Why I listen to Conservative Talk Radio

[Modbert]

On Tuesday's Mark Levin Show: Mark gives updates on what is happening in the Massachusetts Senate election. He says that this is a sign for other states and other politicians that they are next if they don't stop their Marxist ways. Obama repudiated the American people and now they are repudiating him back. The Democrats have taken a recession and made it worst and the American people are fed up with it. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann calls in and says that the passion can be felt all across America. Finally, this can't be blamed solely on the candidate; but rather on the issue of not losing more of our liberty. Mark Levin

Newsflash: The election already happened.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Conservative talk radio reaches an audience who already agrees with them. Rush doesn't convert liberals - he preachs to his base. Just like Olbermann, and all the others. People listen to talk radio to hear things they already agree with.

I'm not a fan of hearing things I already agree with, which is why I post here and at the Hannity forums, instead of DU or HuffPo. I get most of my news from this site, and Hannity - because people with much more time on their hands than me inevitabilly start threads on every story as soon as it breaks. From there, I'll do my own research.

It's never interested me to be surrounded by people who I agree with on everything. I take too much pleasure in the art of argument.

 

[Foxfyre]

Conservative talk radio reaches an audience who already agrees with them. Rush doesn't convert liberals - he preachs to his base. Just like Olbermann, and all the others. People listen to talk radio to hear things they already agree with.

I'm not a fan of hearing things I already agree with, which is why I post here and at the Hannity forums, instead of DU or HuffPo. I get most of my news from this site, and Hannity - because people with much more time on their hands than me inevitabilly start threads on every story as soon as it breaks. From there, I'll do my own research.

It's never interested me to be surrounded by people who I agree with on everything. I take too much pleasure in the art of argument.

While it is true that Rush and other conservative radio and television programming allows us to hear opinion that we share and don't hear anywhere else, I disagree that they only offer what their audience already knows or agrees with. I can't tell you how many times I've practically thrown things at the radio or TV because I was frustrated that Rush or Hannity or O'Reilly or whomever got something so wrong, or had zeroed in on the wrong perspective on something. They simply cannot broadcast as many hours as they do every week and get it right 100% of the time. Nobody could.

But they are all extremely well researched, and come up with facts and figures that you simply don't get anywhere else. Nobody who listens for the purpose of learning something can come away from any of their programs on any given day without having at least one new keyword or name or fact or number or something to use in personal research.

And you'll hear a lot less stupidity and nonsense there than you'll hear on these message boards.

However I come here because there are some folks I genuinely enjoy here and it also gives me a chance to test my theories and opinions against those with different theories and opinions. I figure if I can't defend mine, I have no business holding them.

 

[bodecea]

i thought people listened to conservative talk radio beacuse they were incapable of independent thought and felt it easier to have their opinions given to them

Well, I will say this....seems like everytime I happen to catch some conservative talk radio show in the car or FOX news on TV...it does not fail that several people bring up the exact same topic with the exact same talking points the next day here and on other conservative message boards.

If one goes beyond the scope of what the talk show said, that's when the personal insults and various versions of "oh yeah!?!?" come out.


This, of course, has been only my personal observations.

 

[Meister]

i thought people listened to conservative talk radio beacuse they were incapable of independent thought and felt it easier to have their opinions given to them

Well, I will say this....seems like everytime I happen to catch some conservative talk radio show in the car or FOX news on TV...it does not fail that several people bring up the exact same topic with the exact same talking points the next day here and on other conservative message boards.

If one goes beyond the scope of what the talk show said, that's when the personal insults and various versions of "oh yeah!?!?" come out.


This, of course, has been only my personal observations.

Perhaps talk radio is parroting the people. Bet you haven't heard that on the radio, Bo.
That is my observation.

 

[edthecynic]

Conservative talk radio reaches an audience who already agrees with them. Rush doesn't convert liberals - he preachs to his base. Just like Olbermann, and all the others. People listen to talk radio to hear things they already agree with.

I'm not a fan of hearing things I already agree with, which is why I post here and at the Hannity forums, instead of DU or HuffPo. I get most of my news from this site, and Hannity - because people with much more time on their hands than me inevitabilly start threads on every story as soon as it breaks. From there, I'll do my own research.

It's never interested me to be surrounded by people who I agree with on everything. I take too much pleasure in the art of argument.

While it is true that Rush and other conservative radio and television programming allows us to hear opinion that we share and don't hear anywhere else, I disagree that they only offer what their audience already knows or agrees with. I can't tell you how many times I've practically thrown things at the radio or TV because I was frustrated that Rush or Hannity or O'Reilly or whomever got something so wrong, or had zeroed in on the wrong perspective on something. They simply cannot broadcast as many hours as they do every week and get it right 100% of the time. Nobody could.

But they are all extremely well researched, and come up with facts and figures that you simply don't get anywhere else. Nobody who listens for the purpose of learning something can come away from any of their programs on any given day without having at least one new keyword or name or fact or number or something to use in personal research.

And you'll hear a lot less stupidity and nonsense there than you'll hear on these message boards.

However I come here because there are some folks I genuinely enjoy here and it also gives me a chance to test my theories and opinions against those with different theories and opinions. I figure if I can't defend mine, I have no business holding them.

They are not well researched, they are well SCRIPTED.

Everything CON$ervative pundits say comes straight from GOP think tanks like the Heritage Foundation. And observant people can tell they are merely parroting their scripts when they ALL parrot the same mistake, like claiming that Obama was the first president to bow. They ALL could not have INDEPENDENTLY made that same error. Obviously, they ALL parroted the SAME erroneous SCRIPT on the same day.

 

[edthecynic]

i thought people listened to conservative talk radio beacuse they were incapable of independent thought and felt it easier to have their opinions given to them

Well, I will say this....seems like everytime I happen to catch some conservative talk radio show in the car or FOX news on TV...it does not fail that several people bring up the exact same topic with the exact same talking points the next day here and on other conservative message boards.

If one goes beyond the scope of what the talk show said, that's when the personal insults and various versions of "oh yeah!?!?" come out.


This, of course, has been only my personal observations.

Perhaps talk radio is parroting the people. Bet you haven't heard that on the radio, Bo.
That is my observation.

Actually, that is what CON$ have been programmed to say, repeatedly drummed into them by GOP hate radio. So you are not very "observant" if you pretend never to have heard that said many times on GOP hate radio!!!

It is highly illogical to think the people all INDEPENDENTLY found the same sound bites and quotes, taken out of context and with the same words changed to create the same new context, on the same day as the pundits.

 

[Some Guy]

You have the right to believe anything you like, and make any judgments about me you please. I told you what I think and I'll add one more thought, this time about you. You hold opinions which you never challenge, you make assumptions based on emotion and your 'gut' and you limit your 'education' on current events to Fox News and conservative talk radio. You may have attended college, likely a Jr. or commuity college but did not graduate, you owe on credit cards more than you can pay each month and you hate those who challenge your assumptions.

How bout me? I'm an easy target that listens to Rush; i've only got a few posts and i'm 27 years old. I graduated in 4 years from Iowa State University with a degree in management information systems and got a job using the degree only a month out. My credit score is over 800, i've never been behind a credit card payment nor have i ever not paid the bill in full.

But by virtue of being a Rush listener, i must be an idiot. Thanks for enlightening me.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Conservative talk radio reaches an audience who already agrees with them. Rush doesn't convert liberals - he preachs to his base. Just like Olbermann, and all the others. People listen to talk radio to hear things they already agree with.

I'm not a fan of hearing things I already agree with, which is why I post here and at the Hannity forums, instead of DU or HuffPo. I get most of my news from this site, and Hannity - because people with much more time on their hands than me inevitabilly start threads on every story as soon as it breaks. From there, I'll do my own research.

It's never interested me to be surrounded by people who I agree with on everything. I take too much pleasure in the art of argument.

While it is true that Rush and other conservative radio and television programming allows us to hear opinion that we share and don't hear anywhere else, I disagree that they only offer what their audience already knows or agrees with. I can't tell you how many times I've practically thrown things at the radio or TV because I was frustrated that Rush or Hannity or O'Reilly or whomever got something so wrong, or had zeroed in on the wrong perspective on something. They simply cannot broadcast as many hours as they do every week and get it right 100% of the time. Nobody could.

It's not that they don't "get it right" - although I'm sure you agree with them most of the time, I'm not one of those people who think that every Rush fan agrees with him on every single thing - he's preaching to his audience, and not every member of his audience is the same.

But they are all extremely well researched, and come up with facts and figures that you simply don't get anywhere else. Nobody who listens for the purpose of learning something can come away from any of their programs on any given day without having at least one new keyword or name or fact or number or something to use in personal research.

Exactly, that's what I mean. Although I disagree with Rush on almost everything he stands for, I do learn a lot every time I listen to his show. If nothing else, he'll tell me about something, and then I'll do my own research on it.

And you'll hear a lot less stupidity and nonsense there than you'll hear on these message boards.

However I come here because there are some folks I genuinely enjoy here and it also gives me a chance to test my theories and opinions against those with different theories and opinions. I figure if I can't defend mine, I have no business holding them.

I've already explained why I come here - I like to argue. I do it for a living, and I do it for fun. But the stupidity and nonsense on these boards can be avoided - simply by not letting it get to you.

 

[edthecynic]

You have the right to believe anything you like, and make any judgments about me you please. I told you what I think and I'll add one more thought, this time about you. You hold opinions which you never challenge, you make assumptions based on emotion and your 'gut' and you limit your 'education' on current events to Fox News and conservative talk radio. You may have attended college, likely a Jr. or commuity college but did not graduate, you owe on credit cards more than you can pay each month and you hate those who challenge your assumptions.

How bout me? I'm an easy target that listens to Rush; i've only got a few posts and i'm 27 years old. I graduated in 4 years from Iowa State University with a degree in management information systems and got a job using the degree only a month out. My credit score is over 800, i've never been behind a credit card payment nor have i ever not paid the bill in full.

But by virtue of being a Rush listener, i must be an idiot. Thanks for enlightening me.

You tell 'em! Doesn't he know only your MessiahRushie can call Americans stupid ignorant idiots!!!

January 18, 2010
RUSH: * What do you mean, Rush, arrogant?* What do you mean liberals are arrogant? What do you mean that they hold average people in contempt?* Well, I have the two sound bites that will illustrate this as well as anything could.

September 3, 2008
RUSH: You know, it's a sad shame we've got so many stupid people in this country that we have to deal with, but we do.

April 2, 2008
RUSH: I keep telling people: The most expensive commodity we have in this country is ignorance, not gasoline, not rice, not wheat, not corn. The most expensive commodity we have is the ignorance of way too many Americans.

-----------------------
January 18, 2010
RUSH: * This is what people are fed up with, all these people that openly claim, "We're smarter than you. We know better than you. You don't know what's good for you; we know what's good for you."

November 4, 2008
RUSH: * We all love seeing stupid people learn something.* One of the greatest things in life is to see the stupid actually learn something.* And that's what Steve here in Peoria is basically saying.* Obama's people are a bunch of... They're just glittering jewels of colossal ignorance, total

November 5, 2008
RUSH: * Like I said yesterday, I love enlightening stupid people.* There is nothing to me -- well, I can't say nothing, there are things I like more than this -- but, folks, you talk about euphoria, I get euphoric when I turn the light on inside some stupid person's brain.* Well, does that sound cruel, Mr. Snerdley?* What's wrong with the word "stupid"?* It has a definition.* There are some stupid people.* There are also some ignorant people. (interruption)* You prefer "ignorant"?* Now you're starting to sound like people, "Don't offend them, Rush, don't offend them."* All right, I'll say ignorant people. (interruption)* I'm not talking about our side.* I'm talking about the people that voted for Obama.

 

[Some Guy]

You tell 'em! Doesn't he know only your MessiahRushie can call Americans stupid ignorant idiots!!!

January 18, 2010
RUSH: * What do you mean, Rush, arrogant?* What do you mean liberals are arrogant? What do you mean that they hold average people in contempt?* Well, I have the two sound bites that will illustrate this as well as anything could.

September 3, 2008
RUSH: You know, it's a sad shame we've got so many stupid people in this country that we have to deal with, but we do.

April 2, 2008
RUSH: I keep telling people: The most expensive commodity we have in this country is ignorance, not gasoline, not rice, not wheat, not corn. The most expensive commodity we have is the ignorance of way too many Americans.

-----------------------
January 18, 2010
RUSH: * This is what people are fed up with, all these people that openly claim, "We're smarter than you. We know better than you. You don't know what's good for you; we know what's good for you."

November 4, 2008
RUSH: * We all love seeing stupid people learn something.* One of the greatest things in life is to see the stupid actually learn something.* And that's what Steve here in Peoria is basically saying.* Obama's people are a bunch of... They're just glittering jewels of colossal ignorance, total

November 5, 2008
RUSH: * Like I said yesterday, I love enlightening stupid people.* There is nothing to me -- well, I can't say nothing, there are things I like more than this -- but, folks, you talk about euphoria, I get euphoric when I turn the light on inside some stupid person's brain.* Well, does that sound cruel, Mr. Snerdley?* What's wrong with the word "stupid"?* It has a definition.* There are some stupid people.* There are also some ignorant people. (interruption)* You prefer "ignorant"?* Now you're starting to sound like people, "Don't offend them, Rush, don't offend them."* All right, I'll say ignorant people. (interruption)* I'm not talking about our side.* I'm talking about the people that voted for Obama.

I guess because by virtue of being a Rush listener that i'm an idiot, i don't get the point of your post. How does posting Rush quotes have anything to do with what i said?

 

[Meister]

You tell 'em! Doesn't he know only your MessiahRushie can call Americans stupid ignorant idiots!!!

January 18, 2010
RUSH: * What do you mean, Rush, arrogant?* What do you mean liberals are arrogant? What do you mean that they hold average people in contempt?* Well, I have the two sound bites that will illustrate this as well as anything could.

September 3, 2008
RUSH: You know, it's a sad shame we've got so many stupid people in this country that we have to deal with, but we do.

April 2, 2008
RUSH: I keep telling people: The most expensive commodity we have in this country is ignorance, not gasoline, not rice, not wheat, not corn. The most expensive commodity we have is the ignorance of way too many Americans.

-----------------------
January 18, 2010
RUSH: * This is what people are fed up with, all these people that openly claim, "We're smarter than you. We know better than you. You don't know what's good for you; we know what's good for you."

November 4, 2008
RUSH: * We all love seeing stupid people learn something.* One of the greatest things in life is to see the stupid actually learn something.* And that's what Steve here in Peoria is basically saying.* Obama's people are a bunch of... They're just glittering jewels of colossal ignorance, total

November 5, 2008
RUSH: * Like I said yesterday, I love enlightening stupid people.* There is nothing to me -- well, I can't say nothing, there are things I like more than this -- but, folks, you talk about euphoria, I get euphoric when I turn the light on inside some stupid person's brain.* Well, does that sound cruel, Mr. Snerdley?* What's wrong with the word "stupid"?* It has a definition.* There are some stupid people.* There are also some ignorant people. (interruption)* You prefer "ignorant"?* Now you're starting to sound like people, "Don't offend them, Rush, don't offend them."* All right, I'll say ignorant people. (interruption)* I'm not talking about our side.* I'm talking about the people that voted for Obama.

I guess because by virtue of being a Rush listener that i'm an idiot, i don't get the point of your post. How does posting Rush quotes have anything to do with what i said?

Don't be offended, ed has a addiction to take Rush's words out of context. He does this a lot, and people have learned to ignore him for the most part.

 

[Some Guy]

Don't be offended, ed has a addiction to take Rush's words out of context. He does this a lot, and people have learned to ignore him for the most part.

I'm not sure anyone could say anything on here to offend me. I'm just curious to learn why i'm an idiot simply for listening to Rush occasionally. I'm sure the explanation is going to be very enlightening; i can't wait!

 

[Meister]

Well, I will say this....seems like everytime I happen to catch some conservative talk radio show in the car or FOX news on TV...it does not fail that several people bring up the exact same topic with the exact same talking points the next day here and on other conservative message boards.

If one goes beyond the scope of what the talk show said, that's when the personal insults and various versions of "oh yeah!?!?" come out.


This, of course, has been only my personal observations.

Perhaps talk radio is parroting the people. Bet you haven't heard that on the radio, Bo.
That is my observation.

Actually, that is what CON$ have been programmed to say, repeatedly drummed into them by GOP hate radio. So you are not very "observant" if you pretend never to have heard that said many times on GOP hate radio!!!

It is highly illogical to think the people all INDEPENDENTLY found the same sound bites and quotes, taken out of context and with the same words changed to create the same new context, on the same day as the pundits.

What in hell do you really know? Your so screwed up in your head that you wouldn't know free thought unless Rush told you that you have it. So go back to your sandbox, sonny.

 

[edthecynic]

You tell 'em! Doesn't he know only your MessiahRushie can call Americans stupid ignorant idiots!!!

January 18, 2010
RUSH: * What do you mean, Rush, arrogant?* What do you mean liberals are arrogant? What do you mean that they hold average people in contempt?* Well, I have the two sound bites that will illustrate this as well as anything could.

September 3, 2008
RUSH: You know, it's a sad shame we've got so many stupid people in this country that we have to deal with, but we do.

April 2, 2008
RUSH: I keep telling people: The most expensive commodity we have in this country is ignorance, not gasoline, not rice, not wheat, not corn. The most expensive commodity we have is the ignorance of way too many Americans.

-----------------------
January 18, 2010
RUSH: * This is what people are fed up with, all these people that openly claim, "We're smarter than you. We know better than you. You don't know what's good for you; we know what's good for you."

November 4, 2008
RUSH: * We all love seeing stupid people learn something.* One of the greatest things in life is to see the stupid actually learn something.* And that's what Steve here in Peoria is basically saying.* Obama's people are a bunch of... They're just glittering jewels of colossal ignorance, total

November 5, 2008
RUSH: * Like I said yesterday, I love enlightening stupid people.* There is nothing to me -- well, I can't say nothing, there are things I like more than this -- but, folks, you talk about euphoria, I get euphoric when I turn the light on inside some stupid person's brain.* Well, does that sound cruel, Mr. Snerdley?* What's wrong with the word "stupid"?* It has a definition.* There are some stupid people.* There are also some ignorant people. (interruption)* You prefer "ignorant"?* Now you're starting to sound like people, "Don't offend them, Rush, don't offend them."* All right, I'll say ignorant people. (interruption)* I'm not talking about our side.* I'm talking about the people that voted for Obama.

I guess because by virtue of being a Rush listener that i'm an idiot, i don't get the point of your post. How does posting Rush quotes have anything to do with what i said?

First of all, it is a Straw Man to suggest that Libs say people are idiots for merely listening to LimpBoy. It's pretty clear the Libs are saying idiots PARROT LimpBoy in agreement.
Ditto that?

And the point of my post was, it is just as valid, OR INVALID, to say people are idiots for agreeing with MassiahRushie as it is for him to say people are stupid if they don't agree with him and need to be educated by him. He exposes his OWN arrogant condescension that he condemns in others. So the point is, it is hypocritical for his cult followers to whine like crybabies when the Golden Rule bites them in their hypocritical condescending asses.

Get it?

 

[edthecynic]

Perhaps talk radio is parroting the people. Bet you haven't heard that on the radio, Bo.
That is my observation.

Actually, that is what CON$ have been programmed to say, repeatedly drummed into them by GOP hate radio. So you are not very "observant" if you pretend never to have heard that said many times on GOP hate radio!!!

It is highly illogical to think the people all INDEPENDENTLY found the same sound bites and quotes, taken out of context and with the same words changed to create the same new context, on the same day as the pundits.

What in hell do you really know? Your so screwed up in your head that you wouldn't know free thought unless Rush told you that you have it. So go back to your sandbox, sonny.

In typical CON$ervative fashion, when you can't rebut the fact that when CON$ervative pundits and their sheep parrot the same errors they cannot ALL be thinking INDEPENDENTLY, so you resort to personal attacks.
Your white flag is accepted.

 

[Meister]

Right, my observation about you is not a personal attack, it's just an observation. I don't know what that white flag crap is all about.

 

[edthecynic]

Right, my observation about you is not a personal attack, it's just an observation. I don't know what that white flag crap is all about.

Along with personal attacks, the other staple of the CON$ervative "debate" tactics is playing dumb.
Thank you again.

 

[Foxfyre]

Don't be offended, ed has a addiction to take Rush's words out of context. He does this a lot, and people have learned to ignore him for the most part.

I'm not sure anyone could say anything on here to offend me. I'm just curious to learn why i'm an idiot simply for listening to Rush occasionally. I'm sure the explanation is going to be very enlightening; i can't wait!

First, welcome to USMB SomeGuy. Be sure your bullshit detector has fresh batteries and your bullet proof vest is in place and wade right on in. Hopefully, you'll find a few here worth sparring with and/or having a discussion on some interesting stuff.

But may I be so bold as to explain why you are idiot in the eyes of Ed et al when you admit that you listen to Rush on occasion?

First, you are honest enough to admit it, a trait some have a great deal of trouble with.

Second, you are likely intelligent enough to understand the nuance, metaphors, using absurdity to illustrate absurdity, and other qualities of those programs that go right over the head of most radical wingnuts or certain young skulls full of mush.

Third, you appreciate that you actually can get some interesting or even useful information from those shows on occasion. Listening in hopes of learning something is too often a concept totally foreign to those who judge without ever listening.

I tend to be wary of those who look to Rush or any other talk show host as some kind of guru with all the answers. Anybody who lets others do all their thinking for them are most likely going to be wrong much of the time. But I look with more suspicion on those who are so damned sure of what is said on those programs when they have never seriously listened to them. They tend to be wrong almost all of the time.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Don't be offended, ed has a addiction to take Rush's words out of context. He does this a lot, and people have learned to ignore him for the most part.

I'm not sure anyone could say anything on here to offend me. I'm just curious to learn why i'm an idiot simply for listening to Rush occasionally. I'm sure the explanation is going to be very enlightening; i can't wait!

First, welcome to USMB SomeGuy. Be sure your bullshit detector has fresh batteries and your bullet proof vest is in place and wade right on in. Hopefully, you'll find a few here worth sparring with and/or having a discussion on some interesting stuff.

But may I be so bold as to explain why you are idiot in the eyes of Ed et al when you admit that you listen to Rush on occasion?

First, you are honest enough to admit it, a trait some have a great deal of trouble with.

Second, you are likely intelligent enough to understand the nuance, metaphors, using absurdity to illustrate absurdity, and other qualities of those programs that go right over the head of most radical wingnuts or certain young skulls full of mush.

Third, you appreciate that you actually can get some interesting or even useful information from those shows on occasion. Listening in hopes of learning something is too often a concept totally foreign to those who judge without ever listening.

I tend to be wary of those who look to Rush or any other talk show host as some kind of guru with all the answers. Anybody who lets others do all their thinking for them are most likely going to be wrong much of the time. But I look with more suspicion on those who are so damned sure of what is said on those programs when they have never seriously listened to them. They tend to be wrong almost all of the time.

As to #3, maybe you might be inclined to enlighen us as to an interesting and/or informative idea, policy or judgment from one of Limbaugh's shows.
I should add, you might actually learn something by watching/listening to Ratchel Maddow -the difference between she and Limbaugh is striking if one listens without bias.