Your Weekly Rush: Ideological Connections

There's an interesting song by Jefferson Airplane entitled "A Small Package of Value Will Come to You, Shortly." It consists of the band saying stuff, modified by reverb, over a nice beat. The last thing you hear in the song before it fades into "Young Girl Sunday Blues" is a voice yelling "No man is an island" and a quieter voice saying "He's a peninsula," which sets of some laughter. This is just to indicate that no person's ideology is formed in a vacuum, but is influenced by all that has come before and all that one has been exposed to.

I've often referenced my division of the Modern Conservative movement into four parts (Traditional Conservatives, Classic Conservatives, Libertarian Conservatives, and Limbaugh Conservatives), but this, perhaps, creates the false impression that these schools of thought are separate and distinct. In fact a better way of looking it is somewhat like a pool or lake. All of the currents of thought (and many more that might be added) while recognizable and distinct, are not separate from any of the other trains of thought in modern Conservatism. Individuals are influenced by these strains of thought, and to a certain extent may identify with them to a greater or lesser extent.

All this by way of saying, Rush Limbaugh is probably the most influential conservative thinker of the 1990s and so far the 2000s. His brand of conservatism, whether you like or dislike it (give you two guesses as to my opinion of it) is the dominant form right now. And you need look no further than the President of the United States appearance on the Rush Limbaugh show yesterday.

President Bush (who got cursed with a really goofy looking picture at the Rush Limbaugh website) started his interview by saying "It's an honor to talk to you." and later in the interview stated, in response to a request for an overview of the President's 2nd term agenda, "I mean, you're a good friend and I would hate to let you down . . ."

For those of you who don't listen to Rush Limbaugh regularly, I should note that he very rarely allows guests to appear on his show. As he has explained often enough, he is the show. His opinions and his views are what make the show work. It's not like Hardball or the O'Rielly Factor where, although the hosts are clearly important to the show, having guests on is part of the format.

Of course, you might also argue that President Bush is appearing on the Rush Limbaugh show because he's a big phony. While he's really a reasonable and rational guy, he wants all of Rush Limbaugh's fans to think that he's one of them. To that argument I say, OK, but doesn't that still show the importance of Rush Limbaugh's thought on the modern conservatism?

Anyway obviously the importance of Rush Limbaugh has some interesting implications for the future of the Republican party / Conservative movement. For example, is Ann Coulter an aberration, or is she the next logical step? Something to consider.