Often I ask conservatives to give their words a second look, and I want to apply this same urging to myself. I have criticized Rush Limbaugh for saying and CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference,) Republicans for cheering these words.
"I disagree fervently with the people on our side of the aisle [he means Republican] who have caved and who say, 'Well, I hope he succeeds.' [the HE is President Obama]. . . I hope Obama fails. Somebody's gotta say it. . . . I want everything he's doing to fail. . . I want the stimulus package to fail. . . . I do not want this to succeed."
Is it wrong for Limbaugh or anyone else to say they hope Obama fails?
On my second pass over considering this question I find that it is possible that the answer is NO. No it is not wrong to wish Obama to fail IF Rush and/or others mean that they want his legislative efforts to fail. There is a difference in hoping that a law doesn't pass and in hoping that once a law passes that it fail at that point.
Let me give one example: George Bush proposed a change in the law that would have privatized Social Security. Had President Bush gotten his legislative bill passed people would have invested their social security money in the stock market. You can imagine how bad that would be now if Bush had prevailed with this idea.
When Bush was pushing that privatization of social security I was hoping that bill would fail. IF, on the other hand, the bill had passed and social security funds had been privatized and the retirement income of millions of Americans had gone into stock market investments, well, then it would have been evil, and stupid, and self-destructive for me to have wished that law to fail.
If Limbaugh meant that he wanted Obama's legislative efforts to fail, or to be modified in ways that would conform to his ultra right wing view of things, well, that would not have been treasonous or evil.
The positive side of having two parties is that you can have a debate over issues and through that debate you can hope that the weaknesses in a position might be revealed. We have checks and balances in our government, with the legislative branch holding the executive branch in check, and the judicial branch balances the legislative branch, and round and round it goes with each branch having regulating powers over the others. In a similar way the Republicans and the Democrats keep each other from going off on tangents, making hasty decisions, and acting on their political opinions with disregard of what actually solves problems.
If Limbaugh and the CPAC Republicans meant they wanted Obama's efforts to fail BEFORE they become law, well, that is just people believing in their own view of things. If Limbaugh and his Republican supporters are hoping that Obama fails even if he gets his law's passed, well, that is just plain stupid.
Which was it? I don't know. I believe Limbaugh just wants Obama to fail and he doesn't care if he fails before the bills pass, or after. I believe this because the stimulus package had already passed and still Limbaugh was wishing for Obama to fail.
Maybe you like the stimulus package, and maybe you hate it, the fact is, it has passed, this is what we are doing to address this economic down turn, and you don't have to think it was the right way to go, but it just seems crazy to wish for that effort to fail.
Tex AMEN TO THIS!!!! These are my sentiments exactly, this is why I became a fan, finally, one who thinks from his head, and not his emotions!!!! I totally agree with what you are saying. This was very brave to put out there, and I for one, am a believer in this statement. How profound to support what is!!! Great article, you hit the nail on the head, and I stand wholeheartedly behind this! Now this is good stuff! Your pal, and fan, also friend in pen........Gary....I will send you an email pretty soon about your idea. Great article my friend.
» left by Dr Clarence Rucker, Jr from MI (159 days 19 hours ago.)
One thing I do like and that is common good sense thought. You make simple sense and I agree. Being how I was raised, we prayed for the leader to do well. Even if he was not. We hoped that we could pray it so. This I do know, consider the source of the Rush lieteners. ???Some call him a true American???
Limbaugh's sentiments are transparent. We could speculate that he means something other than what we really know he means, but why be a fool? Mogama was right, that as critical thinkers we are justified in drawing conclusions based on the best evidence, of which there is plenty in Limbaugh's case. My own conclusion is that life is too short to waste on his rhetorical distortions.
- G
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