you lose your soul.
Of course, DeWine was a "dead skunk in the middle of the road, stinkin' to high heaven" even before the campiagn started.
Hah! Or Marty Schottenheimer's "prevent defense".. guaranteed to prevent victory.
Don't try to bring rational thought into this feeding frenzy.
Nor have I heard of any GOP candidates who made Kelo an issue in their campaign. Talk about being out of touch.
No, it's time to cleanse the GOP of RINO influence, install conservative leaders and then and only then go after Democrats.
The Republicans have no chance of being a majority party again unless they return to the principles of Reagan.
"Pro-life" Casey is guaranteed to "grow in office" as soon as an abortion bill comes up.
Sherrod Brown is and always has been a scumbag leftist. Ohioans knew what they were getting, and going to catch, but insisted on doing their business in a whorehouse anyway. Penicillin all around after it's too late.
The one I can't understand is Talent in Missouri. As far as I know, there was no ethical scandal plaguing him. He didn't do anything stupid in the campaign, yet in Platte County, my former home, he lost by 4000 votes, while the Rep Congressman won by 5000.
Can't figure it out. Some in Mo have an answer? I'll concede that I could have missed something.
I think after two years of Speaker Pelosi and a president who really does go AWOL this time, there will be quite a lot of people who suddenly become very accommodating of Rudy's quirky positions.
Not that I want a christian theocracy. Where did I state that? I don't think that it is productive to have persons who proport to be republicans who seem to act more like the opposition. Why should I have to fight, from my own side and fight the opposition party too.
I am not a practicing christian. I am more agreeable to their side of of certain issues, but am not willing to surrender the secular freedoms we enjoy. There are practical limits to said freedoms.
Obviously abortion is toothpaste that is already out of the tube and it's not going to go back in no matter how hard any perticular group tries. Ther should be practical limits to when, how and to whom these proceedures can be applied. I certainly do not want such a proceedure performed on my 14 year old daughter without my knowledge and or consent. Then who is responsible if she develops complications from this proceedure.
Gun control is another issue that falls into this category. Certain restrictions are a good idea. I fail to see why a private citizen would need a fully automatic weapon. Common sense says that convicted felons have surrendered their right to posess firarms by their previous bad acts. But why worry about so-called assault weapons, 30 round magazines and other things that the anti-gunners have advocated. If I wanted to inflict mass casualties, I could certainly find better methods that the use of a gun.
I expect a certain fidelity to some core principles. It is the responsibility of these moderates to work within the party structure to get their ideas into reality, not work with the opposition to generate power for themselves outside the strucure. If you don't like what the speaker is advocating, work witin the party structure to oust the speaker. Stick your neck out and change the party strucure, or change parties. Don't sell the party out to the opposition. Have some courage of your convictions.
If your wife cheats on you with another man, are you expected to just forgive her without some level of contrition? I don't think so. I would think that you would have more respect for yourself.
These so-called moderates, are little more than cheating spouses that then come back home flaunting their infidelity and act like there are no consequences.
This is why there should be no room for these RINO's.
The Crats will feed the Saracen Beast and forgive wounds until there is no more meat and it claws their face and goes for the throat. Then they will react with nuclear missiles and the carnage all about the world will be massive. I fear that Constitutional America will not survive politically, even as the Mohos are crushed.
Maybe it's time to cleanse the republican party of WHINOs (those who continually whine to kick everyone out who doesn't share exactly their party line)
Reagan was unique, had broad appeal, and universal name recognition.
At least Limbaugh will have a great show for two years, or until the new Fairness Doctrine is enacted. When it becomes apparent that W won't veto anything, we will get the FD in full force, and probably retroactive so that talk stations will have to surrender all their time to Al Franken and Randolphia Rhodes to make up for years of Rush Limbaugh et al.
Now that it's over, I can delight in the fact that Chafee was ejected and Kean was destroyed.
As for your thoughts on RINOS, the straight political truth is that a party can only go as far as the moderates are willing to take it. IOW, the Repubs are going to have to look at its entire agenda and see what is working with the moderate voter and what isn't. Then they'll have to prioritize the agenda, perhaps de-emphasizing some things, seeking compromise on other issues, and sticking to their guns on certain things. My sense is, from talking to various family members and friends over the last few months, that the social conservative agenda is driving away the moderate voters that the Repubs need to win and keep a majority.
IMO, perhaps it's time to compromise on some of the some of the social conservative agenda and look to the future. We can't win on everything so we really need to prioritize on what's most vital to the country.
Bringing my Dad's history into the discussion was to show social conservatives here that its not only far Left liberals that have a problem with social conservatives and their politics, but many ordinary decent Christians like my father that fear a backlash against religion if they screw the pooch, politically speaking. He'd rather see social conservatives drop their agenda rather than risk harm to the religion that he's tried so hard to live up to and bring people to all his life.
Maybe he and I are wrong. But what if he and I are right? Which should be more important to Christians, winning elections or preserving the credibility of their faith and religion so they can fulfill their mission to meet the spiritual needs of their members and convert the lost? Winning elections will not win any souls to Christ but Christian over-reach in politics could do damage to the church's standing in the community. It may well be time for Christian conservatives to consider these questions. At the very least, I hope my social conservative friends understand there is some risk to their various denominations due to their foray into politics and moderate (there's that word again, LOL) their rhetoric and goals accordingly.
Sorry to be so long-winded. LOL. Take care.
I've lived there for a few months. Trust me, the Chinese government is much more active and activist and costly. They have a bridge to nowhere so big it's one of the seven wonders of the world!
Seriously, though...you do have more freedom in China than you do here, until you stick your head up and the governmetn notices you and nationalizes your assets. The graft and corruption once you get going can be pretty intense. Imagine an IRS audit run by Don Corleone.
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