How Rush Limbaugh Shaped The GOP's Shutdown Woes

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Nearly two weeks after House Republicans forced a government shutdown, less than a quarter of the country has a positive view of the Republican Party. Seven in ten Americans think the Republicans are putting their political goals ahead of the welfare of the country. The GOP has collapsed in the generic congressional preference, while approval ratings for President Obama and the Affordable Care Act -- the reason government was shut down in the first place -- have gone up. The Republicans sit fractious and rudderless in an historic nadir with no strategy to pull themselves out.

But you wouldn't think that were you to tune into Rush Limbaugh's radio program. On October 10, Limbaugh told his listeners that he had supported the "defund" Obamacare scheme that precipitated the shutdown because its architect, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), could "articulate conservatism." And thus even if the effort didn't actually lead to the defunding of Obamacare, Limbaugh said, it might still be "considered successful even if they don't reach that specific goal." Meanwhile, according to Rush, House Speaker John Boehner was "getting ready to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" by forestalling a government default and proposing a six-week increase to the debt limit.

That's a neat little encapsulation of why the Republicans are in this mess. The current GOP doldrums are the product of years of political isolation and insulation enabled by a cheerleading conservative media that rewards ideological rigidity and reflexive partisan gainsaying. And for that, conservatives have Rush Limbaugh to thank.

-more-

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/10/11/how-rush-limbaugh-shaped-the-gops-shutdown-woes/196415

[Southside]

1. They want Boehner's head

This doesn't help Boehner, because I am a stinking liberal minority chasing ma obama phonezzz, but I hope he keeps his job, I am afraid of the lunatic waiting to take his job. Sorry to DU, but I'm praying for Boehner to keep his party together.

That next person (I assume it will not be a woman) will be a crazy critter, who won't rest until they impeach Obama. The Tea Party wants the impeachment hearings to start tomorrow. I am new here to do a poll, but I say 75% chance Obama will face a Tea Party lynch mob like Clinton did. Then they will chop off the FEC, EPA, FDA, education dept, raise Medicare contributions, decrease social security payments and cut 15% of the federal employees. Bank on that. Also homeland security will put electric fences across the border of Mexico AFTER they send every undocumented person back where they came from. Go Boehner, do what you must to keep your job without getting anything from Obama.

Thank you for the post...Now wherez my Obama fone at?

[tanyev]

2. Yeah, that reading of Green Eggs and Ham sure articulated conservatism for me.