tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post2287585525936290764..comments2024-03-19T04:42:41.038-05:00Comments on Althouse: The Democrats and Rush Limbaugh: An intriguing symbiosis.Ann Althousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01630636239933008807noreply@blogger.comBlogger192125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-47404090860620157382009-03-06T16:14:00.000-06:002009-03-06T16:14:00.000-06:00all they are doing is making it easier for him to ...<I> all they are doing is making it easier for him to pay his bills and give away super bowl tickets and auction off stupid Harry Reid memorabilia.</I><BR/><BR/>Obama doesn't care if Limbaugh succeeds. He does care if the Republican Party fails, because they've set themselves the goal of making HIM fail. <BR/><BR/> And if Obama can tie the GOP in the public's mind to a racist, self-aggrandizing drug addict who got caught coming back from a solo trip to the Dominican Republic with a suitcase fill of Viagra, then the public perception of the Republicans as the party of corruption, phoniness, hypocrisy and racism will be set in stone for years to come.*<BR/><BR/>Bless their little hearts, the GOP seems determined to help Obama do just that by bowing the knee every time Rush bellows. <BR/><BR/>Remember, Rush may have, on a good week, 25 million listeners--but 65 million voted for Obama. I know which side I'm betting on. <BR/><BR/>*Please, before you start the tiresome and utterly predictable sputtering about how "It's the DUMBocrats who are corrupt! It's the LIEberals who're racists!" etc. etc....keep in mind who decisively WON the last election and consider whether public perception--which is what we're talking about here--conforms to your deranged fantasies.JD Rhoadeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07123361739160525998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-43570751094120672082009-03-05T11:03:00.000-06:002009-03-05T11:03:00.000-06:00Michael said... Peter V. Bella - Isn't it just a t...Michael said... <BR/><EM>Peter V. Bella - Isn't it just a tad too late to be bad mouthing FDR?<BR/><BR/>Skip those history classes?<BR/><BR/>Never read a fucking book?<BR/><BR/>DUH.</EM><BR/><BR/><BR/>Ah, I guess you never pay afuckingttention; the One has been bringing up the greatness of FDR and his policies.<BR/><BR/>Have you ever read a history book? The Democrast during the last century have done more harm than good. Please, why are the Kennedys lauded for shredding the Constitution? Why is FDR lionized for the concentration camps? Oh, and of course we now lionizing Teddy boy before he croaks. How about this for history? Maybe you should look up Mary Jo Kopechne.Peter V. Bellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04209902525167395224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-14545138029673352202009-03-05T07:27:00.000-06:002009-03-05T07:27:00.000-06:00What a bunch of pathetic PR wankers. That makes th...What a bunch of pathetic PR wankers. <BR/><BR/>That makes the Dems look like a fucking marketing department rather than a serious political party. A serious political party would concern itself with maintaining its popularity by articulating good policy. <BR/><BR/>Is that too hard for the Dems? Because what we get instead is this is a cynical, frivilous, empty, and manipulative attempt to gain popularity by pitting themselves against Limbaugh. I guess this must be the best they have; what else are they going to talk about, their wasteful turkey of a stimulus bill? <BR/><BR/>Pathetic.MChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08198032263606330137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-31616540618495673502009-03-05T07:05:00.000-06:002009-03-05T07:05:00.000-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.KCFleminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00124201866124646626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-75455376057239446652009-03-05T06:53:00.000-06:002009-03-05T06:53:00.000-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.KCFleminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00124201866124646626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-18594220869883125932009-03-05T00:26:00.000-06:002009-03-05T00:26:00.000-06:00This is the real Seven Machos, Althouse. I didn't ...This is the real Seven Machos, Althouse. I didn't make up the fake Michael. I feel like I contribute quality comments to this little part of the universe. Unlike this pest Michael. I think you should erase these fake comments. At the same time, I am genuinely flattered that someone would take the time to make up a fake me.<BR/><BR/>Interesting, Michael, that you should be here at the same time as the fake me.<BR/><BR/>Also, my household income is well in excess of $250,000 each year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-77184238362924895582009-03-05T00:24:00.000-06:002009-03-05T00:24:00.000-06:00The only people who view Rush in a positive light ...The only people who view Rush in a positive light are his dittohead followers and any Republican politician who thinks he might help out.<BR/><BR/>And why would anyone want to be referred to as a fucking dittohead...unless they have a screw loose?Robertohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15134027971098573102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-5550128680616989692009-03-05T00:21:00.000-06:002009-03-05T00:21:00.000-06:00that suggests that the thinking behind all this is...<I>that suggests that the thinking behind all this is that young people view Limbaugh negatively.</I><BR/><BR/>I wonder what percentage of young people of or right at voting age even pay attention to Limbaugh, positively or negatively. DBQ's anecdote about the young GOP phonebanker rang true for me; I don't hear anything from the college freshmen and sophomores I teach one way or the other. I think they're immersed in other media.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16774002797359859550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-32720645085803631662009-03-05T00:20:00.000-06:002009-03-05T00:20:00.000-06:00Since we all know that 90% of the people here make...Since we all know that 90% of the people here make less than $250,000...this might be interesting:<BR/><BR/>Over the last three decades, a period that spans Republican and Democratic administrations alike, average family income has scarcely budged an inch, while the wealthy have grown measurably wealthier.<BR/><BR/>In 1979, the top 1% of U.S. households earned 8 times as much as the middle 20% and 23 times as much as the bottom fifth;<BR/><BR/>By 2005, the Congressional Budget Office found, the upper crust touched 21 times as much as the middle class<BR/><BR/>And 70 times as much as the bottom.<BR/><BR/>Adjusting for inflation, the average American worker made 16% less in 2004 than in the 1970s, according to economist Benjamin M. Friedman.<BR/><BR/>*That's right: Right now the AVERAGE AMERICAN makes 16% LESS than they did in the 70's...isn't that great??<BR/><BR/>Will the Obama budget redress this imbalance? Let's take a measured look at what he proposes.<BR/><BR/>The budget plan would restore the top income tax brackets to their levels before the 2001 Bush tax cuts, with the topmost rate rising to 39.6% from 35% now, hardly an excessive increase. The higher taxes kick in at $250,000 for a married couple and $200,000 for individuals.Robertohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15134027971098573102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-55797154469893730322009-03-05T00:12:00.000-06:002009-03-05T00:12:00.000-06:00Peter V. Bella - Isn't it just a tad too late to b...Peter V. Bella - Isn't it just a tad too late to be bad mouthing FDR?<BR/><BR/>Skip those history classes?<BR/><BR/>Never read a fucking book?<BR/><BR/>DUH.Robertohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15134027971098573102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-7024929724436272282009-03-04T23:08:00.000-06:002009-03-04T23:08:00.000-06:00It really seems to me to be a tremendous mistake f...It really seems to me to be a tremendous mistake for Obama to go after Limbaugh.<BR/><BR/>There's an article out there, from some decent source, Politico perhaps, that suggests that the thinking behind all this is that young people view Limbaugh negatively. Thus, attacking Limbaugh helps with a core group of Obama supporters.<BR/><BR/>I think this strategy is poor, on a number of levels. I wonder what the percentage of young people that voted was in 2008, given that McCain wasn't horrifically trounced percentage-wise.<BR/><BR/>Regardless, I also wonder whether these young people will sustain their optimism as the economy continues to tank. Young people have fewer skills and less capital. They are most likely to be hurt in an economic downturn.<BR/><BR/>Still further, middle-aged people and old people -- who do and will vote -- are seeing their wealth disappear. They are not going to be happy as the recession deepens.<BR/><BR/>Ultimately, Obama is all about symbols -- the symbol of electing a black president (truly a great and important symbol), the symbols of optimism and hope and change. As the intractable economic facts, and the facts of foreign policy and domestic politics accumulate, these symbols are likely to lose their luster.<BR/><BR/>If I could go short on Obama today, I certainly would.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-8919865032787644232009-03-04T22:50:00.000-06:002009-03-04T22:50:00.000-06:00So might makes right after all, don't it, Beth?Wha...<I>So might makes right after all, don't it, Beth?</I><BR/><BR/>What are you talking about, Pogo? All I said is that it's always the losing side calling for debate AFTER the election. As if the election isn't part of the debate. Your response is nonsensical; there's nothing about "might" - it's about winning the debate.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16774002797359859550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-34197120614536120492009-03-04T22:06:00.000-06:002009-03-04T22:06:00.000-06:00Shorter Wingnut Revisionist History in 30 seconds:...<EM>Shorter Wingnut Revisionist History in 30 seconds:</EM><BR/><BR/>Even shorther moonbat history:<BR/>FDR established concentration camps for Japanese, German, and Italian AMERICANS.<BR/><BR/>Truman ordered the FBI to illegally wiretap organizations of the far right and far left.<BR/><BR/>JFK shredded the first amendment and allowed his brother RFK to illegally wire tap and illegally spy on people.<BR/><BR/>LBJ continued this pogrom on the Constitution.<BR/><BR/>Jimmy Carter eviscerated the military and the intelligence entities doing great harm and setting the stage for 911.<BR/><BR/>Bill Clinton was to busy getting head in the oval office and being an Arabist, like his wife, the supporter of the PLO, ignored all the signs and intelligence that we would be attacked. He also proposed and got legislation passed allowing toxic loans and threatened banks that did not provide them.<BR/><BR/>Look where we are today.<BR/><BR/>The Democrats shredded the constitution, caused 9/11 and the hatred of America, and destroyed the greatest economy in history.<BR/><BR/>Now we have Pelosi's puppet wanting to shred the imperfect constitution and further wreck the economy. The only poll that matters is in. The stock market keeps dropping every time the ONE opens his mouth.<BR/><BR/>All because it was so important to have a Black president and make history; no matter how inexperienced and juvenile he was.Peter V. Bellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04209902525167395224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-60750725018959952902009-03-04T22:00:00.000-06:002009-03-04T22:00:00.000-06:00I have taken a total of 8 graduate and post-gradua...<I>I have taken a total of 8 graduate and post-graduate level economics courses at 4 different universities over the last 22 years.</I><BR/><BR/>So what you're saying is that you like to waste time. :)MadisonManhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01212179466758420208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-80687182919903134182009-03-04T21:46:00.000-06:002009-03-04T21:46:00.000-06:00I agree with Henry and Madison Man. I voted for O...I agree with Henry and Madison Man. I voted for Obama, wish him well, and think he is normally very shrewd, but I reckon he may have badly miscalculated in attacking Limbaugh. As others have pointed out, Limbaugh is very good when he is able to point out the weaknesses in Democratic arguments. He is rather weak when he has to formulate or defend Republican policy. <BR/><BR/>He may be at his best when he is able to lampoon Democrats and make them look ridiculous. His referring to John Edwards as “The Breck Girl” was a brutal lampoon and may have helped destroy Edwards among working class voters. No matter whether this helps Republicans or not, it is made to order for Limbaugh. I am sure that, even as I write this, he is readying his sarcasm for the upcoming weeks; I am also sure that his ratings will show a sharp spike.Frodo Potterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03035898465727917025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-74221147987410921662009-03-04T21:40:00.000-06:002009-03-04T21:40:00.000-06:00"That's what the losing side says after an electio...<I>"That's what the losing side says after an election."</I><BR/><BR/>So might makes right after all, don't it, Beth?KCFleminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00124201866124646626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-73472269187350624472009-03-04T21:06:00.000-06:002009-03-04T21:06:00.000-06:00But, you know what? They’ve never had a serious de...<I>But, you know what? They’ve never had a serious debate over ideas.</I><BR/><BR/>That's what the losing side says after an election.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16774002797359859550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-33177753054320244292009-03-04T20:48:00.000-06:002009-03-04T20:48:00.000-06:00I have taken a total of 8 graduate and post-gradua...I have taken a total of 8 graduate and post-graduate level economics courses at 4 different universities over the last 22 years.<BR/><BR/>5 were taught by political liberals, 3 by conservatives, and 1 by someone somewhat in the middle. The conservatives, one of the liberals and the middle-of-the-roader all agreed on basic figures and facts - they differed only on cause and effects.<BR/><BR/>The other four liberals couldn't ever seem to get their facts straight. They always skewed the "real important" facts their way. They could always explain everything according to their politics, which was amazing, because none of the liberals would have agreed on the same "real important facts".<BR/><BR/>Liberal economists and historians - as we just saw with Michael's lame attempt to rewrite Joe's actual true facts of history to skew the "results" Michael already wanted - will always skew the truth. It's in their very nature.<BR/><BR/>Paul Erlich and the Population Bomb is just one of my favorite liberal lying professors with egg on his face.<BR/><BR/>Why don't people like him give pause to all liberals about just accepting whatever any liberal "authority" says?<BR/><BR/><BR/>Looks like I'm going to have to start training everyone on the dangers of political liberals. I can't defend the poor job conservatives did, especially when they had the full Congress and the Presidency. They blew it, big time.<BR/><BR/>But the conservatives being wrong to act correctly does not validate liberal idiocy or turn it into truth.Host with the Mosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17688942020227316003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-20515646241350601692009-03-04T20:37:00.000-06:002009-03-04T20:37:00.000-06:00garage, you're closer to the truth than you will e...garage, you're closer to the truth than you will ever know.Host with the Mosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17688942020227316003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-83478677234712520712009-03-04T20:33:00.000-06:002009-03-04T20:33:00.000-06:00Shorter Wingnut Revisionist History in 30 seconds:...Shorter Wingnut Revisionist History in 30 seconds:<BR/><BR/>FDR caused the Great Depression. Did okay with the war I guess. Skip ahead to Truman. He sucked. Smart enough to drop 2 huge bombs though. Not the worst ever. Eisenhower so-so. Kind of a RINO. JFK okay Democrat he cut taxes! LBJ a Democrat spent way too much money. Poverty. LOL. Nixon, well not a true conservative anyway. Jimmy Carter. A Democrat. Worst EVER! Now we get to Reagan. Best Ever! Saved the world from Communists with his bare hands. Clinton. Got a blow job. Would be worst ever if not for Carter. Peace and prosperity was from the genius of Newt Gingrich. Bush. Saved the world from Saddam Hussein before he could build the bomb. He had the bomb, he just hid it. Chris Dodd and Barney Frank are responsible for the economic mess we're in. Obama. Epic failure before even taking office. Probably will eclipse Carter for worst ever. Actually he already is the worst.garage mahalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06485491995866513686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-22477891474097680682009-03-04T20:27:00.000-06:002009-03-04T20:27:00.000-06:00A bigger point: a massive financial speculative pr...A bigger point: a massive financial speculative proceeded the great depression, though it was ultimately caused the by the response of Congress, at the urging of Hoover--namely protectionism and economic policies frighteningly akin to today. FDR took over and made it worse, using many of the same things Obama is now advocating. Unfortunately, the Japanese did many of the same things. This isn't change, it's a broken record.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04450897654318345683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-52347357609407770272009-03-04T20:21:00.000-06:002009-03-04T20:21:00.000-06:00Michael, you are very, very bad at math.Second, by...Michael, you are very, very bad at math.<BR/><BR/>Second, by 1941 the depression was essentially over. That doesn't change the fact that FDR extended a 2-3 year depression by another 7 years.<BR/><BR/>I included the 1930 figures to show what was happening already so that there was context. Also to reinforce that FDR really did extent the depression and did not slash anything. (Again, you need to take some remedial math.)<BR/><BR/>You are also ignoring the context of my reply; that FDR was a fantastic president who slashed unemployment before he embraced nasty economic theory. The numbers belie the lame attempts to justify FDRs shitty presidency.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04450897654318345683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-40330372743481565332009-03-04T18:13:00.000-06:002009-03-04T18:13:00.000-06:00Joe - FDR was President between 33-45.As to your "...Joe - FDR was President between 33-45.<BR/><BR/>As to your "slash" comment...<BR/><BR/>1933 24.9 Start HERE<BR/>1934 21.7<BR/>1935 20.1<BR/>1936 17.0 Slashed it by 31%<BR/>1937 14.3<BR/>1938 19.0<BR/>1939 17.2 <BR/>1940 14.6<BR/>1941 9.9 Slashed another 60%Robertohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15134027971098573102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-40555352832222397412009-03-04T17:45:00.000-06:002009-03-04T17:45:00.000-06:00FLS: The Communists in this country used to claim...FLS: The Communists in this country used to claim that they joined the Party because in Russia there was no unemployment. It is useful to know that there were a certain number of idealists in this country who believed that a totalitarian dictatorship was a good way to lessen unemployment.....Unemployment did not end because of government spending. Unemployment ended because the government rounded up all the young men, put them in uniform, and sent them overseas.... I have heard several influential economists with Obama's ear assert that the answer to the current crisis is to spend as much on it as we did on WWII. That is the lesson they learned from the Great Depression....My lesson is that there were any number of crackpot schemes for ending the Great Depression, and the ones that looked the most effective, i.e. Nazi Germany and the USSR, were, in fact, the most pernicious.Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07837540030934495651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-80230177610703298372009-03-04T17:44:00.000-06:002009-03-04T17:44:00.000-06:00The thing is, Rush is out for himself. He is a cap...<I>The thing is, Rush is out for himself. He is a capitalist.</I><BR/><BR/>The term "capitalist" refers to people who support private property and free markets.<BR/><BR/>The term for a person who is out for himself is "self-centered", not "capitalist". You can be out for yourself and simultaneously be an enthusiastic Marxist.Revenanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11374515200055384226noreply@blogger.com