photo by Mark Dale Johnson

Make no mistake about it. Cantor endorsed Romney yesterday on Meet The Press. Newt Gingrich said "The party will come together behind whomever the nominee is to defeat Barack Obama." All of this brood are going to start singing one song very soon. ALL of them. You think Sara Palin is going to go away? Think again. You think Michelle Bachmann and Rick Santorum's ideas are fringe? We do too, but they'll be front and center in this dance.  You think Donald Trump is a pretentious blowhard? So do we.  He'll be out there spouting off, as will every single other extreme right-wing Republican and Teabagger whose ever had 15 minutes of dismal fame.    They'll have Faux Noise as their media hub and The Koch Brothers bankrolling everything they do.  And don't forget about these guys (and gal). You ain't seen nothin' yet.

For the small group of folks who seem unable to understand parody, irony, satire and metaphor, and will inevitably cry foul for "comparisons to Hitler," and Godwin's Law, please take a deep breath, relax, and calm down.  There are similarities between the modern GOP and the Nazi Party.  That doesn't mean we're insinuating that they're going to proceed with another holocaust.

This is all I will say about Rush Limbaugh:

I believe Rush Limbaugh has had one goal since he started his radio show, which was to make as much money as possible by saying whatever what needed to attract listeners.

Sadly, he has often suggested that divisive and hurting attitudes somehow improve America. They don't improve our nation; they just put money in his pocket. I don't believe Mr. Limbaugh actually believes much of what he speaks, which is the sadder of the two possibilities. If he believed them, he could at least defend them as his hard-felt opinion. But he just speaks the words, time and time again, knowing he must do so to maintain an audience.

I am offended that the federal government rebroadcasts Mr. Limbaugh's show to young members of the military around the world, on the Armed Forces Network. While I accept the idea that a variety of American media should be provided to our young soldiers, sailors, Marines, Air Force members and others in the military, I reject the idea that the broadcast of Mr. Limbaugh's words somehow improves the minds of our young warriors. In fact, it is not that far a stretch to think that attitudes formed as the result of a healthy and repeated serving of Mr. Limbaugh's shows might, in fact, have contributed to soldiers thinking it is OK to urinate on the dead bodies of the enemy - AND VIDEOTAPE IT! - or to not consider the ramifications of burning the Koran as trash.

Therefore, I believe the Armed Forces Network should cease distribution of the Rush Limbaugh show to military bases and military personnel worldwide. If the individuals in the military want to listen to the awkwardly named "Excellence in Broadcasting" network, I am sure they can find it on the Internet. But there is no reason Mr. Limbaugh should be sanctioned by the Pentagon and served up around the world as a so-called valuable voice of America.

Anyone wishing to communicate with AFN regarding the broadcast of the Rush Limbaugh Show to our military bases around the world can do so at this link:

Respectfully,
Jonathan Austin, former Staff Sergeant, USAR, 11B3X

Comment From Our Facebook Page:

"Thanks for the hollow-hearted apology Rush. It smacked of the disingenuous, hypocritical, hostile, smug and indifferent operator that you are. Your long track record of disgusting and repugnant behavior is anathema to the true cultural values of our diverse nation. You and your ilk have destroyed large swaths of a once great cultural heritage. You called my mom (God rest her soul) a slut by the way. She, like most responsible women, used birth control while in college. And she obtained it from a county funded women's clinic. I'm not going to be able to forget about all this. Words matter, and they hurt. I pray that someday soon, your show is relegated to the trash heap of society where it belongs, right along side the Jerry Springer show."

Rock on Sir. -- The Christian Left

Thom Hartmann is a favorite of The Christian Left!  In his book, "Cracking the Code: How to Win Hearts, Change Minds, and Restore America's Original Vision," he discusses how "millions of working Americans talk, act, and vote as if their economic interests match those of the megawealthy, global corporations, and the politicians who do their bidding. They are acting against their best interests, buying into a right-wing line whose practical effect is to leave them marginalized and struggling. How did this happen? According to radio host Thom Hartmann, the apologists of the Right have become masters of the subtle and largely subconscious aspects of political communication. It's not an escalation in Iraq, it's a surge; it's not the inheritance tax, it's the death tax; it's not drilling for oil, it's exploring for energy. Conservatives didn't intuit the path to persuasive messaging; they learned these techniques. There is no reason why progressives can't learn them too. In Cracking the Code, Hartmann shows you how. Drawing on his background as a psychotherapist and advertising executive as well as a national radio host, he breaks down the structure for effective communication, sharing exercises and examples for practical application."