The Limbaugh Wire: Where every day is the “Limbaugh Challenge”
By Simon Maloy

El Rushbo's on-air reading of Andrew Klavan's sophomoric Los Angeles Times op-ed challenging the nameless, faceless, cowardly, anti-intellectual “liberals” out there to listen to Rush got us thinking. We endure the “Limbaugh Challenge” every day, listening to and absorbing every second of every hour. And while there's no denying that we are anti-intellectual cowards, listening to Limbaugh's entire program every day has done nothing to change our opinion of the man. So please, use us as a cautionary tale before subjecting yourselves to prolonged Limbaugh exposure.

Anyway, let's get to today's “challenge.” Rush kicked off the program attacking the Treasury Department's viability assessment of General Motors, claiming that the government is going to shut down GM's SUV production, even though 11 of the 20 profitable vehicle models it produces are SUVs. Well, the reason Treasury pointed out that 11 of GM's profitable lines are SUVs is because SUVs are “vulnerable to energy cost-driven shifts in consumer demand.” Simply put, too much of GM's profits are dependent upon vehicles that people don't buy when gas prices go up. But don't worry, Rush returned to gas prices later.

From there Rush moved on to an Associated Press article reporting that Ford and GM “are offering payment protection plans to help reassure consumers who may be putting off buying a new car because of worries about losing their job.” Rush's response? “Yeah, OK, well -- ask you a question here: With whose money are they going to pay for your car payment? Mine, dingleberry, and every other taxpayer's.” Actually, no ... as the article points out, “Ford has not requested federal bailout funds.” So Ford will be paying with Ford's money, not taxpayer money.

After the break, Rush read from Byron York's Washington Examiner article this morning on the Pay for Performance Act of 2009, described by York as a bill “that would, in some key ways, go beyond the most draconian features of the original AIG bill.” Rush wondered what's to stop the government from going after the salaries of employees at non-bailed-out companies. Then he attacked “egghead” Austan Goolsbee and the Treasury Department's automobile task force, claiming that there is no one with any automobile industry experience or automobile appreciation on it. After again attacking Treasury's viability assessment of GM, Rush cited Commentary's Jennifer Rubin's blog entry claiming that Obama's proposals for GM and Chrysler are “all an elaborate charade to hide . . . yes . . . a good old fashioned bankruptcy proceeding.”

After another commercial interruption, Rush read from an Associated Press article reporting that "[s]ome workers at Chrysler plants in Warren [Michigan] are criticizing President Barack Obama's decision to stop spending taxpayer money on automaker loans." Rush zeroed in on a quote from an auto union local president: “We knew someone was going to have to take the proverbial 'bullet,' and it would have made it a lot easier to accept that had the CEOs of the banks also been required to give up their jobs.” According to Rush, “happiness” in the economy these days is seeing someone else lose their job. This view was reinforced in his own mind by “ridiculous” polls from The Washington Post and Rasmussen showing that people are increasingly happy with Obama's handling of the economy. According to Rush: "[M]aybe we have descended into a nation that sort of loves the concept of soft tyranny."

Then it was time for the new conspiracy. Citing an Investor's Business Daily editorial attacking Democrats for passing legislation restricting energy exploration on U.S. lands, Rush claimed that the combination of this legislation, combined with Obama's “takeover” of the auto industry, combined with Treasury's chastising of GM for relying too heavily on SUVs, means that Obama and the Democrats are intentionally causing the price of oil and gas to rise so that they can create a market for the hybrid and electric cars they are forcing GM to produce. This goes back to Rush's prediction from yesterday that the next industry Obama will “nationalize” will be oil and gas (and not the teleprompter industry). According to Rush, “We are Venezuela in the early years.”

Rush ended the hour by encouraging listeners not to believe any media reports about potential trouble at the G-20, because none of these leaders would be going if everything weren't already set in stone.

Highlights from Hour 1

Outrageous comments

LIMBAUGH: I know, I know, I'm on the wrong side of this just like I'm on the wrong side of everything these days, because the vast majority of the American people are going, “Hey, what's wrong with that? That's a wonderful idea. Hey, why do you have to throw cold water on every good idea that comes down the pike in this country? I mean, I think it's great that they're going to pay for my car if I lose my job. That's only right.” Yeah, OK, well -- ask you a question here: With whose money are they going to pay for your car payment? Mine, dingleberry, and every other taxpayer's.

[...]

LIMBAUGH: In fact, The Washington Post comes out with the most ridiculous poll. Well, I don't know how ridiculous it was because the Rasmussen poll pretty much says the thing -- Obama's approval numbers through the roof, six in 10 people love what he's doing with the economy. Rasmussen says that his approval index skyrocketed from plus-4 to plus-11, yet everybody is just -- they're just happy as hell with the way Obama is taking control of the economy and dishing things out. I think -- maybe we have descended into a nation that sort of loves the concept of soft tyranny. Maybe we have a majority of Americans that actually like it or are willing to support it.

[...]

LIMBAUGH: Look where we are today. The government has taken over two automobile companies for the express purpose of getting rid of SUVs and trucks. They have. Same thing's going to happen with healthcare because you can't have a change without a crisis, without a villain. Obama has to always be portrayed as the hero. Phony outrage fueled by all of the president's men. The drive-by media will be able to turn the country upside down. We are Venezuela in the early years.

Echo Chamber

Lots this hour -- Investor's Business Daily editorial, Byron York in the Washington Examiner, Jennifer Rubin from Commentary.

Clips from this hour

Limbaugh: “We are Venezuela in the early years.”

Limbaugh: "Maybe we have descended into a nation that sort of loves the concept of soft