Say Goodbye to Rush Limbaugh!
By David Hinz Posted in 2008 — Comments (52) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
The recent attacks orchestrated against Conservative talk show hosts by the Soros-backed Media Matters for America, demonstrates eloquently what we can expect to happen in 2009 should Hillary -- or any Democrat for that matter -- win the White House in '08, and the Democrats maintain power in Congress.
What we have seen in the attacks against Bill OReilly and Rush Limbaugh are merely the first salvos in the war to return to the "Fairness Doctrine."
While (in the minds of liberals) there is complete fairness and balance of political thought on commercial television, dominated by ABC, CBS and NBC, talk radio still stands out (in their minds) as a stronghold of conservative bias. All efforts to balance out the talk radio airwaves, through programming such as Air America, have been met with bitter failure. Media giants like Clear Channel have unfairly blocked the liberal message from the public, through ratings based bias. Liberals see the failure of their message over the radio as intolerable -- and unable to win (as Rush would say) in the Arena of Ideas -- they seek to kill the messenger.
The weapon of choice is the so-called Fairness Doctrine!
Over the next year we can expect to see greater attacks orchestrated by Media Matters, and distributed by the MSM, just as we have recently seen in both the OReilly and Rush Limbaugh cases. In both cases, a sentence or phrase, taken out of context, has been turned into a MSM circus, used to demonstrate that the host is a racist-bigot-homophobe unfit to pollute the airwaves -- but since the American people are too stupid to stop listening to these people, the government will be forced to step in --in the national interest -- and impose censorship fairness.
In the words of a (in his mind) great American;
A chill wind is blowing in this nation. A message is being sent through the White House and its allies in talk radio and Clear Channel and Cooperstown. If you oppose this administration, there can and will be ramifications.
Every day, the air waves are filled with warnings, veiled and unveiled threats, spewed invective and hatred directed at any voice of dissent. And the public, like so many relatives and friends that I saw this weekend, sit in mute opposition and fear.
Once the Democrats attach themselves to power in the White House and Congress, you can expect that chill wind to become a northern gale worthy of the most dire predictions of Newsweek Magazine. Given the chance, the Democrats will return AM Radio to Top-40 format, and stifle any debate whatsoever over the airwaves.
After all, fairness dictates that only one voice be heard -- and that voice speaks the liberal mantra.
"No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong." - Winston Churchill
"The turkeys are hitting the ground like sacks of wet cement! Not since the Hindenberg tragedy has there been anything like this!"
Every time I see that episode, I laugh so hard I get to coughing...
...when they see me they'll say, "There goes Loren Wallace,
the greatest thing to ever climb into a race car."
Consensus doesn't prove anything, in science or anywhere else, except in democracy, maybe. - Reid Bryson, speaking on Global Warming
When I saw the original comment "the Democrats will return AM Radio to Top-40 format,", WKRP just sprung into my head. I tried to temper it with an actual relevant opinion, but it got away...
...when they see me they'll say, "There goes Loren Wallace,
the greatest thing to ever climb into a race car."
The last time the Fairness Doctrine was adjudicated was really prior to the advent of things like the Internet and a competitive cable news landscape -- not to mention what talk radio has become (and satellite radio, podcasting, etc.)
It would surprise me if 5 of the justices of the current Supreme Court would sit idly by while any avenue of information was silenced.
Keep in mind that the justification for the FD rested upon the old paradigm that access to a broad audience was hard to come by and held in relatively few hands.
The ironic thing about the FD debate is that its proponents talk about the consolidation of media...at a time when literally anybody with a microphone and an Internet connection can broadcast their voices.
The whole idea of "media consolidation" is laughable when you consider, for instance, what Matt Drudge and Markos Moulitsas have done...among others.
I'd like to beleive that the SCOTUS is above ignoring (or better yet, rewriting) the constitution in order to get to a result that they like, but I keep coming up short on the right to privacy upon which Roe is based.
If they can find a previously unknown clause in the Bill of Rights, they can find a way to support just about anything.
_____________________________
"You can't save the Earth unless you're willing to make other people sacrifice" - Scott Adams (speaking through Dogbert)
You do realize that Anthony Kennedy is the new ruler of the United States, don't you?
Its impossible for me to have faith in the author of what Scalia rightly derided as the 'sweet mystery of life' doctrine of constitutional interpretation.
No critism of any individual on this site intended or offered. However, we as a group seem to be fighting amongst ourselves (Religious right vs imagined Christian haters) and Paulbots vs. everyone else.
While we fiddle, the left is as focused as ever and the focus is on dammaging Rush Limbaugh and conservative talk radio. They ARE as we speak scheming to have Rush removed from Armed Forces Radio. If most conservatives spend their time assuming things will just work out, they will be wrong. If we are not calling our congresscritters as much as they looney moonbats are calling theirs, there IS a chance we will lose!
There is too much complacency around here on many subjects, this is not a debating society, we must start getting fired up, focused, and act!
Molon Labe!
But the ratings for Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, etc. indicate a huge market for conservative talk radio.
Either that, or it indicates a lot of people still haven't put FM radios or CD players in their '78 Toyota pickups.
Mark Twain once said: “Never pick a fight with a man who buys his ink by the barrel.” Rush Limbaugh buys electrons by the solar mass.
Democrats imagine that no one listens to Rush Limbaugh because they don't, and no one they know does. Big mistake.
Drink Good Coffee. You can sleep when you're dead.
I love this site. What I don't like however, is seeing the picture of Bill Cinton every time I log on.
Actually... you're wrong on only one point Mr. Hinz; George Soros and his buddies at Moveon and Media Matters actually believe Network news are conservative outlets with conservative views all controlled by the evil corporate master Rupert Murdoch.
Any organization that doesn't believe exactly what their groupthink is is AUTOMATICALLY a neo-con outlet.
And nothing but the the truth. That is what our side must strive for in this case and cases like it. Rush's transcripts are available and should be reproduced in as many places as possible. The Dems have now gotten deep into bed with this group.
We must expose these smear merchants for what they are. Media Matters relationship with Soros is also part of the story. Their cozy relationship is another part of the story. Soros is trying to buy the next election and his goal is to change this country in a radical way. If the Dems get elected he will be one step closer to it. That is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'"
Ronald Reagan
"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts."
Edward R. Murrow
of Media Matters
" We are certainly better prepared and more focused on, you know, taking our arguments, and making them effective, and disseminating them widely, and really putting together a network, uh, in the blogosphere, in a lot of the new progressive infrastructure, institutions that I helped to start and support like Media Matters and Center for American Progress."
Sounds like the junior senator confirmed my contention from Sunday: "Hillary and her backers have created an advocacy network whose expressed goal is to take down all of her critics in the media. "
When Hillary Clinton says she helped start-One can bet that means George Soros is the one she helped.
By posting this I will be tripling his audience but no matter Scarborough just defended Rush.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2007/10/02/scarborough-med...
O'Reilly also did his TPM and a segment on it last night and he may even be on his show tonight. Those transcripts are not available yet.
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'"
Ronald Reagan
"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts."
Edward R. Murrow
The amazing thing about these folks is that for the last seven years they've been the loudest screamers, the most controversial and profligate creators of dissent, defilement and protest...even from some dork who doesn't have a job in New Jersey like Eric Blumrich, and they all feel persecuted nevertheless.
Harper's Magazine ran it's "Impeach Him!" cover issue, The Nation fabricated a fake story about Karl Rove that captivated the country for a year, and Eric Blumrich, that clinically-depressed Flash guru from New Jersey almost won Donna Brazile's MoveOn "Bush in 30 seconds" competition with his animations. Elsewhere in the media, all of the major newspapers in this country have been relentlessly opposed to the Bush administration.
And yet, all these people think they're about to have their voices snuffed out, when in fact they've never been louder. Their own volume has deafened them.
It is the lefties that suppress stories they don't like. It is Hillary getting free campaign promotions by marketing Bill. It is the dhimmies who consistently get involved with major fund raising criminal violatoins.
But they are the ones screaming their rights to free speech are imperiled and the ones who calim the need for government funding of elections.
This base attack on Rush is going to backfire badly.
And especially leftist liberals, is that they actually believe their own propaganda. When I was in Chicago I lived downstairs from a University of Illinois graduate student who was terrified that if Bush was reelected not only would Rape be Legal (according to Cameron Diaz) but also that "civil liberties would be destroyed" ...
...
...
Meanwhile she's living in the city run by an old-school Democrat mayor with a corrupt police force who want to install cameras on every corner to watch her movements 24 hours a day.
That everyone in Chicago is going along with it because with one side of their mouths they're worried about fighting crime and terrorism, and with the other, larger side of their mouths they're worried about having their legs broken or winding up at the bottom of Lake Michigan wearing concrete overshoes. Or other unfortunate accidents that occasionally happen to people in the Windy City.
I live in Chicago and everyone has gone way too far in smearing my beautiful city. Daley is corrupt we all know that My reasons for supporting him are not pure but stop with the nonsense. This is not the third world.
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'"
Ronald Reagan
"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts."
Edward R. Murrow
Have you ever seen the report on the 1960 election in Chicago?
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
Daley handed Illinois to JFK. This is not some unknown thing. We aren't called the Windy City because there is a lot of wind. There is a lot of wind but not enough for a nickname as such. We are an extremely corrupt city. Everyone understands this and no one in our city is proud of it. I understand our former, now deceased, Mayor Harold Washington still votes, and votes Democrat. That said, I will not stand by and have people turn Chicago into some sort of a third world area where political opponents are roundly shot. I get that from left wingers and it is no less annoying from them.
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'"
Ronald Reagan
"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts."
Edward R. Murrow
this camera stuff....I think the fumes of printing inks and envelope glue are getting to you
" in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
Abe Lincoln
They will get all of us. This is far worse than the McCarthy hearings. They are literally making stuff up and claiming people said it and trying to wreck their lives with lies.
I don't listen to O'Reilly at all, and Rush almost ever. But if we don't stand up against the forces of censorship and suppression, we will all be at risk.
We either stand up against the moveon.org's and other extremists who seek to silence the public square now or we will be facing a catastrophic assault on our civil liberties.
And choose to change the channel. The market will separate the entertainment from the journalism.
Patrick Wilber
Libertarian
former Democrat to unseat Bush
Republican now for Ron Paul
former Army Captain
small business owner
Write or email your Senator and Congressman. Write or email clear Channel. Stand up for what is right.
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'"
Ronald Reagan
"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts."
Edward R. Murrow
this idiot move by Harkin that it was another attempt at laying the groundwork for the Fairness Doctrine yet again. My hope is that, as usual, they will go so far overboard that they will drown themselves. Sort of like what they did with the Betray Us thing. It backfired on them. Their arrogance with the immigration debacle and then the snotty remarks afterward about the Fairness Doctrine--they all backfired. All they did was show a more significant portion of the public who they really were and what they really wanted to do--and how much contempt they have for their electorate and the freedoms we cherish.
I think it was a kneejerk reaction to the Petraeus betray us flop. The best defense is a good offense, especially when the media is a willing cohort. But it fits in nicely for their ultimate goal of silencing conservative communications.
I am less concerned w/ the fairness doctrine actually happening but what pisses me off is democrats pursue all this meaningless BS while not getting anything done. They have no sense of opportunity cost while they play games.
I know someone always points out that its better for the country if Dems play games and try not to ruin the country too much with real legislation. But dammit, I expect more from our country's leaders. The level of games in Washington is absolutely disgusting.
Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you. Washington Elected Elite
Is it me or do dems act like they are the minority in congress? Just where they belong.
Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you. Washington Elected Elite
to the reaction over the Petraeus flap. All they are doing is continuing to throw some red meat out there to their leftist base to keep the dollars flowing in and the complaint level muted. As to whether or not they are behaving like they are in the minority, I think they are behaving like they are in a Monty Python parody of what a government should do--only the Python boys would have made it funnier and more intelligently written.
and I will say it again. John Gotti thrived when he stayed under the radar. He got caught the minute he fell in love with the media spotlight. The same thing is gonna happen here. George Soros was doing well when he was flying under the radar and his henchmen were going unnoticed, but in the last couple of weeks that all has changed. Now, the spotlight is shining bright on all of his groups, Media Matters, Moveon.org, et al. What we need to all do is contact our representatives and let them know that we know what is going. We all know that this contrived controversy is nothing more than a contrived smear from a far left group looking to silence Rush. We also know that if they support the Udall amendment they are telling everyone that they are in the back pockets of a far left, America hating, radical, billionaire, hell bent on buying the next election and radically changing the country. I implore everyone to do this.
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'"
Ronald Reagan
"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts."
Edward R. Murrow
Soros needs to be exposed over and over again. His actions are extremely terrifying.
How about some of the countering that is being done by groups like Freedom Watch. I'd like to see more of it -- standing up for the troops, freedom of speech. Many of their donors have deep pockets.
I saw that the General answered "I don't know" when asked if this war would make American more safe. Seems to me that is honest and at the very least neutral.
Patrick Wilber
Libertarian
former Democrat to unseat Bush
Republican now for Ron Paul
former Army Captain
small business owner
of accomplishing good, so I'd much rather see stalemate, myself. I don't trust them not to screw up everything they touch. What a mediocre (and dangerous) bunch.
You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.
described as conservative? Or that the media follows the Bush line, excuse me, parrots it? If you doubt that liberals are in a perpetual state of delirium this should dissuade you.
So you may imagine how the rabid of liberalism feel about Rush or real dissent, much as they adore free speech and diversity.
If they win big in '08 I think we'll see things that as of now most of us can't imagine, the prosecution of trumped up legal charges, which is already upon us, continual lie based smear campaigns, and the Fairness Doctrine carried to extremes not to be guessed at.
"a man's admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him". Tocqueville
for Clear Channel
ClearChannel Contact Information:
Clear Channel
200 East Basse Road
San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone 1-210-822-2828
Communications / Media Relations:
Lisa Dollinger
1-210-822-2828
lisacdollinger@clearchannel.com
You all need to call and email and let them know that you as citizens are not fooled and that you expect Clear Channel to stand up for their guy.
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'"
Ronald Reagan
"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts."
Edward R. Murrow
When you listen to the left you can't help but get the impression that radio listeners are forced to listen to reasonable wing radio. Radio is free enterprise and they can't stand it.
I'd like to see NPR try to operate without government funds. It can't because most people will not listen to hate radio, and that's what NPR is.
The left never puts their money where their mouth is, otherwise Air (raid) America would flourish and every leftist would be driving an electric car regardless of the cost.
Don
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Democratic is a process.
democrat is what they are.
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I think this is one of the most important fights we face today. The right to free speech is our First Amendment, and a free market is the the lifeblood of our American economy. The Fairness Doctrine runs counter to both of these ideals.
I've done some work with the NAB, and I know from experience that the Fairness Doctrine does nothing but muzzle political debate.
This is an issue we need to stand firm on.
today, by writing your Congressperson, Senators and to Clear Channel and let them know that you see this for what it is, a smear by far left groups, and you will not stand by while this outfit is legitimized by the legislature.
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'"
Ronald Reagan
"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts."
Edward R. Murrow
The most amazing thing about these attacks on O'Reilly and Limbaugh is not that they are stretching the truth, or have a different opinion.
They are blatant lies. Blatant lies that anyone who looks into it can prove or disprove for themselves. Its a bold move on their part (the left). They must believe the masses are ignorant and easily sold a bill of goods. But it says alot about what they think of the American public. I guess we will find out if they are right or not.
They did voted for Clinton... twice...
HOWEVER, they didn't vote for Kerry...
You ARE right. Goodness knows the left can't tell the truth.
Don
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Democratic is a process.
Democrat is what they are.
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[which no one watches anyway].
The oxymoronic "Fairness Doctrine" is the Orwellian world of the ultra-left at work---the inaccuracies of the MSM perpetuated as Groupthink until all sorts of ultra-left mantras are considered mainstream.
Luckily, as an interviewer on TV last night noted about Clarence Thomas, the NYT has lost so many readers and so much credibility that it can't mount effective smear campaigns any more.
And Fox is gaining viewers, just as Rush is gaining listeners [although bleating Dingy Harry says he's losing them, but who listens to that wuss?] and B O'Reilly stands atop the comment hill.
BTW, did anyone catch SNL's opening with Amy Poehler when she was doing a nasty rundown on the mediocre Dem field? When she finally got to Edwards, she called him a "charlatan ambulance-chasing rat bastard" and the audience broke out in scattered applause. Even the NY crowd thinks he's a phony.
I keep reading on conservative web sites that Air America was a "bitter failure" or a "dismal failure," but I'm listening to it right now and it's been on the air 24 hours a day, seven days a week since March 2004. It was underfunded and declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year, but continued on the air and is now under new ownership.
Yes, it wasn't a rousing success right out of the box. But neither was the Fox News Channel, which lost hundreds of millions of dollars in its first five years of existence before finally turning a profit.
" don't stop, believing..."
" in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
Abe Lincoln
Do they pay you to listen to Air America?
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099005/
It's such a fine line between stupid and clever. - David St. Hubbins
No need for the Fairness Doctrine! Rush Limbaugh has 20 million listeners, and Air Amerika has Dennis!
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
and flying turkeys...
But seriously - I understand what you're saying here, and I'm sure they'll try. But the ratings for Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, etc. indicate a huge market for conservative talk radio. I would hope that listener support and resulting pressure on pols would circumvent any meddling with the so-called "Fairness Doctrine".
...when they see me they'll say, "There goes Loren Wallace,
the greatest thing to ever climb into a race car."