Several years ago, I drew the ire of my friends on The Rio Norte Line? What was my sin? I dared to explain to them that ‘conservatives’ were not the heir to our founders ideology, and Rush Limbaugh was not the conservative champion many believe him to be, but a plant working to keep the remnant of our founders on the Republican Reservation. Well, I am not happy about it but, with so many of the GOP going for Trump today, I fear I have finally been vindicated. Here’s why.
First, you have to be a serious listener to Limbaugh’s radio program. Otherwise, you will not know that Rush has always told his audience the following:
1 — the majority of America is ‘conservative.’ (He has always said this is the source of his success: he was finally saying the things the majority already think and believe).
2 — You should never let anyone tell you you cannot do something. If you feel passionately about it, you should just do it (He has put himself and his program forward as an example).
However, it wasn’t until many years after I had been listening to him that I started to realize that these two points are in contradiction to something else Rush has always told people: that a 3rd Party was an act of futility: the only hope was to change the GOP from within. Once I started to understand the implications, I started to notice that Rush habitually sympathizes with his audiences’ frustrations, but then he turns them against his Liberal and ‘mains stream media’ bogeymen and to the GOP as the political solution. He has been doing the same with Trump. He tells people Cruz is the ‘conservative’ candidate, but then he ‘explains’ Trump in what can only be seen as a sympathetic voice. In short, he treats Trump with kid gloves. The whole time saying Trump will be bad, he uses his tone and structure of his speech to keep Trump viable with his audience. At least Rush is still showing he is the master of sophistication when it comes to Propaganda. Hannity has just come out and gone full Trump/GOP. No more pretext that Hannity’s conservatism has anything to do with the stated goals. It is clear that the real purpose is to preserve the GOP.
Furthermore, Rush likes to claim the mantle of reason. Unfortunately, his actions suggest that this is not quite true. If the nation is majority conservative, and we should not let people tell us we can’t do things, then the logical, rational conclusion is to start a 3rd Party that actually will do the things the people want the Party to do. If the nation is conservative, as claimed, then this new Party would become the majority Party in short order. But Rush fights hard against the idea of a 3rd Party. This suggests that Rush’s true purpose is to keep ‘conservatives’ in the GOP. However, there is another possibility: that ‘conservative’ does not mean what most people believe it means.
I have tried to explain to people that words matter, and ‘conservative’ is not the same thing as our founders’ political ideology. ‘Conservatism’ is the political ideology of an Englishman by the name of Sir Edmund Burke, a man who actually defended the Crown’s authority to sell the ‘right’ to own 1/3 of the world’s land and population (This was in connection to the case of the East India Tea Company’s charter to what was literally 1/3 of the world, and the rights to ‘dispose’ of the people and properties in the given regions). Burke defined conservatism as just holding to the given; the status quo. That means that what Rush — and apparently, if the voting for Trump is any guide — most Republicans believe conservatism means is the Republican version of Progressivism, as defined by Teddy Roosevelt. They don’t mind big government; they just want it to be fashioned according to their desires and not the Democrat’s.
Now, when you realize that Teddy Roosevelt was a lot like Donald Trump, both in political policy and personality, this actually starts to make sense. The heirs to Teddy Roosevelt’s Progressivism are still in the GOP. Rush even tells his audience this fact, only he doesn’t call them Progressives. He calls them ‘country-club blue-bloods.’ He also says these people are the ‘establishment’ of the Republican Party. If you accept that this is the reality we’re dealing with, then it suddenly explains why the GOP always seems to ‘cave’ to the Democratic Party: because both are Progressive! The only difference is the Democrat Party prefers open borders (Communism) where the GOP still favors nationalism (National Socialism). It also explains why the GOP ‘establishment’ has always despised the true remnant of our founders’ political ideology (Classic Liberalism). It is because our founders were natural enemies to the politics of both the Democrat and Republican Parties.
So, for those of us who actually do cling to the mantle of this nations founding, to the principles of Classic Liberalism, we are faced with a simple reality. Rush has been right and wrong about the nation being conservative. Yes, it would appear a great many Americans are conservative in that they still cling to the National Socialist tendencies of Teddy Roosevelt’s Progressivism. But no, they no longer embrace the founding ideology of this nation, Classic Liberalism. But then, I’m no longer convinced Rush does, either, because a Classic Liberal would be fighting for the preservation of this nation — even at the expense of his career and fortune. So far as I have seen, Rush has done everything possible to preserve himself.
This leaves us with a sad reality. The people who are openly supporting a serial liar in either Hillary or Trump, and those supporting an open socialist in Sanders are clearly demonstrating that the majority of America has abandoned the foundations of the American experiment. They no longer support the idea of individual rights and the rule of law. Now they seek a champion — a king — and they want this king to do their bidding for their own, personal benefit. Unfortunately, this never works. It always leads to tyranny. So these same people are also proving the Democrats correct: the average American no longer understands what they are doing well enough to make reasoned decisions. We have become exactly what Walter Lippmann accused us of being: a blind, thundering herd that needs masters to control it so that we do not trample on the oppressed. The problem is, our masters will decide who is ‘oppressed’ based on who they can buy to support them and who they can exploit to get the money to buy that group. All this leaves us with one inevitable conclusion:
Baring an act of God, the American experiment has ended, and not with a whimper, but most likely the same way so many other great republics have died in the past: to thunderous applause.
ADDENDUM
Today, 2 March 2016, the day after Super Tuesday, Rush was on the radio saying that Cruz may be making a mistake by talking in terms ‘hard core’ conservatives will understand and like. According to Rush, this may be a mistake because it will not give Cruz a broad enough base and may be the cause for Cruz not doing so well. Dear reader, this is a confirmation of my point: the nation no longer has a majority of people who actually understand and adhere to the founding principles of this country. What most people think of as ‘conservative’ today is more accurately described as Teddy Roosevelt Progressivism which, hard as this is to hear, is otherwise known as NAZI-ism. Progressivism is nothing more than Socialism. If you are a Democrat (i.e. Left-wing Progressive), you lean toward the open borders ideology of Communism. But if you are a Republican (Right-wing Progressive), you lean toward National Socialism, which is otherwise known as NAZI-ism.
I admit, it is very hard to accept, but once you step outside what you want to believe and look at this nation in these terms, the parallels between 1930’s Germany and 2016 America will jump out at you. In the 1930’s, Germany struggled with Communism vs Fascism (National Socialism). Today, we have the same choice. We are repeating history because we have forgotten history or, worse, convinced ourselves that we are immune to history because we are ‘America’ — and that can’t happen here…
The Rio Norte Line 
Further….I think patriotism today is defined by many blue-collar workers as the type of “governing” that FDR did. Both Democrat and Republican blue-collar workers have this view today.
The “get it done what-ever-it-takes” type of thing FDR did extra-Constitutionally is what appeals to these people. Now FDR was eventually stopped in many of his attempts ( not all ) by BOTH Democrats and Republicans. Today we have a Political and ruling class that holds little to no allegiance to America as a Constitutional Republic. Thus we have about 2/3rds to 70% of the populace and about 75-85% of the Political Class that have this view.
YES! And trying to hold on to that ideology — whether Democrat or Republican — makes them “conservative.” They are trying to ‘conserve’ that way of life. This is how you get people supporting a blatant Progressive like Trump while insisting they are ‘conservative.’
Don, as always, you nailed it with far fewer words than I used. 🙂
Those in the group I mentioned above don’t consider themselves Conservative or liberal at this point…..the self-identity phase may be evolving.
What people are trying to preserve is an amalgam of Social norms which existed in orbit around a center of what they viewed as “law and order” and Social Tradition….which included working conditions very different from today. The picture is very much more complex than mere political identity at this point. I said in another post….its essence is visceral and related to alienation in relation to social class and economic mobility.
First Return to and then Preserve is more how I see their motivations.
Yeah, well, we can’t dismiss the political philosophy. It sounds good, but we can’t. If we do, we will vindicate Marx — which we already seem to be doing. We need leaders who will keep our heads in the game or we’ll remain nothing but sheep to be herded by those who keep theirs about them.
Don,
I’m going to reserve my opinion on your 16:15 post until after 1 November 16.
EdwardS
I just don’t think the Constitution and the Conservatism which tries to focus on it is understood by many today, for various reasons. And thus Patriotism…and I mean GENUINE patriotism is defined diversely . WEhereas in prior generations there was more of a unified basic understanding of our founding principles.
agreed.
Man (no gender bias) has proved repeatedly throughout history that man is completely incapable of ruling man, it ends up the same way every time and not well for the common citizen. Most people wonder what the hell is going on today and don’t have a clue when we have been foretold in detail exactly what is about to happen and who the players are. God is using these billionaire elitists like a rented shoe and they are toast!
A couple months ago our President came home from a “global summit” and proclaimed “global warming” was the greatest threat America faces. Think about that! The jackass known as Barack Hussein Obama claims global warming is our biggest existential threat we face when he has increased our national debt to 20 TRILLION, 48 million American’s on food stamps, 50 million American’s living in poverty, destroyed our health care system, destroyed and gutted our military replacing officers with Muslim Brotherhood, 61,000,000 illegal foreigners are now in our country and the majority are replacing American workers or living on the backs of America taxpayers. Barack and Hilliar Clinton also completely destabilized the Middle East by design to import islam (our sworn enemy) into Christian nations (((ONLY))). Who but a traitor from within would do this to his/her nation and our people?
But wait, this is all Biblical. We have been foretold all things (Mark 13:23). Who is Barack Hussein Obama? Barry is the “great raiser of taxes” in (Daniel 11:20) (standard King James Bible) and notice he is destroyed neither in anger nor in battle. Barack is responsible for putting America 20 Trillion in debt (GW Bush responsible for 7 Trillion) which is more debt than the GDP of the entire world and all while using a fake/fiat currency, National debt is a cruel tax on even the unborn child. Barack claims our biggest threat is man made global warming (as if man can control the weather) and with all the damage Barack has done to America to “fundamentally transform America” (into a 3rd world hell hole) Barack wants to impose a carbon tax on every American citizen for breathing air. ONLY THE GREAT RAISER OF TAXES WOULD CONSPIRE TO IMPOSE SUCH A DIABOLICAL SCHEME on the people of “developed nations” (white Caucasian Christian nations) (all other nations are 3rd world hell holes unless we rebuilt them).
Now, if you know the history in the book of Daniel, chapter 11 could only be in this generation of time, PERIOD! Based on what? In 1948 a major Biblical MILESTONE was reached when the little nation of Israel became a nation again after 1876 years (Jeremiah 24)… Judah (Jews) (ONE TRIBE OF ISRAEL) (there are 12 tribes of Israel scattered abroad = James 1:1) (Europe, Australia, Canada & America) Judah reclaimed the major portion of the “Promise Land” to become the little nation of Israel, AGAIN (A ONE TIME EVENT IN HISTORY). Something most people overlQQk is this, God changed the name of Jebus (a very unclean place) to Jer-USA-lem for a reason. They are our relatives and that can be easily proved in multiple ways in the Word of God.
What does God call this generation of time? “The generation of the fig tree” when the good figs (good christian Jews) are gathered back together with the bad figs (evil, wicked, power hungry, money hungry, KENITE JEWS). There is a kenite Jew in power and/or control of just about everything that is important in the world, that’s who they are which has a waaaaaaaaaaaaaay deeper spiritual meaning (the Mystery of God) and is incredible if you understand the deeper Truth.
The locust army (islam) is starting to swarm (they will be used for the necessary negative chaos to bring the New World Order on the world) and Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton destabilized the Middle East. muslims have never known freedom, they have no idea what freedom is and they have been told what to do all of their lives. muslims will follow orders when the order is given and the world (Christian nations) will be plunged into chaos and exactly as it is written. Any time the Euphrates River is used in the Word of God it is used in the context of a border/boundary. What’s east of the Euphrates River? Chaos/CONFUSION, there is no TRUTH taught there and those people believe everything their corrupt islamic leaders tell them. What’s west of the Euphrates River? Truth can be found west of the Euphrates River but it is very scarce in this generation of the fig tree. All Bible prophesy will be fulfilled before this generation passes away and they turn 68 years old this spring (Mark 13:28-31). Jesus Christ told us to learn the parable of the fig tree, if you do, you will understand what is going on in the world and why.
The Apostles wanted to know when Christ would Return at the 2nd Advent, what the signs would be in the generation and what would be going on. In (((Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21))) Jesus Christ told us… There would be wars and rumors of wars the time is not near (whats the opposite of war, PEACE, PEACE, PEACE when you hear one world peace being discussed you better sit up and pay attention, the antichrist/satan will be right on the heels of that movement). There would earthquakes in diverse places (ignorant people are blaming fracking, HAH! The earthquakes will increase in number and severity around the world as grow closer and closer to a birth of a new age, the earthquakes are the labor pains of the birth of a new age and God is going to shake the earth like it has never been shook when the antichrist/satan arrives to the earth at 666). There will be famines, pestilence and plagues (we are starting to see this come to fruition and is the result of intermixing all races and peoples in and among the 12 Tribes of Israel, God IS AGAINST ONE WORLDISM/GLOBALISM).
It takes many thousands of hours of study in the Word of God to understand and I’d say completely impossible for a flesh man (no gender bias) to fully understand everything that is in God’s Letter there is layers and layers deep of knowledge on the pages. God did not leave us wanting (wondering) but God did not put His Letter in alpha/numeric order for a reason, He wants to know who He can use and trust in the Millennium/Lords Day, life in the flesh as we know is about to end and God gave us two signs in 2015 to get prepared. Did you see the signs? The antichrist/satan is about to arrive to the earth, the “vile one” (Daniel 11:21-24) and notice the vile one arrives just after the “great raiser of taxes”. It is only in this generation of the fig tree that those two wicked, vile, evil, perverted, corrupt F’cks could be on earth in the same generation. I have not doubt that Barack Hussein Obama and Hilliar Clinton are two of satan’s best lieutenants.
Notice the “vile one” will arrive “peacefully” (religiously he will be all things to all people no matter how perverted or corrupt) and “prosperously” (chicken in every pot, pay off all your bills, no more work) for whoever swears allegiance to him at 666 (time element) and murders their own soul (a spiritual death) (receives the mark of the beast in their mind and helps satan build his one world government/religion with their hands). The spiritual death of your soul is a waaaaaaaaaaaay worse condition than the death of your flesh. 666 on earth will be the greatest church revival the world has ever seen and the complete OPPOSITE OF EVERYTHING YOU HAVE EVER HEARD OR SEEN REGARDING THE APOCALYPSE. The whole world will whore after the fake/fraud/antichrist/satan/serpent/dragon/devil/Apollyon/Abaddon/little horn/Lucifer (all the same entity) out of total ignorance for who he is. He will be supernatural with “two horns” (“HORNS” as it is used in the Greek manuscripts always means “POWERS” not antlers like ignorant atheist’s depict). The antichrist/satan will have two supernatural powers from the Alter of God (Revelation 13:11-13) and he will be able to snap his fingers and draw lightning down from the sky and the whole world will go nuts. Pope # 112 is the last Pope and he is a corrupt/perverted forerunner paving the way for the antichrist/satan on earth. GOD IS AGAINST CONFEDERACY’S (ONE WORLDISM/GLOBALISM) but the Pope is promoting the NWO Confederacy. We have been foretold that is exactly how life in the flesh will end, under the umbrella of a one world government and we are seeing it come to fruition right before our eyes. The struggle within the political parties is an all out war to stay on track for the NWO. NO ONE IS GOING TO ALTER GOD’S PLAN IN THIS GENERATION but wherever the elitist shift their power behind, you know their money influences that person and they will be controlled. The American people have not been in control of our nation for almost 25 years, the two party political system in America is a complete ruse, there is no difference between the D’s and the RINO’s, they are the same people working for the same agenda and the hell with America! Don’t worry, I’ve read the back of the Letter, all those TRAITORS working for the NWO are toast, that’s what life in the flesh is all about, to cull the evil, wicked, murderous, rapists and traitors from the flock and the traitors in Washington DC are toast.
The TRUE JESUS CHRIST will arrive at 777 (time element) (2nd Thessalonians 2) to the earth 5 months after the fake/fraud/antichrist/satan. We have been foretold that the antichrist/satan will be on earth during the time of “the locust” (they’ll be swarming) (May – September) and the True Jesus Christ will arrive after that time. God’s two witnesses (Moses & Elijah) (also supernatural and God’s Referee’s) will arrive to the earth 10 days before satan’s 7000 fallen angels toward the end of the month of March. We are very close to the 2nd Advent, have you read it?
I agree with part of your understanding of Scripture/prophecy, but 100% with the Spirit of your post. I’ll have to return to your comment later, as it requires a well-thought out response that should be a post in itself — maybe 2?