Here's why the drug addict is royally screwed

[Major Nikon]

Certainly Rush's entire existence is threatened right now, but that's not even the worst of it for him. The worst of it is he's effectively muzzled for this election season. The ONLY power the drug addict has is by saying inflammatory things. He knows it. Now even if he does manage to hold on to his radio show he's effectively on probation which means he can't make any statements that are even remotely sexist or racist or homophobic for a good long while. A muzzled Rush means he won't be able to effectively stir up his racist, homophobic, misogynistic, xenophobic listeners to get them to the polls in a year when the GOP desperately needs them to show up.

Women's rights and gay rights are shaping up to be THE big issues this election cycle, and Rush won't be able to say much of anything about it. It's just one more nail in the GOP coffin.

[Zalatix]

1. Let us hope.

[Sherman A1]

2. Don't count on it

he will be roaring back next week, like it never happened.

[tkmorris]

3. It's a long way to November

I guarantee you none of this will matter by Memorial Day. As soon as people stop writing angry letters to the advertisers everything will return to the way it was.

Rush doesn't give a damn. You know that already but it bears repeating. What some people DON'T seem to realize is that the companies that advertise on his show and his regular listeners also don't care. You think they didn't know that Rush says shit like this? Of course they did and they LIKE that he does. The only reason anyone has pulled ads at all is because they are afraid to lose sales. They know that as soon as the heat dies down (and it will, as soon as something new happens to distract those complaining) they can go right back to what they were doing and no one will care.

It sucks, but it's true. Unless and until an all out economic war is declared on any business that supports his show through advertisements, and I mean a permanent campaign not this "outrage of the week" stuff, he will carry on as always.

I hope I'm wrong. I hope that in a couple of weeks, when this incident has faded into memory, that some company will try to get some airtime at a reduced rate to replace those that fled over this. I hope that when they do their phone rings off the hook with disapproving customers. I hope they then declare it was all a mistake and pull their ads as well. I hope that happens over and over until Rush is pushing used cars and funeral plots at the station breaks. I hope. But history says it ain't bloody likely.

[Syrinx]

4. "Certainly Rush's entire existence is threatened right now"

What? That reptile has hundreds of millions of dollars in the bank. His "entire existence is threatened right now?"

What?

"The worst of it is he's effectively muzzled for this election season"

Really? He's on hundreds of radio stations across the nation. He can still spew his bile from coast to coast.

"he can't make any statements that are even remotely sexist or racist or homophobic for a good long while"

Are you serious? He's been making sexist, racist and homophobic statements for about thirty years now.

"A muzzled Rush..."

When was he muzzled? He had a few advertisers cancel. Others will replace them.

And I doubt that his ratings are really as big as they claim anyway. I think he's subsidized by the right-wing billionaires that are eating us alive.

You are seriously over-hyping the death of Rush Limbaugh. But I definitely hope I'm wrong.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

5. His employer is Premiere. They're owned by ClearChannel...

...who are owned by BAIN CAPITAL. One of the biggest sponsors of Limpball's program is Americans for Prosperity - the Koch Bros outfit.

Why would ya think Rush is going anywhere or that he'll be in any way forced to shut up? Personally, I seriously doubt it.

Here's the thing: Rush is the mouthpiece for the Republican Party. HE can say things THEY can't. Here's proof - they admitted it! ...

Santorum: "Rush can say things like that, he's an entertainer". In my business, I can't." (paraphrasing - look up his verbatim comments)

Cantor: "I wouldn't have used those words".

In other words, THEY COMPLETELY AGREE with what Rush said. However, they cannot say it the way Rush said it. They did not condemn it because they agree with it. But as politicians, they can't "say it that way". That's Rush Limbaugh's function in their camp. Limbaugh gives voice to GOP views - on women and everything else. He "says what they can't".

Given his importance to the GOP, I don't think he's going anywhere. OTOH, I'd be ever so happy to be wrong about that!

[Major Nikon]

11. Exactly

Rush has been saying things the GOP establishment can't (but wants to) for decades. That is (or at least was) the power he enjoyed. That power has been severely diminished. For the next several months everything he says is going to be closely scrutinized. So certainly he CAN still say whatever he wants, but the problem is each time he goes over the top the GOP establishment is going to have to disavow his statements like we saw over the last few days. This means his efforts are finally going to be counterproductive to the GOP as they should be.

If he does say something that's over the top in the next few months, a reporter is going to stick a microphone in the face of every GOPher running for office and ask them if they agree with the portly drug addict. If they say yes they lose the moderates. If they say no, they lose their base. Rush knows this and that's why he gave his non-apology apology. Yes, he'll probably be back to his old self eventually, but by that time the election will be over.

[saras]

13. Not just a winner, not just a home run, but the only hit in the game...

[nenagh]

6. I'd love a lawyer to let us know how close to a potential lawsuit Rush is with his statements.

The solicitation of a sex tape so we can all watch..... While he drools .. Is so over the line to me.

I did do the FCC online complaint..just about Rush Limbaugh, not filling in any radio stations etc..but mainly just for the comment section where I expressed my outrage to them that he would be allowed to use the public airwaves to

1. Lie. 2. Say the above .....surely hell doesn't have to freeze over before they centure him.

Soliticing a sex tape so we all can enjoy it.. He didn't limit his statement to mature adults...surely must cross some boundaries. Is this crap going out to religious homes, Rush? Are the churches around the country, this Sunday, going to complain about Rush's comments?

Enough is enough.

[hobbit709]

7. I wouldn't hold my breath. Not as long as Clear Channel owns the stations.

[Atman]

8. It won't stop him

Haters gotta hate. He doesn't know anything else.

[geckosfeet]

9. "Certainly Rush's entire existence is threatened right now" - if only...

Rotten bastards like this always pop up in some dung hole somewhere, agitating and whining their way into the hearts of any malcontents within earshot.

[sarcasmo]

10. Kick!

[Lucky Luciano]

12. I still think the economy is THE issue.

This birth control thing is such a manufactured issue. I cannot believe it is even considered debatable.

[Major Nikon]

14. The economy is always going to be a huge issue

However, there are usually one or two other major issues that heavily influence the moderates in this country and have the potential to significantly impact the election. This time I just see it being civil rights, and mostly women's rights just because of the way the GOPhers have been screwing up lately. Certainly that could change by November.