Rush Limbaugh is a big, fat blowhard - save for the diminishing population of moronic dittoheads, most citizens would tend to agree with this statement.

Rush hit his peak during the Clinton years, when his incessant personal attacks on All Things Hillary helped propel Republicans to a takeover of the House and Senate. Once the White House was also captured into the right-wing fold, there simply were not as many entertaining targets to attack, so his appeal began to decline.

Now that the Dems are back in power, you would think Rush would be anxious to return to previous form, but it's a little early to begin a personal attack offensive. Obama's popularity is still at stratospheric levels, and Michelle is presumably still measuring for drapes and picking paint colors. So what angle does he take? Attack Obama's efforts to combat the economic meltdown, against the hopes of most Americans: "I hope he fails!"

Hope Obama fails? This must set a new record for public cynicism and stupidity at the same time. Perhaps Rush feels comfortably safe, ensconced behind the walls of his Florida estate, with enough stogies and oxycontin stockpiled for years to come. However, it's still an open question whether even the wealthy elite will escape the public wrath to come if Obama fails.

Rush's imprudent provocation adds fuel to sentiment among some Dem leaders to revive the so-called "fairness doctrine", which at one time was part of the broadcasting landscape. As I recall, it was used to encourage the major networks to provide airtime for competing viewpoints on controversial political issues during the 50's and 60's.

If revived today, the fairness doctrine would presumable outlaw an entire network (FOX) from serving as the media outlet for the Republican National Committee, which would be a good thing. However, the issue is mostly rendered moot because all of the corporate-owned mass media are generally controlled by the same powerful interests. The right-left, Republican-Democrat polemic is mostly fabricated to mislead and conceal the true battle lines in the struggle for truth.

Rush has made himself an inviting target. Any attempt to restrict intellectually bankrupt morons like him is likely to set an unfortunate precedent that will inevitably be used to undermine true free speech for everyone. If offensive blowhards get whacked, then any controversial viewpoint could conceivably get the same treatment, because someone is always going to be offended by controversy.

Here's a radical approach: Why not simply ignore inflammatory blowhard speech? Rush is already doing a decent job of falling on his own sword. We don't need to hand him a new firebrand issue on which to launch a new crusade. Let him practice the art of being a moron without turning him into a martyr.

-Darkwave