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GOP recovery: Fire Rush Limbaugh (by Morton Kondracke)
San Diego Union Tribune ^ | November 21, 2008 | MORTON KONDRACKE

Posted on 11/25/2008 7:12:54 AM PST by lowbridge

How can the Republican Party rebound? The first step would be to quit letting Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham set its agenda.

A second step would be for congressional Republicans to actually try to help President-elect Barack Obama succeed in addressing the country's dire problems – offering better ideas where appropriate and opposing just when necessary, not reflexively.

And the third – maybe the biggest one – would be for GOP governors to use their posts to show the country how conservatives can solve problems, especially the dismal state of American education and its menacing cousin, lagging American competitiveness.

If one governor would fully implement a widely circulated proposal to transform U.S. education – based on having most children graduate after the 10th grade and using the savings to pay teachers like professionals – it could serve as a model for the nation and bring the United States back to world standards.

But step 1 is to fire Limbaugh and his ilk as the intellectual bosses of the GOP.

In recent years, Republicans have let right-wing talk-show hosts whip the GOP base into frenzies – over immigration, brain-damage victim Terri Schiavo and same-sex marriage – that have branded the party as troglodyte.

The result is that the demographic groups representing the future of American politics shifted decisively to the Democratic Party in 2008 – Latinos, young people, the well-educated, moderates, working women, first-time voters, suburbanites and “seculars.”

(Excerpt) Read more at signonsandiego.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: gop; kondracke; limbaugh; rino; rushlimbaugh; talkradio
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To: lowbridge

Kondracke must see the Republicans' proper place as sitting at the table begging for scraps, which we'll get if we don't whine too much and don't stick our noses into the Democrat's plate.

61 posted on 11/25/2008 7:42:27 AM PST by KarlInOhio (11/4: The revolutionary socialists beat the Fabian ones. Where can we find a capitalist party?)
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To: Always Right

> ... If it wasn’t for conservative principples there would not be a sqat of difference between the GOP and Dems.

With rampant RINOism there isn’t much of a difference right now anyway.


62 posted on 11/25/2008 7:43:07 AM PST by BuffaloJack
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To: lowbridge; neverdem; Clemenza; rmlew; firebrand

Morton Kondracke should join the party where he would be most comfortable being a member. The Democratic party. We need to start expelling these idiots from the GOP.There needs to be a major purge, or barring that a new political party. Frankly I think the GOP is done. We need a new party that excludes RINOS. We’ll call it the Reaganite party.


63 posted on 11/25/2008 7:45:01 AM PST by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: lowbridge

In other words, relax, bend over, and enjoy. Let me know how that works out for you, Mort.


64 posted on 11/25/2008 7:45:44 AM PST by domenad (In all things, in all ways, at all times, let honor guide me.)
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To: lowbridge

Mort - shut your pie hole.


65 posted on 11/25/2008 7:50:27 AM PST by Heartland Mom ("Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives." - Ronald Reagan)
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To: lowbridge

Liberalspeak Sociababble Commublather


66 posted on 11/25/2008 7:56:34 AM PST by RoadTest (By their fruits shall ye know them.)
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To: lowbridge
The first step would be to quit letting Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham set its agenda.

BWAHAHAHAHAA!!! Asshat.

67 posted on 11/25/2008 7:56:51 AM PST by gundog (When the SHTF, it will not be evenly distributed.)
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To: All

Mort- Please go away. Take the moderates with you.


68 posted on 11/25/2008 7:58:24 AM PST by p38lightning
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To: r9etb
I agree partially with what Kondracke says in the latter part of this column, where he talks about focusing on solutions. That's what we need to do, because the "solutions" Obama proposes will either be George W. Bush stuff or Marx stuff. However, I would note that when he talks about governors offering solutions he names six GOP governors (Palin, Pawlenty, Jindal, Barbour, Crist and Huntsman) at least four of whom he will condemn as reactionary troglodytes if they ever run for President or are nominated to be veep. Plus, he lies on us in the first half of the column, saying that those who wanted real immigration reform wanted to treat illegals as felons. Um, no.

IOW, Mort is increasingly full of crap.

69 posted on 11/25/2008 7:58:53 AM PST by Mr. Silverback ("[Palin] has not even lived in the Lower 48 since 1987. Come on! Really!" --Polybius)
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To: lowbridge
..I thought Laura was going to slap him the other night on Fox

He is a small, bitter little man who has had it in for the conservatives since the Schiavo case...

70 posted on 11/25/2008 7:58:59 AM PST by WalterSkinner ( In Memory of My Father--WWII Vet and Patriot 1926-2007)
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To: lowbridge

Yeah - that’s the ticket. Get rid of the few that are at least TRYING to keep the Republican party connected to its Conservative roots... that way the party is free to swing completely to the left right along side the Democraps.

Makes sense to me - after all, the country is now semi-officially a socialist state - with a lot more to come starting January 20.


71 posted on 11/25/2008 8:00:33 AM PST by TheBattman (Pray for our country....)
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To: Kozak
The way to win is become RatLite

Yep - it worked so well for Juan McCain...!

72 posted on 11/25/2008 8:01:22 AM PST by TheBattman (Pray for our country....)
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To: rintense

I think Mort has convinced himself that we bitter clingers are standing in the way of medical treatments (i.e., useless embryonic stem cell research) that would have saved his dear wife.

I would hope someone would take him aside and explain that isn’t true, but if they haven’t explained it to Nancy Reagan there’s not a lot of hope.


73 posted on 11/25/2008 8:03:34 AM PST by Mr. Silverback ("[Palin] has not even lived in the Lower 48 since 1987. Come on! Really!" --Polybius)
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To: lowbridge
Well, do you want a political party that strives for good government, or one that wins elections? Kondracke's piece is a call for a Republican Party than can sneak over the line with 51% of the vote - sometimes. A "good government" conservative party led by someone like Sarah Palin might not win many national elections for a while, but would set the stage for future successes the way Goldwater did for Reagan.

If you want to steal one in 2012, it's probably going to have to be Kondracke's way. But that won't solve any of America's very real problems - it's just offering up different Democrats with nicer suits.

74 posted on 11/25/2008 8:05:54 AM PST by Mr. Jeeves ("One man's 'magic' is another man's engineering. 'Supernatural' is a null word." -- Robert Heinlein)
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To: Mr. Silverback

Oh there’s no doubt in my mind Mort blames conservatives for stem cell laws, and his wife’s illness. He is not dealing with reality.


75 posted on 11/25/2008 8:07:26 AM PST by rintense
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To: r9etb; lowbridge
What conservatives really need to do, is re-learn how to think. Talk radio is not helpful in that regard; in many respects, it prevents thinking.

While a valid case for your assertion can certainly be made with regard to Hannity and some of the other radio ranters, it is flatly not true for Limbaugh. He does teach people to think, and over his career has brought many people to a better understanding of conservative ideas and the foundational principles upon which this country was founded.

What he understands clearly, however, and what you obviously do not, is that most people can only be "reached" if they are exposed to ideas and information in an entertaining manner and at a speed which is comfortable to them. If they don't enjoy the program, they'll simply tune out.

While you and many others here might prefer a more intellectually concentrated, wonkish and didactic teaching format, the hard reality is that such an approach will never garner sufficient market share to reach very many people. Whatever instruction radio talkers may attempt must be leavened with entertainment.

There is no question conservatives need to re-learn how to think, but that condition is not limited to conservatives. The American people as a whole face the same problem. Most of talk radio certainly doesn't help, but some of it does, including Rush, and your blanket assertion is simply incorrect.

76 posted on 11/25/2008 8:08:25 AM PST by tarheelswamprat
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To: TheBattman

Hate to say it but there is some truth to his take here..... the GOP better find a way to get into the hearts and minds of young people as the institutions are schooling them in liberalism and they are much more active today at that age due to the internet.... the changing demographics also is not in favor of TRADITIONAL values as so many come from other places with little care or concern for our past or history. We must find a way to get inside the media think tank and propaganda machine... FOX alone can not cut it sorry.... as fair as they are the rest are a slam dunk for the leftist mind and that alone has curtailed the conservative vision and message.


77 posted on 11/25/2008 8:08:41 AM PST by Republic Rocker
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To: lowbridge

This is primarily something that liberals worry about. Rush Limbaugh is their bogeyman. They spend countless hours and sleepless nights worrying about Rush Limbaugh. He wears down their health, causing countless early heart attacks for Type A liberals. The idea that they are trying to save the country from Rush Limbaugh helps to comfort them when they really want to exterminate unborn children. There is nothing that Rush Limbaugh prevents liberals in Manhattan, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington or Bethesda from doing in the privacy of their homes. This is an imaginary liberal issue of panic, anxiety, and neurosis. If Kondracke is encountering people in Georgetown, Chevy Chase, and Dupont Circle who spend time worrying about Rush Limbaugh they need professional help. They also might try one of the FM music stations. "Easy Listening" might help and be the route to go for them. There are some Bread CD's from Time-Life they might try. Or maybe Air Supply. If that doesn't work one of the medical marijuana clubs in Vancouver might be a better option for them. The sooner they stop listening and worrying about Rush Limbaugh, the easier their lives will be. Obama is president now. They need to get over their Rush Derangement Disorder Syndrome.

78 posted on 11/25/2008 8:09:58 AM PST by HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity
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To: lowbridge

This is the same idiot with that other blowhard Fred Barnes. The Beltway Boys, a name which reeks parasitic Washington Lifer...


79 posted on 11/25/2008 8:13:13 AM PST by Blue Highway
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To: lowbridge
Ah clever Mort, he wants Rush to mention his column.

I hope Rush ignores it.

80 posted on 11/25/2008 8:13:49 AM PST by Theophilus (Abortion: #1 National Security Issue, #1 Economic Issue, #1 Moral Issue)
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