 |
|
April 21, 2014
April 18, 2014
Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Clarifying one of the greatest philosophical conundrums in theology
John Ericson: Trying hard to be 'positive' but never succeeding? Blame Your Brain
The Kosher Gourmet by Julie Rothman Almondy, flourless torta del re (Italian king's cake), has royal roots, is simple to make, . . . but devour it because it's simply delicious
April 14, 2014
Rabbi Dr Naftali Brawer: Passover frees us from the tyranny of time
Eric Schulzke: First degree: How America really recovered from a murder epidemic
Georgia Lee: When love is not enough: Teaching your kids about the realities of adult relationships
Gordon Pape: How you can tell if your financial adviser is setting you up for potential ruin
Dana Dovey: Up to 500,000 people die each year from hepatitis C-related liver disease. New Treatment Has Over 90% Success Rate
Justin Caba: Eating Watermelon Can Help Control High Blood Pressure
April 11, 2014
Rabbi Hillel Goldberg: Silence is much more than golden
Susan Swann: How to value a child for who he is, not just what he does
Susan Scutti: A Simple Blood Test Might Soon Diagnose Cancer
Chris Weller: Have A Slow Metabolism? Let Science Speed It Up For You
April 9, 2014
Jonathan Tobin: Why Did Kerry Lie About Israeli Blame?
Samuel G. Freedman: A resolution 70 years later for a father's unsettling legacy of ashes from Dachau
Jessica Ivins: A resolution 70 years later for a father's unsettling legacy of ashes from Dachau
Matthew Mientka: How Beans, Peas, And Chickpeas Cleanse Bad Cholesterol and Lowers Risk of Heart Disease
April 8, 2014
Dana Dovey: Coffee Drinkers Rejoice! Your Cup Of Joe Can Prevent Death From Liver Disease
Chris Weller: Electric 'Thinking Cap' Puts Your Brain Power Into High Gear
April 4, 2014
Amy Peterson: A life of love: How to build lasting relationships with your children
John Ericson: Older Women: Save Your Heart, Prevent Stroke Don't Drink Diet
John Ericson: Why 50 million Americans will still have spring allergies after taking meds
Sarah Boesveld: Teacher keeps promise to mail thousands of former students letters written by their past selves
April 2, 2014
Dan Barry: Should South Carolina Jews be forced to maintain this chimney built by Germans serving the Nazis?
Frank Clayton: Get happy: 20 scientifically proven happiness activities
Susan Scutti: It's Genetic! Obesity and the 'Carb Breakdown' Gene
|
| |
Jewish World Review
Oct. 25, 2007
/ 13 Mar-Cheshvan 5768
Limbaugh's laughter
By
Bob Tyrrell
| 
|
|
|
|
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
What is that laughter I hear? I am at work here in our nation's capital, where there is rarely much laughter. Rather there are solemnities passed from one high and mighty to another. On Capitol Hill, the solons exchange declarations of virtue, manifestos of high purpose and, increasingly, threats — particularly threats against free-spirited writers and the prodigies of talk radio. The giants of Congress also conspire in slopping up the pork; for instance, just the other day, there was an earmark of $130,000 for a National Fat Ladies' Library in Ohio (or is that National First Ladies' Library, but does it matter?) and $500,000 for a virtual herbarium (perhaps a high-tech privy for Sen. Larry Craig). Yet I still hear laughter.
The laughter comes from El Rushbo, the merry sage of the Excellence in Broadcasting Network. Rush Limbaugh just pulled a good one on the Democratic leadership and those 41 Democratic senators who thought they could intimidate the CEO of Clear Channel Communications, syndicator of Rush's radio show, by sending him a threatening letter. He gave the letter to Rush, who promptly informed his 20 million listeners that he would auction off the preposterosity on eBay, match the highest bidder with a check of his own and send the two checks off to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation to further its charitable work with the children of fallen Marines. He also invited the posturing senators to join in the generosity.
"This is more fun than I've ever had in my life," Rush declared on "Hannity & Colmes" during their Oct. 18 show. By then, he had 60 or so bids, the highest for $851,000. He was faced with writing the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation a personal check for almost $1 million. Nonetheless he was laughing. Later he laughed even more when one of his supporters bid $2.1 million for the Democrats' epistolary assault on the First Amendment. Now Rush is out an equal amount but all to a good cause. He now can claim responsibility for a $4.2 million fund drive for the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation. What has been the Democrats response, a matching grant? Actually Sen. Harry Reid lumbered out onto the Senate floor and heaved up yet another exhalation of guff.
Rather surprisingly, the Democratic Party has made attacks on free speech a major weapon in its arsenal. Recently we reported in The American Spectator that Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, proposed with some of his investigators a review of the transcripts of such conservative talk radio hosts as Rush, Sean Hannity and Mark Levin. The goal was to influence the Federal Communications Commission to reinstate the so-called Fairness Doctrine, thus allowing the federal government to shape radio programming. Waxman's response to our report at first was to claim he had been "misrepresented," then to denounce our report as "fictitious" and, finally, to play the bully. He demanded an apology.
My response was to tell him that I would apologize for our thoroughly accurate report once he does the "decent thing and purchase(s) a toupee." I think we all can agree Henry Waxman would look less menacing as a blond. His next gambit was to protest, "I certainly support the First Amendment." I cannot claim that this was in response to my offer of an apology, but I can tell you that he has yet to purchase a toupee and that that bald head of his puts many of us in mind of Mussolini. Has he ever been to Rome?
My guess is that the Democrats' threats to the First Amendment will continue. Yet an even better bet is that Rush will continue to get the better of these brutes. From all I can tell, the 41 Democrats' attack on him made him genuinely angry, but Rush has a gift. He remains cool under fire and responds with devastating weaponry, wit and humor. In a free and open society, those weapons defeat the Democrats' phony indignation every time. Rush left the 41 Democrats looking like clowns … and cheapskates. So far as I have been able to tell, not one has yet to send the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation a check.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Bob Tyrrell is editor in chief of The American Spectator. Comment by clicking here.
Archives
© 2007, Creators Syndicate
|
|
Columnists
Toons
Lifestyles
|
