That is part of the American spirit, but there is another part you conveniently remain silent on, the can-do optimism that things can be better, the charity and good-neighborliness of its citizens, and the idea that all of us, so diferent, are one nation.
2. The vast majority of the rich in this country did not inherit their wealth; they earned it. They are the country's achievers, producers, and job creators.
Being rich proves one thing: that you are good at making money. It does not make you a better person, more moral person, it does not make you smarter, it does not make you more worthy of honor, it does not mean you are "more American" or more important to this country than others, it simply means you have money.
3. No nation has ever taxed itself into prosperity.
The two most important factors contributing to the U.S.'s postwar economic boom were the GI Bill and the Interstate system. Both were paid for by tax dollars. Taxes are not inherantly evil. It is how they are applied and spent that determines if a tax is "good" or "bad."
4. Evidence refutes liberalism.
What a totally silly statement. You may as well talk about purple cows jumping the moon for all the good it does you. Liberalism is what made America the greatest country on Earth...and I can back that statement up with facts
5. There is no such thing as a New Democrat.
But there is such an animal as an old Republican. He's the character who wants the government out of the boardroom and into the bedroom.
6. The Earth's eco-system is not fragile.
It's not fragile in that there will always be an ecosystem. However, it may not be one that is conducive to human life.
7. Character matters; leadership descends from character.
Correct. But what makes you think that the Right has any monopoly on character? For every Ted Kennedy, there are several Newt Gingriches and Phil Gramms.
8. The most beautiful thing about a tree is what you do with it after you cutit down.
You know, the dictionary says the words "conservative" and "conservation" come from the same root. I guess the dictionary is wrong. These days, it is the liberals who want to conserve the environment for our children and grandchildren, and it is the conservatives who want to destroy everything willy-nilly without any regard for their children.
9. Ronald Reagan was the greatest president of the twentieth century.
Except for Roosevelt (both of 'em), Kennedy, Truman, Wilson...and...Herbert Hoooooooover!. I will grant you that Reagan was better than Nixon...well, in retrospect, not really. And, unlike during Reagan's term, the deficit went down while Clinton's been in office. Also, a certain late-20th century president has cut the size of the federal bureaucracy to its smallest level in 40 years...and it wasn't Mr. Reagan or his VP.
10. The 1980s was not a decade of greed but a decade of prosperity; it was the longest period of peacetime growth in American history.
That is incorrect. The greatest period of peacetime growth for the US economy was int he 1950's, when the GNP grew by 4 to 5 per cent in real terms every year of the decade. Not so coincidentally, that was also a decade when the top marginal tax rate for the very rich was 3 times what it is today, unions were strong, and the middle class grew tremendously.
11. Abstinence prevents sexually transmitted disease and pregnancy - every time it's tried.
Correct. And eating only greens and bran your whole life will keep you healthy, fit, and trim.
12. Condoms only work during the school year.
Limbaugh. Humor. OK.
13. Poverty is not the root ("rut") cause of crime.
Correct. Ivan Boesky was never poor. To go into more detail, the root cause of crime is criminals. Speaking of which, I wonder why 2/3 of Reagan's original cabinet has been indicted? Poor family values, obviously.
14. There's a simple way to solve the crime problem: obey the law; punish those who do not.
Sounds easy...I wonder why nobody has ever thought of that before? Seriously, I wonder why Rush hasn't seemed upset that the S&L crooks weren't punished. In fact, Mr. Limbaugh has never seemed to concerned about white-collar crime, but by God, if some starving kid snags a box of Twinkies, give 'em the chair!
15. If you commit a crime, you are guilty.
Unless, of course you lie to Congress, lie to your President, disobey the Constitution, sell arms to America's enemies, and get off on a technicality.
16. Women should not be allowed on juries where the accused is a stud.
Mr. Limbaugh, have no worry, if you commit a crime, you do not need to be concerned about this.
17. The way to improve our schools is not more money, but the reintroduction of moral and spiritual values, as well as the four "R's": reading, 'riting,'rithmatic, and Rush.
Good values such as respecting others, appreciating differences, doing unto others as you wish to be done unto yourself? Or do you mean religious indoctination?
18. I am not arrogant.
And it is just as well, because you are wrong so often that you must be "Right."
19. My first 35 Undeniable Truths are still undeniably true.
Especially the one about Communism being the ultimate threat to the USA, and the bit about the Steelers, right?
20. There is a God.
And you are disobeying His commandments when you bear false witness against your neighbor on your show
21. There is something wrong when critics say the problem with America is too much religion.
The problem is too much Religion and not enough faith. Too many conservatives see religion as a product to sell to the voters, or hammer to hit with. When you actually go to the churches, and talk to real religious leaders, more often than not they are liberals in the grand tradition of MLK, people whose faith led them to do good and to try and bring this country together instead of using religion as a wedge to tear us apart.
22. Morality is not defined by individual choice.
It is defined by the Torah which God gave the people Israel, and expanded on in the Talmud and Midrash...but the Buddhists may disagree with me. Oh, that's not what you had in mind, Rush?
23. The only way liberals win national elections is by pretending they're not liberals.
And the only way conservatives win national elections is by using the tactics of fear, uncertainty, mistrust and doubt. ANd, when all else fails, make up fake scandals for political gain (see Whitewater, et al.)
24. Feminism was established as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society.
And the civil rights movement was established to allow unattractive black people easier access to the mainstream of society, right? PS: speaking of women, Mr. 2-time divorcee (how's that for family values?), how's Mrs. Compuserve these days?
25. Follow the money. When somebody says, "It's not the money," it's always the money.
Funny thing for a conservative to say, but you must know what you talk about, since you are an elite media establishment superstar worth millions of dollars.
26. Liberals attempt through judicial activism what they cannot win at the ballot box.
a - That is why nearly all liberal accomplishments, from the civil rights acts through environmental laws, labor laws, child-protection statutes, etc, etc were all won the traditional way, through acts of Congress?
b - It's only "judicial activism" when liberals do it. When conservatives do it, it is "good jurisprudence."
27. Using federal dollars as a measure, our cities have not been neglected, but poisoned with welfare dependency funds.
So the solution, then, is to take the money away from the incompetent cities and give it to the even more incompetent state governments? I thought conservatives stood for devolution, giving more power to lower levels of government. If this is true, money should go to the cities, because they certainly know more about what their people need than the states, right?
28. Progress is not striving for economic justice or fairness, but economic growth.
Progress is the continuing betterment of the human condition through technological, cultural, and moral growth. Do you recognize that, Rush? That's classical liberalism
Really, what is good for business is not always what is good for society. I would think that conservatives, who supposedly are so concerned about moral issues would understand this. It is this dichotomy that will split the Republicans in two, with the libertarian branch going one way and the religious branch going another.
29. Liberals measure compassion by how many people are given welfare. Conservatives measure compassion by how many people no longer need it.
The object of welfare is to give a drowning man a lifeboat. Welfare reform is requiring him to row towards shore. Republican welfare reform is letting the guy drown and using the money saved to buy martinis for the guys at the yacht club. Let's face it...about the only things compassion and conservatives have in common is that they both start with "C" . . . this isn't something I made up...conservatives have a long and less-than-honorable tradition of screwing everybody but themselves, and mostof the public knows this.
31. The culture war is between the winners and those who think they're losers who want to become winners. The losers think the only way they can become winners is by banding together all the losers and then empowering a leader of the losers to make things right for them.
The nerve of them! Banding together to make things better for everyone. How democratic. No wonder conservatives don't like this!
32. The Los Angeles riots were not caused by the Rodney King verdict. The Los Angeles riots were caused by rioters.
And plane crashes are always caused by gravity, right? Seriously, it is simplistic explainations like this that have always been the hallmark of conservatives, from way back when they tortured Galileo for suggestion the Earth orbited the Sun. Come on guys, open your eyes for once!
33. You could afford your house without your government - if it weren't for your government.
Yeah, let's get rid of tax breaks on mortgages. After all they benefit the middle class.
34. Words mean things.
Which is why Jesse Helms should be under arrest now for threatening the life of the President...and why, no matter how much you try to deny it, you were caught in the act calling a 13-year-old girl a dog on national TV, and why your name calling and other "rhetorical" skills have made you a mockery of yourself.
35. Too many Americans can't laugh at themselves anymore.
Too many conservatives can't laugh at themselves anymore...so they watch liberal comedians instead.