RUSH LIMBAUGH, POLICY WONK? MAGS OFFERS HER TAKE ON AMERICA'S MOST, ER, INSIGHTFUL (?) COMMENTATOR

By Mags

In a moment of clarity, Rush Limbaugh has proven without a doubt why he makes the big commentary bucks. Without fanfare or doubt, he had this to say about the situation in Iraq that is now termed a civil war by some media (MSNBC and NBC):

“Let’s just have the civil wars and let the crumbs crumble and the cookie crumble where--because I’m fed up with this. . . Fine, just blow the place up. Just let these natural forces take place over there instead of trying to stop them, instead of trying to use . . . I just . . . Sometimes natural force is going to happen. You’re going to have to let it take place.”

Rush's popularity has always been a mystery to me. And when the right wing claims to be more mature than everyone else, I have to shake my head. But here he shows what he is truly made of. He puts to rest any doubts at all that the Right has superiority of thought and analysis.

Let me break this down for you, since his statement is so sophisticated and so fine-tuned and full of nuance. If I may be so bold as to offer my take on his take, I offer you this:

RUSH: "Kill them all, and let God sort 'em out."

Thank you, Rush. That is the most insightful analysis I have read on the Middle East in a long time. Not.

Here is the foundational principle in controlling others:

You can't do it!!!!

You can work with people. You can negotiate with people. You can offer incentives. You can withhold rewards. But ultimately what you and the boy prez and the whole of the right wing need to understand is that brute force will only work for so long. Of course you can kill them all, but even you will see the immorality of that. At least one can hope.

Here is my advice to you, Rush: Apply immediately to be a member of Bush's think tank. I think you are just the sort of policy wonk they are looking for.


AND NOW, A SPECIAL DWT PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS--WATCH THIS SPACE!

It's one of those phenomena of the online world. Mags is one of my favorite people in the world, and yet I sometimes have to remind myself that I've never actually met her. Howie and I "met" her on an online political discussion group, and over the years got to know not just what and how she thinks, but a lot about who she is and how she became that. So, while I'm always curious to hear what she has to say about any subject, there are some subjects I'm especially keen to hear her talk about. Like the other day, when she was writing about Sen. Barack Obama's courting of leaders of the religious right. I know that when she speaks about the control those leaders exert over their flocks, she is speaking from her personal history as a victim of fundamentalism--but one who eventually escaped.

I hoped she would write more about that, and got back a personal note so powerful that I knew we had to share it with DWT readers. "I came out of religion," she wrote, "because my life fell apart to such a degree that I was no longer allowed the luxury of belief in fables. As I studied, I found out that much of what was taught within the church and what was spouted on religious channels simply was not true. The credibility gap for me was part of it, and I think initially the larger part. However, it goes beyond that."

I'm delighted to report that she has agreed to let us print that post. We should have it for you soon, depending on our hectic publishing schedule--maybe even tomorrow. Watch this space!--Ken