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Column: Rush Limbaugh gives voice to conservatives
Greg Sainer / Columnist
Issue date: 3/4/09 Section: Opinions
Rush Limbaugh's name has been in the news quite a bit lately, mainly in regards to the Republican resistance against President Barack Obama's policies and the recent economic stimulus bill. Within his first week in office, Obama told congressional Republicans, "You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done."
Since then, Obama's staff and liberals alike have begun to equate Limbaugh as the leader of the Republican Party, with liberal groups using Limbaugh's "I hope he fails!" statement about Obama as reasoning for people to pressure their Republican congressmen into voting for the economic stimulus bill. The issue came to a head this past weekend when CNN's D.L. Hughley declared in a question to Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele that Limbaugh was the "de facto leader of the Republican Party." Steele shot back that Limbaugh was merely an entertainer and not the leader of the GOP, maintaining that he himself was the true "de facto leader" of the Republican Party, and in this regard he is correct.
The truth is, Limbaugh really is not a part of the Republican Party. Following the November election, Limbaugh has repeatedly stated reasons "why (he is) not a Republican," following with an explanation of what he believes is wrong with the current Republican Party. In response to the comments by Steele, Limbaugh said, "I would be embarrassed to say that I'm in charge of the Republican Party in the sad-sack state that it's in ... I would quit."
In reality, the national Republican Party is in trouble. With constant calls to be bipartisan and reach out to moderates and ethnic groups who generally vote for Democrats, Republicans have diluted their traditional stances and policies on government and economics in an effort to become more acceptable to all. Gee, that really worked in the last two elections, did it not?
Following the disaster of this past election, the group that brought the Republican Party into the modern political age has been considering what went wrong and what can be fixed: conservatives. Rush Limbaugh has been at the forefront of this assessment, giving the headline speech at this past weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., where he spelled out his problems with President Obama and liberals and called conservatives into action.
Limbaugh is simply the loudest voice out of many conservatives who are speaking out against President Obama's policies, Democratic efforts and the political kowtowing being committed by the national GOP. And truthfully, many conservatives are standing behind him in agreement.
While Limbaugh can be a bit brash and "incendiary," as Steele put it, many share the conservative values he adamantly defends. We conservatives do acknowledge the economic crisis we are in, along with the other problems our country faces. However, what we do not want is a larger government that controls much of the private sector and does not act within the bounds of the Constitution. That is what we conservatives fear the most, and for us, Limbaugh is one of the best resources for how to fight this fear.
Greg Sainer is a freshman chemistry major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
Since then, Obama's staff and liberals alike have begun to equate Limbaugh as the leader of the Republican Party, with liberal groups using Limbaugh's "I hope he fails!" statement about Obama as reasoning for people to pressure their Republican congressmen into voting for the economic stimulus bill. The issue came to a head this past weekend when CNN's D.L. Hughley declared in a question to Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele that Limbaugh was the "de facto leader of the Republican Party." Steele shot back that Limbaugh was merely an entertainer and not the leader of the GOP, maintaining that he himself was the true "de facto leader" of the Republican Party, and in this regard he is correct.
The truth is, Limbaugh really is not a part of the Republican Party. Following the November election, Limbaugh has repeatedly stated reasons "why (he is) not a Republican," following with an explanation of what he believes is wrong with the current Republican Party. In response to the comments by Steele, Limbaugh said, "I would be embarrassed to say that I'm in charge of the Republican Party in the sad-sack state that it's in ... I would quit."
In reality, the national Republican Party is in trouble. With constant calls to be bipartisan and reach out to moderates and ethnic groups who generally vote for Democrats, Republicans have diluted their traditional stances and policies on government and economics in an effort to become more acceptable to all. Gee, that really worked in the last two elections, did it not?
Following the disaster of this past election, the group that brought the Republican Party into the modern political age has been considering what went wrong and what can be fixed: conservatives. Rush Limbaugh has been at the forefront of this assessment, giving the headline speech at this past weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., where he spelled out his problems with President Obama and liberals and called conservatives into action.
Limbaugh is simply the loudest voice out of many conservatives who are speaking out against President Obama's policies, Democratic efforts and the political kowtowing being committed by the national GOP. And truthfully, many conservatives are standing behind him in agreement.
While Limbaugh can be a bit brash and "incendiary," as Steele put it, many share the conservative values he adamantly defends. We conservatives do acknowledge the economic crisis we are in, along with the other problems our country faces. However, what we do not want is a larger government that controls much of the private sector and does not act within the bounds of the Constitution. That is what we conservatives fear the most, and for us, Limbaugh is one of the best resources for how to fight this fear.
Greg Sainer is a freshman chemistry major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 6
Oy
posted 3/04/09 @ 9:05 AM CST
Does the DEN intentionally seek out terrible "conservative" columnists just to seem bipartisan? I haven't read an eloquent, thought out "rah rah Republican" piece in the DEN since 2008 election mania started. (Continued…)
RJ
posted 3/04/09 @ 12:05 PM CST
If there is no such thing as an eloquent, though out Republican, then how come the EIU Republicans flat out destroyed the EIU Dems in the campus debate. (Continued…)
Oy
posted 3/04/09 @ 2:53 PM CST
Then the DEN should get the EIU GOP to write the Republican columns instead of this garbage.
norris hall
posted 3/04/09 @ 7:32 PM CST
On 9/11 When America was in crisis all Americans rallied around President Bush.
His approval ratings shot up to over 90% Democrats and left wing liberals all rallied behind the President. (Continued…)
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