I’ve already done my voting by mail, and I think every voter should make an informed, conscientious decision according to the principles of his own faith and philosophy. That said, …
I thought I’d offer a quick comment on Rush Limbaugh. He’s hated by many and yet remains number one. Why do so many listen to him? I suppose you’d have to ask each one. Myself, I don’t listen much these days, because it’s pretty inconvenient. However, I get these “Rush in a Hurry” emails that summarize a few of the topics he touches on in his show. Occasionally — very occasionally, I’ve heard him overstate something or go too far beyond his areas of expertise. But most — and it’s almost all — of the time, he has a way of expressing what I’ve been thinking myself. Of course, a good demagogue can make people think that, but I think I’m too stubborn and suspicious by nature to be so easily mesmerized. I may be idealistic in a way too, but not to the point of blindly following a smooth tongue.
Today, Rush included a link to a free audio segment of his show that does an outstanding job of speaking my mind. Maybe it’s the Jonah Goldberg book I read, or the way our current executive branch has been enlarging federal power by leaps and bounds, but something about one of the presidential candidates and his followers just screams “Beware: fascism!” to me. Rush does a pretty good job of articulating that. I suppose if you want to know what I mean by “fascism,” you’ll have to read the book, or maybe listen to the clip.
By the way, there’s another talk show host who’s on at more convenient times for me. (Translation: when I drive places.) His name is Lars Larsen, and his influence seems to be expanding quickly. I enjoy his no-nonsense style, and his usually-fair and deliberate efforts to understand what his callers say.
No, I don’t look for radio shows of a lefterly bent, though there’s a whole liberal station in Portland I’ve sometimes tuned in while driving. The signal to noise ratio on that particular station usually seems lower than I can tolerate, so I vote with my radio dial. Capitalism in action, and a healthy dose of freedom.