American Elephants

Rush Limbaugh’s speech to CPAC has been widely discussed today, particularly in light of Michael Steele’s odd remark when he referred to Limbaugh as an ‘entertainer” whose show can be “incendiary.” Steele has since apologized.  But the discussion, such as it is, from both sides of the political divide, has widely missed the point.

Rush did as fine a job as I can remember ever hearing,  of articulating basic conservative principles and belief in America.    He tweaked liberals, of course, but as a matter of disagreeing with their basic principles and the results of their policies.

Let me tell you who we conservatives are: We love people.  When we look out over the United States of America, when we are anywhere, when we see a group of people, such as this or anywhere, we see Americans.  We see human beings.  We don’t see groups.  We don’t see victims.  We don’t see people we want to exploit.  What we see — what we see is potential. We do not look out across the country and see the average American, the person that makes this country work.  We do not see that person with contempt.  We don’t think that person doesn’t have what it takes.  We believe that person can be the best he or she wants to be if certain things are just removed from their path like onerous taxes, regulations, and too much government. …

We don’t want to tell anybody how to live.  That’s up to you.  If you want to make the best of yourself, feel free.  If you want to ruin your life, we’ll try to stop it, but it’s a waste.  We look over the country as it is today, we see so much waste, human potential that’s been destroyed by 50 years of a welfare state.

Rush said that “more people than you know live their lives as conservatives in one degree or another.  And he said:

Spending  a nation into generational debt is not an act of compassion.  All politicians are temporary stewards of our country.  It is not their task to tear it down and rebuild it in their image.

The differences come in definitions of what is policy and what is principle. Principle involves inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; adherence to the Constitution;  the rule of law and respect for the history of America.  Principle says all men are created equal and you can make of yourself what you will, that we’ll help you if you’re down, but we expect you to stand on your own two feet if you can.  Policy says that people who are more successful need to support those who made poor choices,because it is not fair for some people to be more successful than others.

Rush reminded us that Barack Obama is spending wealth that has not yet been created.  If it was about paying for it, he wouldn’t do it because we can’t afford it.  It isn’t about paying for it, it is about control.

You might keep that in mind.