Before today, I always believed that Limpballs was just

[OwnedByFerrets]

someone to be ignored. That changed today. This man is a dangerous individual. I honestly, however, don't know what can be done about it. He has the right to say those things, but what can be done to minimize his message. I "hope" that most Americans understand how destructive his words are, but I am reminded that B*sh was president (debatably so) for Eight Long Years.
What can we do as a party?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Demand the fairness doctrine... he's today's father coughlin

and I'd better find out what he told CPAC today, call to revolution perhaps?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

4. And we all know what happened

to Father Coughlin.

I don't hold with the Fairness Doctrine. I think these people need to get as much exposure as possible, and the spotlight should shine on them long and hot. Ultimately, they melt down and dissolve. Let them go and watch them dig their own graves with their mouths, just like Father Coughlin did. Just like David Duke.

[OwnedByFerrets]

7. I would love to believe that will happen. I suppose I will have to

see it happen to believe it. If and when it does, I will raise a glass in celebration.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

16. In my long life,

that's how it's worked. Hard to handle, and certain interventions are always required - in Coughlin's case, the FDR administration made it impossible for him to mail his hateful screed of a newsletter. The First Amendment, they correctly stated, gives you the right to say whatever you want, but it does not give you the right to use the Post Office to send them out.

That was beautiful. It's all about how well the existing laws are used when it becomes necessary. Sort of like how the Commerce Clause of our Constitution was used to give the Federal government jurisdiction in civil rights cases back in the Sixties. The restaurants that wouldn't serve blacks were found to be using toilet paper in their restrooms that had been transported across state lines, and that was enough to bring down Federal jurisdiction.

That's part of why I've lived my adult life in love with the law.

When it happens, I'll buy your glass of wine, and join you in the toast. And that's a promise.

[babylonsister]

10. Forget about that. Not happening...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5157442&mesg_id=5157653



The Fairness Doctrine Of The Undead
http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=1211

[KharmaTrain]

15. That Didn't Stop Him Then, Wouldn't Stop Him Now...

Rushbo was around during the last days of the "Fairness Doctrine"...which only applied to then mandated public affairs programs and making commercial time available to all candidates. Rushbo got around the rule by claiming his show was "Entertaiment" (thus why Olbermann uses the term "comedian") just as Coughlin claimed his diatribes were religious, not political.

It's access that's the problem. When one company can decide to put this shitstain on hundreds of stations, ratings and revenues be damned, that's where there's a "fairness" problem.

Cheers...

[Richard D]

2. Never underestimate the enemy

It's often fatal if done.

[Baikonour]

3. I've been gone all day, can someone catch me up?

What did he do today? Was it the ridiculous video of him speaking at CPAC?

[OwnedByFerrets]

8. Part of his rant

"This notion that I want the president to fail, this shows you the problem we've got. This is nothing more than common sense and to not be able to say it? Why in the world would I want what we just described: rampant government growth, welfare that is not being created yet is being spent? What is in this, what is possibly in this that any of us want to succeed?

He has reiterated that he wants the US to fail. Just so he can say "I told you so".

[Baikonour]

9. Okay, thanks.

Yes, the speech he gave at CPAC was disgusting.

Why don't democrats/liberals have a conference too?

[Contrary1]

11. We just need to repeat this line in response to everything he vomits out for his adoring fans:

"We won, get over it". Why should we listen to them any more than they did us for eight years?

As we were told so many times...what he wants doesn't matter.

[Lint Head]

5. Pedophiles need to be feared.

:dem:

[jobycom]

6. Make him talk more. Give him a microphone and camera every second of the day.

The more people listen, the more he'll talk, and the more he talks, the more he says what he really thinks.

And that's how you get him to implode. His ego wants to shout out the hatred in his black heart. Feed his ego, and he'll do the rest.

[napoleon_in_rags]

13. That's absolutely right.

I watched him today with great enthusiasm, he represents opportunity if we are aware enough to take it. The vision of the Republican party he's presenting is like a car where the steering wheel is welded so it can't turn. Its also cartoonish, anti-intellectual. What he creates at the social level is a mindless mob mentality. IF we are willing to rise above reactions and see the thing in itself, we can turn a threat into a source of security:

Our security in life is to see each thing in itself, in its entirety, its material, its cause; and to do what is right and to speak the truth with all our heart. What remains but to enjoy life, linking one good act to another, so that not even the smallest space is ever left in between? (Meditations, 12 29)

[jobycom]

14. Reminded me of a Klan rally pretending it still mattered.

A shrieking Grand Dragon telling his inbred hooded psychos that they are the chosen people, while the rest of the world has moved on by.

[napoleon_in_rags]

18. Exactly! Did you hear his criticism about the Republican intellectuals?

Those who say maybe the Republican party should question their ideals, reform and move forward? Rush trashed them! On this one issue I agree with Rush, those guys are our biggest threat, from the perspective of Republicans reclaiming the majority. Luckily, Rush doesn't care. If he has 25% of the country listening and agreeing with him while the rest despise him, he still retires rich. More power to him.

[OwnedByFerrets]

19. If the roles were reversed and Al Franken had been saying

these same words during Monkeyboys admin, the repug critters in congress would have yelled, screamed and in Boners case, cried on the Senate floor until he was forced to make a public apology, kiss someones ass on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and never speak a word on the air again. What do the democrats do? NADA
SO, I don't believe we "will" be aware enough to take the opportunity. I hope I am wrong.

[napoleon_in_rags]

20. Obama has been on top of most things I have seen.

So I have a lot of faith. We can't underestimate Rush, indeed there is a great deal to be learned from him. But what is he of and in himself? An entertainer and a businessman. His instinct is toward his success as such, and in that world an energized minority is more profitable than a lukewarm majority, though the same business success leads to political defeat. On the other hand he is effective politically, the real question is why. The answer is that he controls the milieu, he controls the premise. He sets up the debate so for the opponent to engage in it AT ALL is to lose. Any personality based politics, histrionics on the senate floor and that sort of thing is Republican milieu control - their poltics require people are unable to analyze what is actually being done, (or they would vote against it) so personality based politics creates the needed veil. (This is why Rush also has those blanket attacks the media and intellectuals, ANY channel of factual information is enough to challenge their power) So really, all Democrats need to do to win is not take the bait, stick to reality, and create good resources for people to understand what is going on.

[960]

12. Let the man speak!

The more that the average American, and those who think they're Republicans hear that giant ass pimple bloviate, the more they are pushed away.

Rush is not the spokesman for the Repub Party; he's the spokesman for what's wrong with the Rep Party, and just how out of the mainstream they really are.... so let him spread his message!

We, as reality based Democrats, needn't wait for the "Fairness Doctrine". We need to be heard now. Senate and House Dems need to be forceful and be heard. They've been getting better.
Write LLTE, work at a local level and Boycott all of the leaches who advertise on Rush and the like's shows.

[Ardent15]

17. Limbaugh has been a de facto leader of the GOP since he first hit the airwaves

Now he is more than ever because the GOP leadership in Congress is virtually nonexistent.