Limbaugh should not be ignored this time.

[kentuck]

He is starting on Obama just like he did on Clinton. It doesn't matter to him if our country goes under. His only concern is that he not have to pay more taxes. Screw the rest of the country. His racism and division should be condemned by everyone, including the Republicans that have suffered from his advice and propaganda. How much more are they willing to take from this imbecile?

He now says that he hopes Obama fails. If Obama fails, we all fail. Obama is not the only American with chips on the table. Limbaugh is out of touch and out of control. It is time to throw his sorry ass under the bus. This country does not need his propaganda anymore. He has done enough damage and we cannot ignore him this time around. It's time for the Armed Forces Radio to take him off the air. It's time for Clear Channel to re-consider their contract with this anti-American bigot. We may be a tolerant people but we cannot tolerate such hatred and bigotry from anyone.

[Dogmudgeon]

"It's time for the Armed Forces Radio to take him off the air."

You know, this can be made to happen in a Democracy where the military is accountable to its people.

Short of that, the entire AirAmerica lineup can be broadcast on AFR.

Considering that the Armed Forces are MUCH more liberal than they were even four years ago, this shouldn't be too difficult to achieve.

"Fair and Balanced," you know.

--p!

[newtothegame]

31. Dude, I love Air America...

But it's gotta get some listeners and some sponsors first. AFR isn't going to pick it up just to be balanced; it was and is always being killed by the NeoThugs radio. Which makes no sense because there are way more proclaimed liberals in this country.

[hvn_nbr_2]

32. Armed Forces Radio broadcasting calls for the Commander-in-Chief to fail?

It boggles the mind, doesn't it. He should be banned.

[GreenPartyVoter]

38. That does seem wrong, doesn't it.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Dennis Donovan]

3. .

:spank:

:D

[YDogg]

6. ouch

[Dennis Donovan]

2. Limbaugh is a paid propagandist for Conservative-Corporate America...

...and should be exposed and recognized as such.

To the workers with the radio on; he has NEVER spoken for you, and his latest rant against the success of the US under Obama PROVES it!

[conscious evolution]

75. That is exactly what he is.

[Malikshah]

4. Ageed. Societal illness should not be allowed to fester.

We learned that, hopefully, during the Clinton presidency.

No quarter should be given to the extremists.

[Junkdrawer]

5. He's attacking Obama to ensure that Obama and Congress:

A.) Doesn't reinstate the Fairness Doctrine

B.) Doesn't remove him from Armed Forces Radio


"They're just trying to attack my 1st amendment rights because I'm an Obama critic."

Betcha Congress and Obama will continue to use tax payer money to force-feed his filth to our troops just to avoid the above charge.

[treestar]

47. How does the decision come about as to what goes on AFR?

Now that Obama is in charge of the executive branch, is it within his control?

It's not even the disagreement with Rush it is that he is insane and the troops deserve better entertainment.

I wonder what percentage of them even listen to it.

[Junkdrawer]

50. Congress decides...History in this Salon piece...

...

Says Brock, who is president of Media Matters: "American Forces Radio makes choices based on content. The content of Limbaugh's comments has been so inflammatory that this may be an occasion for them to review the choices they've made. Has Limbaugh crossed the line? They'll have to address that."

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, is upset by the right-wing tilt of American Forces Radio. "Senator Harkin was recently made aware of the situation and he's very concerned about it," says Maureen Knightly, his communications director. "He didn't realize leans that conservatively. It has raised a red flag. Taxpayers pay for it, and he feels there should be better balance in what's being aired." Harkin serves on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees Pentagon spending.

Eleven years ago it was Republican members of Congress whose pressure put Limbaugh on American Forces Radio in the first place. In 1993, then Rep. Robert Dornan, R-Calif., along with 69 other Republican House members, sent a letter to President Clinton's first secretary of defense, Les Aspin, demanding that both Limbaugh's radio show and his syndicated television show (on which Limbaugh compared preteen Chelsea Clinton to a dog) be broadcast to the military. "Limbaugh has been called by his liberal critics 'the most dangerous man in America.' It appears the liberal leadership at the Pentagon agrees with that ridiculous assertion," Dornan wrote. "The bottom line is that the troops want Rush Limbaugh, and you should see to it that they at least have that opportunity."

The Pentagon responded by pointing to an internal survey of 50,000 military listeners that found that only 4 percent requested more long-format talk radio. Most respondents overwhelmingly requested continuous music. The Pentagon also said that Limbaugh's daily three-hour radio program would monopolize too much of the network's limited airtime.

Notably, on Nov. 29, 1993, American Forces Radio and Television Services issued this statement: "The Rush Limbaugh Show makes no pretense that his show is balanced. If AFRTS scheduled a program of personal commentary without balancing it with another viewpoint, we would be open to broad criticism that we are supporting a particular point of view."

Yet just three days later, as the controversy was stoked in conservative media and Republicans cried censorship, Aspin called Limbaugh to assure him that the Pentagon would find a way to get his program on the then-named Armed Forces Radio.

"That's the difference between Democrats and Republicans," says Franken, noting that Democrats are much more likely to give in to mau-mauing from the right.

...

http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2004/05/26/rush_limbaugh/print.html

[treestar]

70. Sounds like they pressured for it, but was it the subject of an actual

bill made into law?

[bunkerbuster1]

7. I think there's a lot of mileage out of kicking Rush.

I can think of few public figures who are more loathed by a majority of Americans than Rush.

Rush has been terrific for us of late. think about how his "Operation Chaos" only served to direct attention to why some were really swarming to Hillary in the latter days of the primaries.

think, two, about his disastrous mis-step of mocking Michael J. Fox--it almost certainly netted us a Senator from Missouri.

So by all means, let's not ignore him, but let's not imagine this fat gasbag is actually "dangerous" to us. Rather, let's assume it will profit us to keep him prominent.

[Subdivisions]

8. I'm listening for the first time ever and I am already sick to my stomach...

He just called the Oval Office the Oval Orifice. He's claiming because Obama is closing Gitmo that we are no longer safe.

Holy cow! This is disgusting!

[Junkdrawer]

10. Your tax dollars are given to Limbaugh so that he goes out to the troops...

over Armed Forces Radio.

And from 1995 to 2005 he was the ONLY long-format talk show on Armed Forces Radio. (Now they have Ed Shultz as the "liberal" counterbalance.)

Here's a picture of troops in their lovely Club Gitmo t shirts he provided:

[TornadoTN]

21. So where do we start the movement?

Do we lobby our Congress or Senate? I'd be willing to bet that most GOP reps would lend a listening ear due to their current predicament.

Tax money being spent to host Limbaugh and his hatred for this country is insanity.

[Junkdrawer]

22. Wesley Clark and others tried in 2007...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gen-wesley-clark/take-rush-limbaugh-off-ar_b_66826.html

[JitterbugPerfume]

9. Kentuck, I believe

that the kind of ridicule O Reiley , Limbaugh and their ilk get from the likes of Olberman, Jon Stewart , Rachel Maddow , Colbert and others shows what idiots they really are

The remark that Rush made was all over MSNBC yesterday. Sunshine cleanses!

[KharmaTrain]

11. This Isn't 1992...Thank Goodness

Consider this latest Rushbo eruption one of desperation. It's an attempt to get attention from a relic of a different time...and of an industry in total implosion.

We saw with "operation chaos" how little real influence Rushbo has outside his little fishbowl of dead-enders. Hate radio was a liability last year, not an asset. It has become a caricature...having driven away thousands of listeners with the bile and stridency. It completely shut out anyone under 30...while the core audience of 1992 is a lot older...and many, as we've seen on DU, have grown to see a different light and day.

There's also a new weapon that didn't exist in 1992...you're a part of it. Blogs and place like DU have done for our side what hate radio did on theirs. It's a great equalizer that has attracted millions who now see it as a source for reliable information and a way to network.

Right now, Clear Channel is fighting for its survival. While President Obama was being inaugurated, 10% of that company's workforce got pink slips...and more firings are on the way. Stock prices for other companies are in penny stock range and things promise to get even worse. Right now Rushbo is just glad someone tunes in to listen...soon there will be less stations to air his manure and even fewer people paying attention.

Cheers...

[FatDave]

64. Exactly. They have the radio.

We have the internet. One is a medium from the distant past. The other is the medium of the present and future. The problem in the 90's was that these guys went unanswered. They no longer do. We've now got Keith, Rachel, Jon and Stephen on our side. Not to mention the thousands upon thousands of bloggers and commenters. The right-wingers are ridiculed daily by our guys, and our guys are growing their audiences while they're losing theirs.

It's not 1992 anymore. We got this.

[COStorm]

12. You scare me...

We may be a tolerant people but we cannot tolerate such hatred and bigotry from anyone.

I fear this kind of rhetoric far more than what anyone on either side of the isle says. Are you saying laws should be passed to bar Rush Limbaugh from broadcasting? Are you suggesting that we get a mob together and run into his studio with our pitch forks and torches and lay waste to the place? What are you suggesting?

Forcibly silencing someone because you fear their ideas is medieval.

Can you give an example of his "racism" "hatred" and "bigotry", so I can get a better understanding of your point of view?

[Junkdrawer]

13. Should Congress continue to pay him to be on Armed Forces Radio?

:shrug:

[onenote]

74. how much is he paid? I've looked and can't find any information.

I do know that a lot of the content aired by AFN is provided to them without charge by the rights holders. Don't know if that's the case with limbaugh or not. But before assuming anything, it would be nice to actually have some facts.

[kentuck]

20. I'm saying people like you should not tolerate his crap.

He has destroyed your Party. At least, he has had a big hand in destroying it. But perhaps you think you will win the House and Senate in the next election?? Rush will get you to the Promised Land again, like he did in 1994 and was made an "honorary" member of the Republican Congress? Or are you going to tell us he is just a "comedian" on the radio? He is not a right-wing, hateful propagandist? Is that what you are saying?

[LanternWaste]

23. Congress has the power and opportunity...

Congress has both the power and opportunity to decide what goes in or does not go into the line up for AFR. Removing Limbaugh from the air would not entail new or additional laws to prevent his "august presence" on AFR.

And would he were removed, does that mean he's "silenced" as you so dramatically (and rhetorically) stated? No-- he's simply removed from one market.

There are no mobs, no pitchforks, no witch-hunts-- simply a change in AFR's lineup. Unless of course you thing that AFR should never change its lineup and should revert back to its 1940 music, shows, and news broadcasts...

[dionysus]

51. ROFL... poor bid

"Can you give an example of his "racism" "hatred" and "bigotry", so I can get a better understanding of your point of view?"

ok!

1) turn on radio
2) listen to that obese pedophile junkie for 5 seconds

[City Lights]

62. Good riddance, idiot.

I hope you choked on your pizza.

[juno jones]

72. As they say, if you have to ask you'll never know.

Apparently you have no problem with the terms 'magic negroes' and 'feminazis'. I know! He's only joking and we feminazis have utterly no sense of humor. Only corpulent white men who diddle little boys when they aren't doctor shopping for oxycontin possess a scintillating sense of humor and we members of the lower classes had better just know our place and remember that.


Oh well, not everyone is ready for the 21st century. I have nothing against Rush on radio, his listeners are dying off, I mean who the fuck under 40 listens to radio anyways? Especially that boring ass talk format stuff. It tends to be baaaaawing anyway. I just object the his hatred is paid for by our govt to be included in what is 'served' to the troops.


I'm all for the public revelation of his character and scrutiny over his acceptance of any federal funds and support. After a good vetting, I doubt the baaaawing homophobes, racists and good christians who listen to his show will be as public in their defense.

[theboss]

14. Talk radio is a 25-year-old technology

Kos has lapped Limbaugh twice and is now riding him bareback around the track in terms of political influence.

Limbaugh has his little band of 14 million sycophants, but he has no real way of organizing them or influencing them. All he can really do is feed the occasional idea into the mainstream press. But his ability to sustain that type of dialogue is gone, because his medium is so weak.

Over the break, I was listening to The History of Howard Stern on Sirius. It was amazing how much cultural power he held in the early 90s when he was only on in three markets. Now, he can theoretically be heard in every corner of the country, and he could never push a comedian or a band they way he used to.

[bullwinkle428]

15. The fucker is trying to throw down the gauntlet on the Fairness Doctrine,

even though Obama has never even breathed a word about attempting to reinstate it. It's standard-issue right-wing paranoia that you've known and loved since the halcyon days of Joe McCarthy!

[krispos42]

16. I had hoped Bush would suceed

I just didn't expect it.




And I was right. :-(

[OneBlueSky]

17. Limbaugh is now irrelevant . . . n/t

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. Limbaugh should be ignored this time.

He was successful last time during the Clinton years because he was a novelty, and a bunch of dipshits who shouldn't have been listening to him tuned in anyway.

[FatDave]

65. I'm not sure about ignored.

I lean more towards ridiculed.

[YOY]

19. He's no imbecile. He gets paid millions to do what he does.

His listeners are imbeciles. Gigantic fucking brainless imbeciles with no common sense whatsoever to see that they are have been and continue to be had.

[alfredo]

24. Find the exact quote and send it to AF radio. And ask them if they want to

expose the troops to someone who is trying to undermine their commander in chief.

[azul]

40. exactly. When Junior was CIC progressive criticism was censored.

Now the shoe is on the other foot for AFR and conservative creepiness can maybe be determined by the military to be unhelpful for moral and disruptive to the mission.

And flush the druggie mouthpiece for corporate greed and insane privatized-military adventures.

[alfredo]

42. Here's the video

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2009/01/21/nr.sanchez.slater.limbaugh.cnn

[kentuck]

25. No one should be on AFN that criticizes the Commander in Chief.

period.

[Raskolnik]

27. That's a ludicrous standard that I doubt very much you wished to be applied the last eight years.

period.

[kentuck]

30. I don't think AFN permitted criticism of Bush?

on the air. I think one or two liberals were denied the right to be on AFN?

What they are really saying is that they have a right to criticize whatever they like but we do not have a right to criticize them. They can't stand the heat in the kitchen.

[Raskolnik]

36. *You* are the one that wants to stifle speech you don't agree with

I hardly think you are the one to be criticizing others for not being able to stand the heat.

If your position wasn't so silly, it would be scary.

[dionysus]

52. so let's get this straight comrade...

you approve of sedition on Armed Forces Radio? cause that's a hell of a lot what it sounds like you're saying...

[Raskolnik]

53. If your definition of "sedition" is any criticism of the CiC, then hell yes I approve of it.

If that isn't your definition, why are you asking me?

[dionysus]

54. if you don't think allowing seditionist propaganda to be piped to our military is stupid

to a mind boggling degree, then there's no use discussing this further.

[Raskolnik]

56. Again, if you consider any criticism of the CiC to be seditionist propaganda, then

you need to do some serious reevaluation of your beliefs.

Do you think the Rachel Maddow show was "seditionist propaganda" during the Bush years?

[onenote]

76. So You think none of the NPR programs on AFN ever spoke a critical word about chimpy

or had a guest that was critical?

Or maybe you've never listened to AFN.

[Dreamer Tatum]

79. You mean, as of noon on Tuesday, right?

I have the idea that if they had a Fuck Bush telethon on AFN, many would have been just fine with it.

[libodem]

26. I think you are right

I just goggled Jonah Goldberg, because I got an introduction to his warped thinking from a right wing talk show. His bullshit is 'Liberal Fascism'. To me that's an oxymoron. Fascism by it's very nature is rightist. These sewage spewers lie and need to be monitored.

[FiveGoodMen]

45. "These sewage spewers lie" -- and lying needs to be made a crime when it influences the public

Freedom of speech should mean that expressing an unpopular (or anti-government) opinion will not result in governmental reprisal.

It should not mean that you get to pretend there are WMDs so you can invade another country.

It should not mean that you can spread smears and dis-info against innocent people.

It should not be a ticket to destroy your country or your fellow citizens.

SCOTUS ruled long ago that the First Amendment doesn't protect those who create mayhem by yelling 'Fire' in a crowded theater.

Those who intentionally deceive the public should pay for it.

And more importantly, they should be stopped!

[Raskolnik]

46. So we should probably have a Ministry of Truth to sort out acceptable speech from unacceptable.

[FiveGoodMen]

48. Can we separate lies from the truth?

Or are you okay with Bush lying about WMDs?

Are you okay with the press backing him even when some of them knew better?

I get the slippery slope argument, but it's possible to fall down the other side of that same mountain.

[Raskolnik]

49. I'm sure when the Ministry of Truth is in Republican control, they would have no trouble at all.

Seriously, do you think we should be criminalizing political speech we don't like? Really?

[FiveGoodMen]

55. Lying shouldn't be considered political speech.

You are aware that the dreaded government runs the courts wherein it's determined whether the defendant -- who swears he's innocent -- is telling the truth or not?

You do know there are civil penalties for things like defamation.

You do know that lying under oath is a crime.

You do know that fraud is a crime (fraud is just lying).

Should we legalize all these things because the perpetrator really wanted to lie?

When Rush says something that just pisses me off, that's not a crime. When he lies, it should be.

[Raskolnik]

58. Your knowledge of the law is somewhat lacking in this regard.

You do know that fraud is a crime (fraud is just lying).

No, fraud is not "just lying."

There are already well-defined, constitutional limits on when "lying" may be criminalized. You are seeking to go well beyond those limits and criminalize political speech with which you disagree. That is shameful.

[newtothegame]

59. I agree...

that sounds like what alot of people are saying. I love DU, and it's a great resource, but it is very entertaining to see alot of DU'ers claim WE and WE only have the truth because some of our users can find stuff on the internets. Sorry folks, the truth is not always on the internets. Headlines like, "I KNOW this person is lying cause I found this MEMO on THIS WEBSITE." Folks, I can write a memo right now and put it on this internets. You can't guarantee me it's the truth.

[onenote]

77. Exactly

[libodem]

60. Spot on

I like what you are saying. Freedom of speech is one thing, brandishing ignorance to taint public opinion and foment malcontent, requires observation and if needed intervention.

[Raskolnik]

61. "requires observation and if needed intervention"

Jebus--people like you scare me.

[FiveGoodMen]

66. Very glad that someone agrees!

:toast:

[backscatter712]

28. The FCC needs to tighten up media ownership rules.

Part of the reason why blowhards like Limbaugh and Hannity get so much airtime is because six corporations own the vast majority of media outlets in this country, and the owners of those six companies want lots of right-wing propaganda on the air because it serves their interests.

That has to change.

The FCC needs to seriously tighten up the media-ownership rules, and force the members of the media oligopoly to sell off a bunch of their radio stations, newspapers, TV stations, cable channels, etc. etc. etc. Maybe if we got to the point where it was 50 companies in the game, plus a whole bunch of mom-and-pop businesses that owned a single radio station or TV station, sure some of them would air Rush and Hannity, but I'll bet most of them will choose to air something else.

[newtothegame]

29. He's a businessman, as is Clear Channel. He makes money doing what he does. It's America. n/t

[kentuck]

34. Al Capone made money doing what he did.

he was a businessman, also.

[newtothegame]

35. Yep, same thing.

:sarcasm:

Sorry, just cause we're now in charge doesn't mean we now change the rules in areas where we don't have an advantage. That's what the OTHER side does. And as for the person saying we should replace it with Air America, shouldn't we examine why Air America is a losing business model, instead of just forcing it onto the airwaves to lose money?

ed for clarity

[Thothmes]

67. What Al Capone did was illegal.

[RB TexLa]

33. What is the shock over this? I want republicans to fail. republicans want us to fail

Are some just looking for something to get angry over?

[kentuck]

37. Do you get angry over anything?

Do we not have a right to criticize Limbaugh and call for his removal. But he has a right to say he hopes Obama fails. He is on AFN saying that he hopes the Commander in Chief fails??

[RB TexLa]

39. You have a right to criticize a fish for swimming too. Go ahead

[azul]

43. And was Rush given a pass on drug charges by corrupted justice dept.?

Open up the files on his oxycontin and other offenses to see if he received special treatment from a politicized FBI.

It was partly the bruited about ravings of RL against drug addicts and their lack of personal responsibility that got many states to harshen drug laws and pass three strikes legislations.

And then to let Limbaughh get off with a hand-slap for his own opiate addiction and criminal behavior is the height of hypocrisy, that is maybe now sinking in with his employers.

[deaniac21]

41. Nobody wants the 401k to go down.

[bvar22]

44. I sincerely doubt that Rush has a 401K.

Rush, and the top.05% WIN if Obama fails.
They are protected.
They will be the Feudal Lords and Aristocrats if they succeed (or have succeeded) in destroying the Middle Class.
They will live quite well in their Gated Communities, buying up cheap property, consolidating their Wealth, and picking over the bones of the of the vanquished Working Class.
Slave Labor will be plentiful.

Rush will do well.
It is the majority of his "too stupid to realize it" listeners who will be doomed to the peasant class of the new Gilded Age.

Their plan is already FAR advanced.
Obama and The FEW Democrats who care may not be able to stop it.
In fact, having the Democrats "in charge" during the Final Collapse may be part of "The Plan".

[deaniac21]

81. That's the sign post up ahead,

your next stop...The Twilight Zone!

[LittleClarkie]

57. Beware the karmic boomerang

How bad did our rhetoric against Bush get?

[4 t 4]

63. Yea and we wanted Nothing

more in the world than to impeach him. Fire Rush Now!!!!

[Fla Dem]

68. The only way to stop him is to get to his advertisers. Otherwise he will continue

to spew his hateful commentary.

[WhiteTara]

69. here's the form to file an FCC complaint

http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm?sid=d1e640&id=d1e669
I have gone through the forms for an FCC Form 475B - Obscene, Profane, and/or Indecent Broadcast Complaints.

This is one way to begin.

[onenote]

73. and exactly what did he say that was "obscene, profane or indecent"?

How broadly should the government read those terms?

[WhiteTara]

78. in truth I don't listen to him, I'm responding

to the OP. There are few spaces for complaints and you can be contacted for further clarification. I (not as a lawyer) think the FCC would be the place to begin.

[cherish44]

71. Actually I disagree....

I think the best thing we can do is ignore him and his ilk. He's getting publicity and being talked about and his sponsors LOVE that, it's making him and them RICH. This is exactly what he wanted to happen. Same thing with Mann Coulter. She loves to whip everyone into a tizzy because it makes her money. WE ARE REWARDING THEM BY EVEN TALKING ABOUT THEIR STUPID ASSES. If you want to protest just find out who are their advertising sponsors are and stop doing business with them. Our team won and they're nothing but dog shit on bottom of our shoes. Emulate what their hero GWB so eloquently told his critics "I don't care what you think." ..As far as their loyal fans go...well my Grandpa always said "You can't fix stupid so don't waste your energy trying."

[Zookeeper]

80. It's not just that he doesn't want to pay taxes; he wants to keep..

his job, which is to incite hatred and drama. From what I've gathered, he's not even that invested in his crappy message..he just wants to keep his income, stardom and McMansion.

He and Ann KKKoulter are attention-whore-hate-clowns.

You are right, Kentuck, that his statement shows how out of touch he is. It must not have dawned on he and his ilk, what our country will look like in four years if Obama fails.

[D23MIURG23]

82. On the contrary, let him remind people of the acidity and pettiness of the right.

The 28%ers aren't going anywhere, so it won't help anything to pull the plug on their favorite asshole.