Rush Limbaugh Represents Those who Embrace Classic Americanism.

You don't have to spend a whole lot of time reading the headlines on TV, or on the Internet to know that the Democrats AND the Republicans have a new political bogeyman to pin their problems on. His name? Rush Hudson Limbaugh III.

The Democrats are now proclaiming Mr. Limbaugh as the "de facto" head of the GOP. The Republicans are trying to distance themselves from Mr. Limbaugh. Michael Steele (RNC Chairman), Congressman Phil Gingey (R-GA) and Governor Mark Sanford (R-SC) have all tried to paint Rush as "incendiary", a "brick thrower" and imprudent to have stated publicly that Rush wants Pres. Obama to fail.

For those of you who have not heard the ENTIRE quote from Rush Limbaugh concerning his hope that Pres. Obama fail, please read this:
"Why would I want that to succeed? I don't believe in that. I know that's not how this country is going to be great in the future; it's not what made this country great. So I shamelessly say, "No! I want him to fail." If his agenda is a far-left collectivism -- some people say socialism -- as a conservative heartfelt, deeply, why would I want socialism to succeed? " -- Rush Limbaugh during interview on Hannity's America on January 19th, 2008.

Sean Hannity had asked the question "Do you want him (Pres. Obama) to succeed?" to Limbaugh. To summarize his lengthy reply, he essentially said that if Pres. Obama embraces socialistic policies, continue the leftist agenda of class warfare pitting the poor against the rich, nationalization of private industry and financial institutions, then "Why would I want that to succeed?".

So who does Rush Limbaugh represent? Well, I can't speak for anybody but myself, but I can say that while I do not appreciate the way he sometimes articulates his point of view he certainly represents me.

So who am I? Here's some points:

1. I'm a 47 year old white male, married, with two children who are now adults and are now establishing their own families.
2. I live in a modest 1500 square foot home in Maricopa County, Arizona. When I bought the house, I was encouraged to make a much larger, much more expensive purchase by both my real-estate agent and my mortgage officer. We (my wife and I) stood our ground and stayed with the modest home.
3. With my wife, we continue to finance our own retirement for two reasons. First, because we believe that ultimately it is OUR own responsibility to secure our own retirement. Second, because we believe that expecting our government to perform this function is both irresponsible and considering the current state of Social Security, unlikely.
   
4. I financed my house using a very conventional loan. I put 20 percent down on my home when I purchased it. I have never bought a house (this is my third) that I couldn't afford or which represented more than 25% of my NET income.
5. I nearly had to declare bankruptcy in 2002 but I managed to survive. We struggled down to the wire and ran up incredible credit card debt but we are now paying that debt down.
6. I believe in personal liberty. This means that want to determine who my charity goes to, not the Federal government. I heartily resent the fact that the government, who has proven itself supremely unworthy to manage my money well, believes it has some so-called "right" to take money from me in the form of taxes and then give it with nearly no accountability to others. Don't get me wrong. I donate thousands every year to charity. But I hold those charities accountable to make sure that the money that I donate ultimately ends up helping those that the charity proclaims to assist.
7. I believe in personal authority. This means that I don't want the government to give me a job, or a house, or a car, or help me out with my health care. I want the government to create an environment where I can pursue these goals without let or hindrance with the provision that my pursuit will not restrict the personal authority of others.
8. I believe in personal responsibility. Where I want the authority to make my own life, I expect myself to be accountable for my actions and to accept responsibility for both my successes and my failures. Where I need help to recover from bad decisions, I expect such help to be temporary and that I will make every effort to become independent of that help or assistance at the earliest possible opportunity.
9. I will defend the U.S. Constitution the Bill of Rights with my life. To that end, I served six years as a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserve and I continue to support these enlightened documents through my support of worthy institutions.
10. I will give to charity as freely as my circumstances permit without jeopardizing my ability to support my own family.
11. I will pay to my Federal, State and Local governments all rightfully levied taxes. In return I expect those government bodies to exercise all necessary means available to them to insure that my taxes along with those of all other U.S. Taxpayers are spent in a prudent and accountable manner.
12. As my government expects me to live within my means, I expect my government and my fellow citizens to live within their means.
    
13. I believe that the current level of Federal government has grossly exceeded it's Constitutional mandates. I believe that the Federal government has assumed powers unlawfully that belong either to the several States or to the individual citizen.
14. I believe that the U.S. Constitution was influenced by a divine intelligence greater than that of man and that we modify that document at our peril. I believe that the most abused amendment of the U.S. Constitution is the first amendment. I do not believe that the clause "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; " does not mean that we should remove the practice of religion from our government and/our schools. In our zeal for protecting the rights of a very small minority (only about 7% of our people do not acknowledge the existence of a divine creator) we have effectively made it impossible for the 93% who do to exercise their right to pray at appropriate times while in school, in the military or in government.

This is what I believe. And I believe that the vast majority of those who have the same beliefs also believe that the Republican Party has abandoned them and that Rush Limbaugh gives us a national voice that would otherwise be unheard.