Rush Limbaugh's ATTACK on America

If I had the ability to read just one person’s mind, I’d tap into the infamous mind of Rush Limbaugh. Why use such an amazing power on such a dubious character? Limbaugh is influential to a significant portion of our country. Those who care for the plight of Americans must aid President Obama in keeping the motives of his “enemies closer” than the plethora of his yes-men.

On January 16th of this year, Limbaugh said he was asked by a "major American print publication" to commemorate Barack Obama's Inauguration by joining a select group of prominent politicians, educators, and pundits each writing 400 words on their hopes for the Obama presidency. Limbaugh just couldn't do it. "...I've been listening to Barack Obama for a year-and-a-half. I know what his politics are. I know what his plans are, as he has stated them. I don't want them to succeed," Limbaugh said.

Grasping Limbaugh’s reasoning will help develop a dialogue Limbaugh (and his constituents) can understand as to why witnessing President Obama’s policies (namely economic) fail would be the worst possible scenario for Americans and eventually the rest of the world. If failure ensues, sure Obama will have egg on his face, but more importantly the American people will suffer the brunt of the downfall. If Obama’s policies fail, he still has a job and will still get a paycheck. However, it’s likely that the sporadic shanty Tentvilles (similar to 1930s era Hoovervilles) that are springing up all across America will be more a constant.

Is it really as bad as all that? Mustn't we commend Limbaugh for having the courage to speak against an administration that he truly thinks is riddled with problems? Should he be expected to be encouraging? Isn’t it his prerogative to mar an American tradition with nationally syndicated cynicism? It would be nice to hear encouraging words from Limbaugh, the countries most popular, highest paid ($38 million contract, and $100 million in bonuses) conservative radio host with over 20 million listeners weekly. It would have been appropriate, but he couldn’t bear to put his feelings aside to enrich an honored American ceremony.

The issue doesn’t lie with Limbaugh's total disapproval of Obama and his administration. Instead, dismay is with his lack of respect for the country, which is the people. You can wave the American flag around all day (as he does on his website), but when you proudly state your hope and desire that the policies aimed at pulling the majority of Americans out of a record high recession fails, (before it's even put in place to have opportunity to demonstrate capacity to turn the tides) you are not concerned or in touch with the core of the country, its people.

Limbaugh told Barbara Walters that he feels Barack Obama is a sincere and genuine person. He very well could have said that instead of "Okay, I'll send you a response, but I don't need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails." His true attitude was expressed when Walters asked if he thought his work is worth $138 million dollars a year especially during a foreboding recession. Without hesitation Limbaugh said he is very much worth the millions. "What recession?... I choose not to participate," he claimed. Must be nice. It’s apparent that he's in a position to hope the economic plan and other Obama policies fail, because unlike the vast majority of the country (and world) Rush is party to an elite group that will remain above water no matter how the economy ebbs and flows, or perhaps, droughts and floods.

Expectations for President Obama are high, and his choices will make or break millions of people. It’s important that we view him with a critical, yet encouraging and hopeful eye.