Almost Classical

It is called sarcasm. People seem to miss it is a trap, even when the obvious absurdity is employed. Limbaugh announces "Tweak the Press"with an intro... and people still repeat the information seriously. (And did anyone taking him out of context mention the Newsweek article he was citing? "Even Babies Discriminate" Sept. 5 issue.) I don't agree with Rush on ANY social issue, but at least I know when he's manipulating the media. It's a game to him, and Carter (et al) are walking right into the trap. Sad, sad, sad. Don't play the game, people -- you end up looking bad, too. Idiotic "progressive" Web sites quote Rush out of context, making it easier for conservatives and libertarians to point out how sloppy the left and the media are. You never look good using snippets of what people say. How can you miss blatant absurdity? How can you miss the fact any time Rush uses a "segment theme" that there is a comedy routine involved? ...

There is an assumption that the GOP is making a mistake when it shift to the right. I'm not so sure, in the short term, based on my travels and work this year. I've been from Florida to California, Minnesota to Texas. What I hear is a shift, a sharp shift, to conservative fiscal views -- and a deep anti-union, anti-corporation, anti-politician sentiment. From Pew (July 16, 2010): "In assessing their own political views, 40% of voters describe their own political views as conservative (either conservative or very conservative), 36% as moderate, and 22% as liberal (including very liberal). There are substantial differences in the way that Republican and Democratic voters describe their political views." (http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1669/political-ideology-democrats-seen-farther-from-center-than-republicans) Working with colleagues analyzing local views, we find a substantial "blue collar" shift to the right. Even in New Jersey, we find that 40% of "likely...