Posted on 09/29/2017 11:19:30 AM PDT by Kaslin
HANNITY: Welcome back to Hannity tonight reporting from Florida. Radio legend Rush Limbaugh sat down with me earlier today for an exclusive one-on-one interview from his studio in Florida. We started talking about the Republican Party.
HANNITY: You dont do a lot of TV interviews, right?
RUSH: I dont. I dont. Im totally satisfied with radio, and I want for nothing, I love it so much. But this is special. Cause, Sean, Ill tell you something: The reason America is still America is in this room.
HANNITY: You mean the camera people and you?
RUSH: All of us. But you and me, its an honor to do this, its great to be back on Fox News. And Im actually grateful for the opportunity here to be on the week youre going back to 9 p.m., where you should have been all along.
HANNITY: Well, thank you.
RUSH: Happy to be here.
HANNITY: We appreciate it. I want to start with tax cuts. All the years youve talked about it, Kennedy, Reagan, how it works; what do you think of the tax plan?
RUSH: Well, you know, its good overall. I mean, theres some things about it lets look at the elimination of the deduction state income tax. You know whos gonna hate that? California, Illinois, all these blue states, thats gonna cause a shortfall for them. Those taxpayers are not gonna like it. And if you look at the states with the highest state income tax rates, most of them are blue. But heres my basic problem with this. I keep hearing everybody say growth, growth. But the top rate probably isnt gonna come down or much at all. And thats where the growth is. Those are the people that hire. Those are the people that own small business. Those are the people that spend.
We still have a tax system and a way of explaining it thats rooted in class envy. Were gonna give the middle class, the lower middle class, upper middle class a break; but the rich, were gonna soak em. They dont need a tax break. They got enough. And besides, they say we have to have a way to pay for it. What do you mean, pay for it? Why cant Washington do with less, for once? We got growth from Reagan. I saw you talking about it last night. How? Top marginal rate over eight years went 70 to 28%. Look what happened.
Why not do it again? The reason is, everybody is afraid theyll lose votes in the middle class cause theres far more of them than there are people in the upper bracket. The top 10% are paying 70% of all income taxes. And how can you say theyre not paying their fair share, and why do we want to punish them further? If you really want growth, lower everybodys taxes across the board and get out of the way for all the revenue thats gonna be coming in.
HANNITY: Hes gonna have a corporate tax. Trump wanted 15. Its gonna be 20. Reconciliation kicks in, so they say. But whats interesting is, all right, the corporate taxes reduced, the repatriation is good. Youre right. New York, California, New Jersey, Illinois, they dont get to deduct Im in New York. Its 10%.
RUSH: Right.
HANNITY: California is 13.5%.
RUSH: Exactly
HANNITY: So lower rate, they might have 39 or 35, but theyll pay more.
RUSH: Theyre gonna be paying more. Now, I talked to some very powerful people. You know, Im a powerful, influential member of the media; I have access to powerful people. And theyre laying this all off on the president, this upper bracket, no movement. Because they know, when I talk to them, that Im gonna be interested in across the board, everybody, cause theyre the ones talking growth. Theyre not saying we need to do this to generate revenue. Theyre saying we need to do this to reboost the economy. Well, why are you gonna leave out the people that hire? Why dont we use those people as role models, inspirations?
Its typical class warfare. But, anyway, the guy that I was talking to, Well, dont talk to me. The president wants this. Its the presidents insisting on it. The president said that guys like him dont need a tax break. So theyre laying this all off on him. When I hear, We have to find a way to pay for it, thats Washington establishment talk. Thats Democrat talk, paying for tax cuts. This thing, first day its presented is never gonna be how it ends up if they get a vote on it. Dont misunderstand. Theres some great things in this. Personal exemption doubles, repatriation is good. But the thing that bothers me is that we still want to demonize and punish achievers.
HANNITY: I was excoriated for saying I never got a I never worked at a restaurant since I was 12.
RUSH: Right.
HANNITY: Worked in construction for years. I was demonized for saying I never got a job from a poor person.
RUSH: Right.
HANNITY: Ever.
RUSH: Well, see, youre not supposed to say those things. Youre not supposed to say things that contradict the narrative, and the narrative in Washington look, its all about getting reelected. Its all about trying to claim that they have things in common with the middle class, the downtrodden and so forth. Thats why I dont think its really about growth. Its about politics and getting votes.
HANNITY: Lets talk about the Republican Party, we saw what happened with health care. Lets get your general impressions on health care. And Im convinced theres a pretty significant percentage of Republicans in the Senate, they do not want this president to succeed.
RUSH: Yeah, I agree with you. I think it goes further than that. I dont think they expected to win. I think they, like everybody, thought Trump was gonna lose in the biggest way. I think they thought that at 8 oclock on election night. They werent preparing to govern. They hadnt laid any plans for it. They have become accustomed to being, quote, loyal opposition, which means eventually caving and giving the Democrats what they want after putting up a good front. Seven years gonna repeal and replace Obamacare, but we cant do it unless you give us the House, cant do it til the Senate, cant do it til the White House. Gave them all of that, and you know the drill. Youre right, they dont want to do it. I think that the voters come second.
Its kind of like this NFL thing. The owners there have a real conundrum, a real dilemma, who do they choose? Do they choose loyalty to their players or their customers, thats a tough decision. Republicans in the Senate and the House, who do they choose? Donors or voters? And I think theyre choosing donors. The donors dont want major reform. The donors want amnesty. The donors want comprehensive immigration reform. When it comes to health care, you can tell, for seven years they passed bills with no problem. You could tell they didnt want to do it. You could tell they didnt want to repeal and replace it. They were just saying the words. And they all have their own individual reasons, but I think its donors influencing more than voters. Well see. But this is an embarrassment. I mean, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity being totally squandered. Were never gonna have this chance.
HANNITY: You actually said that if they were smart, and all they would do is keep their promises, they would govern for generations.
RUSH: This is the deal. I really believe that if for just three months, going forward, or if they had three months in the past, just three months, gut it up for three months and work with Trump on his agenda, on cutting taxes seriously, across the board, immigration reform, the wall, what have you, getting rid of Obamacare, which is just its an absolute crime what has happened here and what thats gonna mean to the country. Just try for three months, make it look like theres unity between the president and the people in his own party, and they would own Washington for a generation.
HANNITY: Hmm. I think youre right. Im looking at the Republican Party. I think Trump has a strong identity. Ran on a platform, stick to it, every speech sounds just like his campaign speech. Wheres the brilliant ideas? How many years on radio have you talked about health savings accounts, health care cooperatives? We dont hear about that. How many times have we heard about the wall? I dont see them embracing strong ideas and going and selling them, which I think theyd win on the
RUSH: I dont think theyre conservative. I dont think they ever have been. I think they are look, there isnt much conservatism in the establishment. There are Republicans and Democrats, but its basically people who are pro-government, pro-Washington who think government in Washington is the center of the world. Theyll give occasional mentions of these things that you mentioned, these policies to placate voters. But going back to an original question you have here, they dont want Trump to succeed with his agenda. They cant afford that. Im not exaggerating here and Im not trying to say things that will be a sound bite that Fox replays the rest of the day. They dont want
HANNITY: Five days, Rush, theyll play it five days. (laughing)
RUSH: They dont want they cant afford for him to succeed with his agenda. They cant afford it. The lids blown. The gig is over. The joke is revealed if an outsider with no prior political experience can come in and fix messes that people have been promised would be fixed for 30 years, how does that make em look? They cant allow that to happen.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
HANNITY: Welcome back to Hannity as we report from Florida tonight. Rush Limbaugh has been one of the strongest voices against NFL players protesting our flag, our national anthem and hes one of the NFLs biggest fans. Heres what he had to say earlier today.
HANNITY: Let me go to the NFL.
RUSH: All right.
HANNITY: I want to read what you said, because Ive listened to you all the years youve been on radio, and youre probably the biggest NFL fan Ive ever known. You love the Pittsburgh Steelers.
RUSH: I do.
HANNITY: You saw what happened in the Pittsburgh game, and you actually said that you pointed this out, its bigger than life to you, the NFL, and for the first time in 45 years you werent excited and that the myth that youve always had about these players in the NFL is gone.
RUSH: Totally gone now.
HANNITY: Totally gone. You cant recover it?
RUSH: Well, maybe. I hope see, thats the thing. I woke up Sunday morning after the president made his comments in Alabama on Friday, Im looking at the way the medias covering it and whats intended to happen on Sunday, and Im saying theyve hijacked the game. The left has hijacked this game. It used to be a respite. It used to be a place you go to escape all this. I really, you know, you think of the players, they can do things we cant do when theyre performing at optimum level, it is just incredible to watch, the talent thats on display.
And to watch them now get caught up into something that I dont even think they understand. You know their backtracking now, Well, this is not about protesting the flag. This is not about of course it is. Thats how it all got started. If they really wanted to make do you think they could if one of these players or group of them called you and said we want a half hour on your show, would you give it to them?
HANNITY: Hundred percent.
RUSH: Why do they do that? Why are they messing around on the sideline disrespecting the flag, disrespecting the anthem, whats the point? Theyre not accomplishing anything except harming the enterprise. Whatevers happening in the NFL right now, its not how you grow it.
HANNITY: You said the owners are clueless, you said this is about race, and I think the most profound thing is you said is theyre a now being used by the left in this country that wants to take away institutions and the NFL is an anathema to the left.
RUSH: Well, you know, saying this is risky because it I firmly believe it
HANNITY: Dont get in trouble. Dont get in trouble. Go ahead.
RUSH: Im saying that people dont look When I say what Im gonna say, people are gonna react, Oh, come on. Are you serious? I just want to tell you I am, and this is why Im so concerned. I do believe that the left wants to cause great damage to the NFL. What does the NFL stand for? Masculinity, strength, toughness. So what are they doing to it? You go to college campuses now, and youll find classes on how to take masculinity out of men. Its actually happening. There are studies and courses in college that do this.
Its patriotic. Youve got the flag, youve got the anthem, youve got uniformed military personnel all the things that the left wants to erase from this country. They dont like displays of patriotism, strength, rugged individualism. And thats why the players are being used here. They think its about police brutality; they think its about righting social wrongs and so forth. This is an attack on the NFL as an institution, for shaking it down and lowering its profile and impact on American culture. Were in the midst of a culture war; everybody knows it.
The left is doing everything it can to erase elements of our countrys founding, the traditions and institutions and they dont stop. And once they get their hooks in something This is why Im sad about it. Theyre not gonna let go of this. So when I see the owners? Theyve gotta be scared to death. They have to be scared to death. On the one hand, do they side with their players? Linking arms? Go to sideline? Take a knee or whatever? Thats just driving the central fan base away. I almost think that its part of the strategy. If you did want to damage the NFL, what would you do? You would do something to cause its fan base to leave it. Whats happening?
HANNITY: This isnt gonna end well, is it?
RUSH: No Well, I hope it does. See, I love this so much that I live in constant optimism that this could be overcome and we can get back to it. But the problem is, Sean, everybody in management everybody in corporate America is under the false impression that this is a leftist, liberal country. It isnt! Its made to look it because the media is, and the media promotes it, and the media narrative is that America has progressed and now conservatism is a minority or that way of thinking is a minority.
And so everybody in corporate America who thinks they need to find a way to convince people to pay them to buy their product or whatever is under a misunderstanding of who their audience is. Look who advertises in the NFL. Ford F-150! Everything that supposedly causes climate change the number one advertiser in the NFL: Guys, beer. Whos being assaulted and attacked on all this? And the owners and the commissioner, I dont know what their individual politics are. I dont think they understand whats happening to em.
I dont think they understand whats going. They think theyre relating to the majority of their fan base? Theyre not! Theyre driving them away and I hate it! I dont want the NFL to get smaller. I dont want it to become insignificant. I dont want it to be taken over by a bunch of wusses. I dont want it to be taken care of by left-wing social justice causes. You know, use something besides the NFL sideline. Use something besides the flag. Use something besides something that people use to escape everything leftists are trying to force on us.
HANNITY: Ill give them hours on my show.
RUSH: You hear that? You hear that?
HANNITY: Hours!
RUSH: Lets see if they take you up on it.
HANNITY: Seriously. Tell me what you care about. I have a big debate. Ill bring up Ill do hour-long debates.
RUSH: You know what youre gonna find?
HANNITY: What?
RUSH: This is gonna blow your mind. I think, Sean, that a lot of I dont know what the percentages are a lot of these players really believe hands up, dont shoot.
HANNITY: (groans)
RUSH: They really do.
HANNITY: Never happened!
RUSH: It didnt happen but the media says it did.
HANNITY: Yeah.
RUSH: And social justice warriors on the left, the civil rights community continue to say it did. You cant blame em if thats the only media they trust, if thats the only media they watch. Theres that aspect of it. There are also, you know, the police brutality overall that they think occurs. More blacks are killed in Chicago by other blacks.
HANNITY: Nobody talks about it.
RUSH: Nobody talks about it.
HANNITY: I listed the names once.
RUSH: It doesnt fit the narrative. But if theyre really concerned about all of the horrible things happening to them or African-Americans, it isnt happening in the NFL! Seventy-five percent of the league is African-American and wealthy and loved and adored and hero worshiped. And yet it makes no sense. And it just It saddens me. I loved it! I didnt watch football Sunday. I couldnt.
HANNITY: I watched college football.
RUSH: Well, Im not a big fan of that either cause of the cheap uniforms.
HANNITY: (laughing)
RUSH: Im just kidding. Im just kidding. I didnt go to college; I dont have an alma mater.
HANNITY: (laughing)
RUSH: Thats I They do look not as flashy. I told Lou Holtz that
HANNITY: Yeah?
RUSH: when he was coach in South Carolina. He understood what I meant; so were cool. But really, its Im gonna play golf on Sundays now. Its just not Sean, its not the same. Youre watching it, and the media cant wait to tell us of all the discord the sports media.
HANNITY: They never show the fans booing, though.
RUSH: No.
HANNITY: They dont show you that.
RUSH: Theyll show you the players dissing the flag.
HANNITY: Yeah. All over.
bump
I don’t say it as often as I used to, but on this: Rush is right.
I freaking love Rush and have been a ditto head since before he was since indicated.
my only criticisms are he still doesn’t know what literally means.
and he also doesn’t know what inoculate means.
And it’s weird cuz Rush comes from a long line of storied lawyers and his daily bread and butter is the effective use of words.
In case you’d rather watch/listen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA8dunfZR4s
I watched the interview last night and plan to watch part 2 tonight.
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