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I Don’t WANT Rush Limbaugh as the Voice of the Republican Party

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of Old Media people like columnist Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post and liberals like Pelosi and Obama who keep claiming that talk show host Rush Limbaugh is the only voice of the Republican Party. Imagine. A mere radio guy. Our voice!

I am through with Limbaugh’s supporting the long tradition of rugged American individualism, done with his harping on free trade, and up to here with his going on about the Founders and our American character. I am worn out with his bellicose talk of stopping terrorism, and so done with Limbaugh’s high profile as one of the most listened to conservative advocates in the country that I could just spit. I simply don’t want this Limbaugh character to be the sole voice of the GOP. Stop it now. Make it go away.

Instead, it would be nice if just ONE of our actual, purported Republican politicians would be the voice of the GOP espousing all the conservative ideals that Limbaugh so eloquently expounds upon day in and day out. Wouldn’t it be grand if just one guy with the guts to back up the rhetoric with a voting record would become the voice of the party of conservatism?

Liberals have their Ted Kennedys and Nancy Pelosis that do no compromising. They have their “Baghdad” Jim McDermotts that cavort across the globe advocating for murderers and tyrants the world over. They’ve had their presidential candidates “reporting for duty” that have in the past been key members of committees advocating for putting our own soldiers in jail and indicting Americans for faux war crimes. For that matter, the left even has an actual ex-president that runs to the support of every tin-pot dictator in the world pretending at being a diplomat.

The left is unapologetic for its support of Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot, the biggest mass murderers in history. They are resolved to turn our foreign policy over to foreign bodies like the UN. The left is four square against freedom of religion and keen to remove uncounted numbers of our Constitutional rights from us. They hate capitalism, property rights and are against open debate in our schools… yet they say so proudly and their politicians cultivate voting records that reflect those beliefs.

There’s no “compromise” there. The left knows that politics ain’t beanball.

And here we are. With current Republican Senators voting to confirm a tax cheat for Sec. of Treasury. Here we stand with recent presidential candidates that seemed not to have had the first clue about what the Constitution stands for. We had politicians willing to give away some many advantages that the judges we wanted never got seated. We even found ourselves not long ago with a Senate Majority leader in Trent Lott that almost gave more power to the Democrats than he did to his own party (not surprising, I guess, since he started his political life as one of them). There are so many that claim the mantle of Reagan and conservatism that shrink at every opportunity from the principles upon which they campaign that it isn’t even surprising any more.

Worse we have so-called “aides” to prominent Republicans calling Limbaugh and Sarah Palin “the extreme right” and denigrating some of the only voices speaking for our side. Take what John Weaver, “former senior aide to Sen. John McCain,” told the Washington Post, for instance.

“The Democrats and the far left will do all they can to grab electoral turf,” said Weaver. “And one sure way to do it is take some of the most controversial voices on the extreme right — like Limbaugh and [Alaska Gov. Sarah] Palin — and try to insist they speak for all members of the center/right movement.”

Limbaugh and Palin are the “extreme right”? Does this Weaver dolt have the first clue what it is that Limbaugh and Palin have ever said? No, what this Weaver character is doing is accepting the far left’s view of what constitutes “the extreme right” and acting by their rules. Weaver, like his former boss, have turned over the arena of ideas to the enemy and allowed them to determine how things will be defined. The Weavers, McCains, Lotts, Specters and Frists of the GOP spend more time finding things they can agree upon with the left than in advancing the principles of our own side.

No wonder McCain lost.

Yes, count me as one that is sick of Rush Limbaugh being the only national voice of the GOP. Not because I hate Rush or disagree with him much, but because the people we’ve actually elected to enact things for which Limbaugh advocates have so miserably failed to stick with those same first principles Limbaugh has voiced to well.

Certainly, its easier for Rush to talk than it is for politicians to vote and govern. Absolutely our system is based on the act of compromise, the art of what is possible. But what we currently have is a lopsided process. Only our side does any of that vaunted compromising. The left bends not an inch. We need a politician that can force the left to give in some of the time, too. And we needn’t allow ourselves to be fooled by the media and the left about support, either. Remember, Obama did not win a lopsided mandate. Despite the candidacy of the Obammessiah, nearly half the electorate still voted Republican. We have support.

Bring on a voice of the GOP that can Reagan-like step forward and legitimately accept the mantle as the voice of the GOP. Let Rush talk, of course, but let’s have someone that has some actual power in government who will also become our voice. After all, as Rush will be the first person to admit, he is just a guy behind a microphone and has no concrete power to wield. But, it simply must be realized that the reason Rush Limbaugh seems to be the voice of the GOP is because no one else is bothering to speak up. The rest are too timid to raise a voice.

Lastly, we have another thing to take away from this whole business. If Rush Limbaugh really is the voice of the GOP at this time, isn’t it because he has the message that the voters of the GOP want to hear? Limbaugh could not be that “voice” if he wasn’t being listened to by millions. The sooner some savvy, principled Republican realizes that Rush is not some raving lunatic screaming in the night as the left keeps telling them he is, the sooner some Republican realizes that he is someone that has the ear of millions of Republican voters and the sooner some politician takes up the baton that Limbaugh is holding out for a runner to take, the sooner we will have a voice of the GOP that can put our principles into action.

So, yeah. Bring on that next voice of the GOP. If we had more GOP voices willing to stand on principle, and fewer looking to develop a new era of “peace in our times” with the radical left, Limbaugh wouldn’t seem so darn lonely.

Photo of Limbaugh via Lighthouse Patriot Journal.

COMMENTS

  • bk

    the GOP has become the Democrat Lite party and it shows at the polls the past two elections. Why choose watered down Democrats when you can opt for the real thing? Some GOP leaders seem to think the problem is that the party was Democrat Lite when it really needs to be Democrat Ultra Lite. When will they learn? McCain’s numbers would have looked like Mondale’s in 1984 had Palin not been chosen.

  • Brian Hibbert

    when I read the headline. Instead you managed to spin it around into something that I think even Rush would agree with. He’s like to have some elected Republicans take his place as the GOP voice too. They just haven’t been living up to our standards.

    • http://conservablogs.com/publiusforum/ Warner Todd Huston

      I do believes they calls that a “hook.”

      • David123

        It seems like every Republican wears a dress or a kick-me sign, so our next president better be Rudy or Sarah

        Snark – unfortunately there is a grain of truth in the snark.

        • http://itsonlywords55@wordpress.com paulag1955

          Please don’t insult those of us who legitimately wear dresses. Some of us can speak the truth very well, thank you very much. Sarah Palin comes to mind.

      • RedMDer

        I have been thinking about how Obama has been specifically targeting Hannity and the Dems in general, Rush. It makes me very nervous when the most powerful man in the world singles out private citizens as examples of the “wrong” way. Smacks of despotism to me.

    • Praying

      then I saw the author, and thought “no way” – nice job! They say nice guys finish last – the GOP has tried too hard for too long to be all things to all people – and wound up being nothing to most people. I think we are starting to get it – I wonder if our elected GOP will get it, or if we will have to replace them. I wrote to every single GOP senator who voted to confirm Geithner, and asked how I was supposed to explain to my teenage boys (one who is of voting age) that their elected officials just confirmed a tax cheat and liar. Integrity and honesty are very important values – we all laugh at how crooked and dishonest politicians are – but I’m ready for that to be a characteristic of the left, not the right. Anyway, thanks for the article, and for getting my attention first thing in the morning!

      • itrytobenice

        He did a masterful job of explaining the position of all of us with a grain of sense in our heads.

        Hatch was forced to say over and over that he believed Geithner, and I’m not saying Hatch was lying about it, but if he really did believe him, Hatch needs to be checked into the building where the patients wear funny shirts.

  • rbdwiggins

    Rush is the voice of conservatism in America.

    Therein lies the problem with the Republican Party.

    • boyhowdy

      McCain calls himself a Republican. I call him a RINO. Republicans aren’t conservatives ALWAYS. Rush ALWAYS takes the Conservative side. Unlike John McCain and others who would sell their mother for a vote.

      • robmikpet

        Today there is a HUGE difference between conservatives and Republicans. No conservative could vote for the PORKULAS bill (that’s Rush’s joke by the way)

      • robmikpet

        Today there is a HUGE difference between conservatives and Republicans. No conservative could vote for the PORKULAS bill (that’s Rush’s joke by the way)

  • Jaded

    to actually have 20 million people actually be listening to a TRUE VOICE of opposition who is unafraid to tell the TRUTH!

  • Wubbies World

    …. because for the first time in a long time I read your article thinking that this is EXACTLY what is wrong with the Republican Party today!!!!!

    When a talk radio personality is our lone voice in the wilderness, when the main stream media has so severely coward our political leadership that they dear not speak up – we are screwed a political movement!

    The sad fact of the matter is that our political leadership lead by “moderate” Republicans who fought a herculean effort to oust conservatives in the party to lead us strait into this situation “INTENTIONALLY”!

    If the politicians in Washington do not get this, we need to launch more than just a rebuild from the grass roots. We need to actively campaign for more Republican blood at the polls. We need to do just that in the primaries now anyway.

    Make it so number one!

    • Wubbies World
  • smorgasbord

    I am a neutralist. I don’t belong to any party, but almost always vote Republican.

    You said, “Worse we have so-called ?aides? to prominent Republicans calling Limbaugh and Sarah Palin ?the extreme right? and denigrating some of the only voices speaking for our side.” For years I have watched the Republican party slowly swing the way of the democratic (lower case on purpose) party. They now use the illegals, government handouts, etc., to get votes. I call those kind of people republicrats because they are now a branch of the democratic party.

    I was a truck driver for 20 years and listened to conservative talk radio. I couldn’t listen to very many of them for very long, even though I agree with most of what they say. They are like Rush in the way they have all the answers, and if we would do what they say all would be OK.

    My biggest complaint is when someone calls in and they don’t get to talk hardly any, especially if the host disagrees with them. The host hangs up on them and derides the caller when they can’t defend themselves. That’s when I hit the scan button and start the whole process over again.

    • Wubbies World

      Or do you have an alternative?

      You are very good at criticizing Rush and talk radio but nowhere did you say how to address the spinelessness of politicians. It is easy to throw rocks. It is hard to be constructive. I find most moderates are that way towards conservatives. Maybe that is why you threw a rock and left?

      I’ll take what Rush is saying any day. What I can’t stand is people who sheepishly go along to get along with no principles. The Republican party is in that mode right now, are you?

    • Scope

      you will be able to go to 1040 for Roast Beef Receipies, or 1060 for Pork. And if they isn’t exciting enough for you, you can hit 1090 for the latest gardening tip. Doubt anyone would hang up on anyone without getting the whole ingredients list.

  • rick554

    I totally agree with RBD. When these politicians call themselves Republican, watch out. We need real Conservatives! Thankfully, there ARE some and these are the ones we need to support. Megga Dittos!

  • USNJIMRET

    Excellent job of getting my political passions flowing so early in the morning!!
    Like a couple of other posters, my first thought was that a Conservative voice I have tremendous respect for, Mr. Huston, had become infected and defected to the “Can’t we all just get along” school of surrender!
    And I agree that in all likelihood, Rush would indeed be first in line to support some elected Republican who would take up the mantle as Champion of Conservative Principles.
    God knows the left have theirs, he wakes daily in the White House.
    Ours has a Golden Mic.

    • http://conservablogs.com/publiusforum/ Warner Todd Huston

      Glad to get your heart pumping.

      • penguin2

        You nailed why so many of us have been downright discouraged, even depressed since the election. We have subconsciously picked up on the fact that there is no strong, elected politician speaking for us. “Me too Republicans” and “go along to get along” continues to be destructive for our party. I know a number of people who say listening to Rush, Hannity and others is what keeps them going during this political meltdown. Thank you WTH-but I am glad I have good blood pressure!

  • devCharles

    There was some hyperbole about liberals in there, but overall it did represent why my indifference to the rhetoric of Republican political leaders exists. That is, of course, the problem. Leaders should inspire and represent limited government in the best way possible.

    Let’s face it. At the base value, republicanism = smaller government, and, unfortunately for us, it’s a lot harder to understand than “just let the government handle it.” It will always be harder for us to show reason and logic and facts when Democrats are essentially offering free stuff. It takes someone of incredible talent to affect people the way Rush does.

    Do politicians in the republican party have that talent? I guess we’ll see if when trial by fire occurs someone will shine through.

  • EagleWatcher

    I could write a few pages in response because this has had me cringing in frustration as well. I will be brief.

    Until the Conservative movement and its defacto political wing the GOP come up with a strategy to get our message out we will continue to drift off into irrelevance. Even if someone emerges from the ranks like an Eric Cantor or Bobby Jindal they will be marginalized by the MSM.

    We need a strategy!!

  • http://streetlevel.blogtownhall.com Darvin_Dowdy

    …genteel rhetoric, measured tones and working with their “friendsh” on the other side of the isle. That’s the sort of pansies we get when we work hard to elect these individuals. They’re always willing to let someone else fight their battles for them. Its sad. Its disgusting.

    And, WTH, thanks. Thanks for singling out this Weaver guy and pointing a finger at him. This is what is needed desperately! I have high hopes for Erick’s “OPERATION LEPER” that it will be expanded. We need to clean up the GOP and purge this sort, like Mr. Weaver, from any influential positions they have. We need fire breathers and red, raw meat eaters. We’re in an all out war to save our Constitution. And I agree, Rush can’t fight alone. Darvin Dowdy

    • EagleWatcher

      When? When? When did the Dems ever compromise with the Bush Administration?

      Obam and the Dems are going to pilage the economy for their own gain. We should we “help” them by being all hopi-changi???

      • EagleWatcher

        it should read

        Why should we ?help? them by being all hopi-changi???

        Ooops!

      • wayneinnh

        RINOs like Senator Judd “Jughead” Gregg here in NH. The last Republican we have representing us comes out with this nugget.

    • arel

      causing the Democrats great concern. I don’t know if you have seen the DCCC’s web page as of late but there is a petition to send messages to Rush in opposition to his statements of Obama. It is pretty lame when you think about it. They are more concerned with what Rush is saying than what our Republican Congressmen are saying.

  • woodsman

    I thought the title was one where someone had finally sipped from the Koolaid of liberalism. Then I read the text. Absolutely spot on in all regards.

    Rush has the audience he has because no other has stepped up to the plate to take the battle to the lib’s. Lord knows no one in the National Republican party has taken the fight to the lib’s yet.

    And now the lib’s have started a new petition to express outrage at el Rushbo for his words of fact concerning BHO.

    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/01/27/dems-launch-online-petition-rush-limbaugh/

    Is there a Republican leader in the party? If so, please stand up!

  • Old_Crow

    Townhall, NR, etc. Great article, great logical construct.
    We need the Republican party to listen.

    • Wubbies World

      • Wubbies World
    • woodsman

      He has been using RedState material in several segments of his show recently. That would give national air time to this very quickly.

      The Republican party leadership needs a good spanking in the woodshed.

      • EagleWatcher

        He actually quotes it from time to time…

  • wolfgang

    …. dressed as Indians who tossed King George’s tea overboard into Boston Harbor. You have the Minute Men at Concord. You have the colonial volunteers wintering at Valley Forge. Both sides at Gettysburg. You have the Marine defenders at Wake Island who so surprised the Japanese invaders with their tenacious defense that the Japanese decided to murder the survivors. The 101st at Bastogne.
    After the space shuttle Columbia burned up on re entry, February 2003, there was quite a bit of discussion reagrding the merits of going back into space.
    One commentor replied during an interview “There are some things in life worth dying for.”

  • Mike gamecock DeVine

    Obama will attack who he fears, and that is Rush.

    But Rush is not a Republican any longer. Hadn’t you heard?

    He is the leader of the conservative movement, as he has been since Reagan EXPLICITLY passed the mantle.

    more later

    • http://conservablogs.com/publiusforum/ Warner Todd Huston

      First of all, Mike, it’s Warner, not Walter. Anyway, unfortunately, I am a night shifter and am never awake during Rush’s show, so I never get to hear it but occasionally. I had not heard that he decided he is no longer formally a Republican.

      I only get to hear Rush when my schedule is upset for what ever reason.

      • Mike gamecock DeVine

        His voice is VITAL and if you are going to write about him, 5-6 weeks of regular listening is required!

        more later

      • gekster

        http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/today.guest.html

        Might as well stick this here:
        Ive read the article, and then all the comments, and no one found the reason for the attacks on Rush.
        Because of the weakness of the Republican party,
        we did go for McLooser as our politicle head, didn’t we,
        the left is going after the strongest conservative voice in the country.
        It’s our fault that it IS a radio host.
        And they are trying to cut off the head of the snake, in order to kill the snake.

  • smagar

    Democrats and the WaPo (yes, I know, I’m repeating myself) seem to think that, because Their One won the election, we conservatives are now supposed to put aside our differences with Obama and do everything he wants?

    Sorry, but I don’t think the American people voted in November for a $900 billion “stimulus” bill full of boondoggles and Democratic party payoffs, which my son will have to pay for.

    • http://conservablogs.com/publiusforum/ Warner Todd Huston

      I don’t really care what Chris Cillizza thinks. His article was the catalyst for this piece and he represents the Old Media is all.

      • Mike gamecock DeVine

        Wouldn’t it be great if Obama felt the need to attack an actual elected leader in the GOP!

        amen on your column

  • Mike gamecock DeVine

    Mere?

    • http://conservablogs.com/publiusforum/ Warner Todd Huston

      Mere was meant as mild sarcasm, not to demean radio guys or elevate politicians.

      • Mike gamecock DeVine
  • TxCon

    is akin to the Scottish nobles in “Braveheart”. We need a few more William Wallace’s.

    • Achance

      Right now, unless you’re in a very safe district and have very high numbers, you face the equivalent political risk. The Republican Party has demonstrated that it can’t or won’t even protect its own.

    • azaeroprof

      Just remember how Wallace handles the problem of the nobles who betrayed the cause! Also, remember that it was one of those nobles who finally wised up and got the troops to rally. So who will be our Robert the Bruce? You can almost hear the conservative troops chanting “Rush, Rush, Rush” as they storm the fields at Bannockburn…

      • izoneguy

  • jdub19

    I really like this post.

    I for one want to see my Rep., Mark Kirk step up to the freaking plate and
    seek to be a larger player in the GOP

    I don’t know what he is waiting for…

  • DefendUSA

    That being said, it is absolutely astounding to me that there is a petition out for libs to sign and show their outrage about what Limbaugh did say in regard to the current stimulus and Obama. I have even gone so far as to sign it in support of Rush…Go to TH(Bare Nee Cessities) or here at DefendUSA blog.
    That the people who are supposed to be looking oout for us are threatened by a radio host says alot.
    Does Rush really want to be the voice, of course not. But it got their attention…or did it? Conservatives really, this IS the wake-up if you are still groggy….Let’s get it going and learn, NOW!!

    • janis

      For eight looooonnnnnggg years, all we heard was how George Bush was stifling dissent, limiting free speech, blah, blah, blah. Yet they never stifled themselves with their hate speech, nor were they chastised in any way.

      Now, they won all the marbles, yet they demand that we not only support them and their insane programs, but we must also keep our mouths shut while doing it. We are not supposed to dissent in any way, nor criticize, nor demand accountability.

      We would have been a lot better off if George Bush really HAD bussed them off to reeducation camps while they were fantasizing about that. (Just thinking about it brings the phrase “poo-flinging monkeys” come to mind.)

      • David123

        However, locking up the traitors who leak or publish top secret information in newspapers would have been a good thing.

      • David123

        However, locking up the traitors who leak or publish top secret information in newspapers would have been a good thing.

  • http://brockwayfamily.spaces.live.com/ Erick Brockway

    should read this on air today. In fact he may just do that. He reads this site more than most of us know.
    Now if only McCain had.

  • http://jeffemanuel.net Jeff Emanuel

    Nice one, WTH

    • http://conservablogs.com/publiusforum/ Warner Todd Huston

      Gotcha, eh?

  • http://www.scottbomb.com scottbomb

    We can stamp our feet all we want, and we’ve been doing so for some time, but nothing has changed. We need to take ACTION. I propose a 3-pronged approach. “Change” that WE can believe in:

    1. Hit ‘em where it hurts. No more donations to the GOP. Donate only to conservative candidates directly. I tried to register notoneredcent.com but the liberal that owns it won’t give it up unless I make a $1000 donation to MoveOn.org, Planned Parenthood, or ACORN!. MoveOn is the least threatening of the 3 but I don’t have an extra grand just laying around. Nevertheless, this idea is not dead. I’m considering a diary on this subject alone.

    2. No more open primaries. The last thing we need are Democrats influencing our choice of candidate. Most Republicans did not vote for John McCain in the primary. I wonder if the outcome would have been any different if only registered Republicans were allowed to vote. We need to lobby our state party leaderships to make this happen.

    3. Lobby, lobby, lobby. I write my Senators and Congressman at least a few times a year. And during the illegal immigration amnesty debacle, I showed up on their fax machine almost weekly. We ALL need to turn up the heat on our elected officials. Rush recently suggested hiring lobbyists but we can do this ourselves by becoming a thorn in their sides.

    4. Vote the RINOs out of office. If you have a RINO in your district/state, seek out and support their challengers. How in the world did you folks in SC allow the re-election of Lindsey Graham? You should be ashamed of yourselves.

    • gekster

      All the Hillary voters voted for McLooser when she was the one to ascend to the throne, before the real massiah got the nomination.
      Thats what happenned in The Peoples Republic of Michigan Republican primary.
      I wonder if those Hillary voters regret that now.

  • Wild_Wil

    Hussein Obama Pimping Everyone

  • Cheetah772

    Sarah Palin! Okay, not just her, but we do need more people like her who believe in conservative values and are loyal to conservative causes….

  • Read Chesterton

    Absolutely our system is based on the act of compromise,

    If that were true, we’d have a balanced D/R representation in Congress, and McCain would have won the presidency as “Mr. Compromise” himself. As it stands, “compromise” is exactly what got the GOP into its current putrid pickle. I challenge you to point out a single landmark political decision – conservative or liberal or anywhere in between – that was won via a compromise on either side of the congressional aisles.

    And finally, your premise that Limbaugh speaks (even in an ad hoc fashion) as a surrogate for GOP elected officials or candidates is false. He’s not an alternative politician. He’s alternative media.

    In obeisance to RS decorum, I will refrain from calling for the Whammmbulance in response to your article.

    • Aaron Gardner

      First of all nWTH put a “but” after the snip that you quoted and went on to say that we need to stop compromising because right now it is all one sided..or did you not bother actually comprehending what you were reading?

      Second, Limbaugh does speak for the GOP quite a bit, although not in a official sense.

      As far as you wanting to call the “whammmbulance”, should Republicans not be upset that nobody in the House or Senate is bothering to step up and stand for the principles that the party has adopted time and again since 1980?

      Get over yourself.

      • Read Chesterton

        under the premise of being weary of the premier conservative voice in the media loses me, even if it’s trying to be rhetorical.

        And I’m going to go ahead and disagree with your opinion that Limbaugh speaks for the GOP in any capacity. He denies such claims categorically and quite convincingly. To wit: If he were a GOP mouthpiece, in this day and age, he’d be a liberal.

        As for me, I’m weary of every other da#ned print/tv/radio media outlet being the voice of the Democrat party.

        • Vegas_Rick

          and satire, snark and sarcasm.

          I think you missed it. :)

  • ZootSuit

    If you want a conservative politician who is actually speaking and governing like a conservative, look no further than Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina. Nothing against Sarah Palin or even Bobby Jindal but no elected Republican official has articulated and administered conservative principles like Mark Sanford.

    And Republicans are giving him h*ll for it!

  • Lammo

    Seems to me we need another Contract with America – - a unifying platform to rally to in 2010 or we will continue to cry out in the wilderness.

  • http://www.realityunwound.com realityunwound

    Exactly! If El Rushbo is the voice of the party, it’s only because NO ONE ELSE IN THE PARTY IS SAYING ANYTHING WORTH LISTENING TO!! I started to feel good when Senatory Cornyn stood and looked like he was going to play hard ball against Hillary Clinton… then nothing. Geithner skated through with his almost offensively glib remarks about his mistakes (he’s either incompetent or crooked) and he skates through unapologetically.

    Repubs are buying the bi-partisan line. They’ve let the game be dictated to them. Hang this whole economic mess on them, and let’s make some change in 2010. Zero votes for bad, liberal, bills.

    I doubt it, but here’s to hope.

  • itrytobenice

    We have a few, like Pence and Coburn, that I very much admire. Now we need to all pray that we can rally behind one of them as a leader and that they can make a real difference.