Lowbrow conservatism, name-calling, neocons, bullying bluster, blind loyalty to George Bush and the abandonment of elitism on talk radio have allowed carny barkers to run away with the right.
Although we've said similar stuff many times, this time it's an influential conservative magazine. (We'd add that conservative talk is grinding down radio, too -- but that's another post).
There's plenty for us to to disagree with in "How Radio Wrecks the Right," John Derbyshire's cover article in The American Conservative, but there's about as much to agree with too.
AC is a Buchananite rag: a literate, East Coast paleocon opinion leader in the conservative world-at-small, caught in the roiling that is the flailing conservative movement.
This crowd is pretty pissed that Rush considers himself their spokesman:
A venial sin, at least, was their dogged defense of George W. Bush no matter what he did, no matter how unconservative he was. With their help, the "free-spending administration" create[d] the great debt bubble that has now burst so spectacularly."
The major talkers, Derbyshire notes, took on Bush's thin veneer of neoconservatism and were "all uncritical of the decade-long (at least) efforts to 'build democracy' in no-account nations with politically primitive populations. Sean Hannity called the Iraq War a 'massive success,' and in January 2008 deemed the U.S. economy 'phenomenal.'
(We tried to tell 'em: the Bush wagon was on the road to hell or at least to a deep, deep purgatory they're still looking for the bottom of).
This blind loyalty to Bush, the venom, and the belittling of elites has left the impression that there's only dumbed-down, lowbrow conservatism- the mouthbreathers, the racists, the good 'ol boys, and the Bible-thumpers whom talk radio has aimed itself at.
Derbyshire says there's lowbrow liberalism, too, but the left hasn't figured out how to sell it.
They are just no good at the lowbrow sort. The Rush Limbaugh Show may be first in those current Talkers magazine rankings, but second and third are National Public Radio’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered, with 13 million weekly listeners each. It is easy to mock the studied gentility, affectless voices, and reflexive liberalism of NPR, but these are very successful radio programs.
We haven't given up on liberal talk radio, and we don't believe that All Things Considered is a the lefty equivalent of Rush Limbaugh, but you gotta admit: a hell of a lot of regular folks wrack up some mighty TSL when these shows come on.
He adds that liberals are getting pretty good at talk teevee, too. The key is our mastery of irony.
The conservatives, Derbyshire perceptively notes, don't know how to do radio gentility.
They are missing a huge segment of the American middle class
"Conservatives have never had, and never should have, a problem with elitism. Why have we allowed carny barkers to run away with the Right?"
It's comical that only now after they lose political influence that they complain about how boorish they've become. They've been low brow since 2000, from Bush talking to Blair with his food in his mouth to Michael Savage wishing AIDS upon gays.
Obama did a great thing by putting a spot light on Limbaugh. I sincerely hope mainstream conservatives come to identify conservativism as what it is, fearmongering and reactionism, and warm to the idea of helping others with their tax dollars.
Posted by: AuthenticAndrew | February 26, 2009 at 03:17 AM
The highest paid and most listened to political talkers in radio are reich wing blowhards. Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, Ingraham, Beck, Boortz, Levin, and Medved enjoy a combined income of over $500 million/yr. Reich Wing radio is booming and generating millions in profits for syndicated radio.
Posted by: mrogi | February 26, 2009 at 05:11 AM
You miserable wretches of the left keep complaining as the above mentioned conservative hosts continue to soar.
Pity you cant get one of you own to compete. Never have-never will. They have nothing of value to say nor can they generate any interest. The market is the judge and it has judged correctly every time on the left wing wackos.
Posted by: Habu | February 26, 2009 at 05:54 AM
@Mrogi-
I’m with you_those “miserable” Lefties over at the American Conservative_Ooh wait!!!
Isn’t that a very Conservative “Right” leaning magazine???_and therefore the writers are of Conservative Right-wing stock NOT a leftist bunch of “wretches.”?!
See Mrogi_YOUR typical response is a prime example of how most So-Con Right-wingers tend to discuss/debate a topic, on the merits. You DON’T discuss it at all.
Instead you immediately jump to name-calling and attempt to CHANGE the topic. Can you people stay ON TOPIC?! Any issue you don’t understand_or refuse to acknowledge _is dismissed or ridiculed THEN dismissed right on the spot.
It’s pitifully reflexive, characterized by “habitual and unthinking behavior.”
As for the “left-wing wackos” not being able to compete with right-wing talk-radio:
Umm_in case you haven’t noticed (and I’m guessing you haven’t) the days of talk-radio’s influence in terms of “REAL” power are gradually diminishing. It’s called PROGRESS.
Yes, Limbaugh and his ilk will have a following as long as they are on the air. I honestly don't believe it matters anymore.
You see, Thanks to advances in IT, Obama and his team were able to achieve all kinds of successes…to say nothing of winning the Presidency.
Simply put: Obama didn’t need_and doesn’t need_ “talk-radio” to get his message out OR to raise massive amounts of $$$ for his campaign.
His team uses the INTERNET in innovative ways the Republican Party doesn’t even know exist!
BTW: I’m a moderate/conservative Independent.
Posted by: truthiz | February 26, 2009 at 07:36 AM
truthiz is spot on
Posted by: jaonie | February 26, 2009 at 07:46 AM
Reason has been overwhelmed by propaganda, ideas by slogans.Talk radio has contributed mightily to this development."
That's why it is impossible to have a conversation with anybody about politics on this blog. Reason alone cannot undo or defeat slogans and propaganda. It takes a crisis.
And Mrogi correctly labels this brand of talk radio "reich-wing." Making millions off the small-group that remains loyal to these propaganda-meisters who spew bigotry and hate and greed? The dumbed-down, lowbrow conservatism- the mouthbreathers, the racists, the good 'ol boys, and the Bible-thumpers whom talk radio has aimed itself at?
Fine with me.
Posted by: joanie | February 26, 2009 at 08:08 AM
The American Conservative does not represent the "Right" that you think it does. This magazine is the mouthpiece of Pat "Air America" Buchanan. He no more represents the Conservative movement than Rachel Maddow does.
Pat's credibility on the right was lost several years ago when he ran a stupid Third Party presidential campaign. He is disdained in what you would call "Neo-con" (Dennis Prager, Michael Medved, Hugh Hewitt) circles and has far more in common with "Progressives" than with, say, Rush Limbaugh.
Posted by: Mykelbe | February 26, 2009 at 01:09 PM
Mykelbe, Michael said this was a Buchanan-symp site... does that mean the remarks by the writer are invalid? I don't thinks so.
Posted by: Drownitinabathtub | February 26, 2009 at 03:25 PM
Habu: too bad you can't find "one of you own to compete" in national politics. Republicans are conscientious objectors in the War of Ideas.
Posted by: Sanka | February 26, 2009 at 03:29 PM
The Senate Bill with the Fairness Doctrine passed today 87-11. I am anticipating that this may soon be ballyhooed on this blog, but NOT SO FAST... the following amendment (#591) was also attached;
"- The amendment by Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) would achieve the same goals of the Fairness Doctrine through backdoor FCC regulations. His legislation forces the FCC to “take actions to encourage and promote diversity in communication media ownership,” an attempt to dismantle successful syndicated radio programs. The Durbin amendment would hurt small, local radio stations who depend on popular syndicated programming for listeners and revenue."
Seems like some shuck and jive going down by the "Progressive" Left. In other words, the headline of Fairness Doctrine being revoked was defanged by the "Turban" Durbin amendment. The door is open for something similar to it, under a different guise to be inflicted on the airwaves. No surprise - pretty much as I predicted.
Posted by: Oregon Coast | February 26, 2009 at 06:39 PM
I bet that conservatives are abjectly grateful for advice from liberals and Buchannanites on where they went wrong and what they need to do to get the ship righted.
Just what does Pat B. stand for these days? A return to the Nixonian era?
Posted by: woody held | February 26, 2009 at 07:29 PM
Nice try Oregon Coast..you have sand in your shorts:
WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate passed an amendment on Thursday that would bar regulators from requiring broadcasters to give equal time to all points of view, a ban strongly supported by some Republican lawmakers.
The legislative amendment, sponsored by Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, would prevent the Federal Communications Commission from reimposing the so-called Fairness Doctrine to all broadcasters. It was repealed more than 20 years ago.
Aides to President Barack Obama have said he has no intention of trying to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, but that has not stopped some Republicans from raising the issue.
Posted by: sparky | February 26, 2009 at 07:52 PM
"Nice try Oregon Coast..you have sand in your shorts:"
Are you in denial ? Go back and reread what also passed. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what actually went down if you decide to take off your blinders. Why do you suppose that Reuters omitted the part about Amendment 591 ?
It was also part of this bill that gave DC and Utah an additional representative.
True, that Obama said that he did not want to reinstate the fairness doctrine - As former President Reagan said (of the Soviet Union) - "Trust, but verify..."
Posted by: Oregon Coast | February 26, 2009 at 09:23 PM
What have you got against fairness, OC?
Posted by: joanie | February 26, 2009 at 09:35 PM
I notice persons named after geographical regions have the same similarities.
Posted by: Coiler | February 26, 2009 at 10:03 PM
Furthermore, it shows the complete intellectual bankruptcy of the Republican who started our country down the road to ruin nearly 30 years ago. His cracks about the government are really ironic now that his party's minions are all of a sudden screaming to feed at the public trough. Said screaming, because of the colossal Republican mismanagement of our banking system and of our public affairs in general. Mr. Reagan's statements are a textbook example of the all-too-familiar Republican unwillingness to take responsibility for themselves. I'm sure his answer to all this would be, "There you go again!
Posted by: Coiler | February 26, 2009 at 11:00 PM
I read through the article, baring with it to try and find what it offers. I have to say, it seems like the main contributor to Derbyshire's article was Michael Hood.
In all, the whole thing concludes that Conservative talk radio has to be like this 'one show in Britain' to meet the writer's standards of conservatism. If he said it honestly, he wouldn't make his dough as the magazine's writer.
So whoopty-do. Is it so surprising that there are SOME conservatives that agree with Hood on talk radio?
Posted by: AJ | February 27, 2009 at 06:31 AM
Well, I'm an ex-republican. After 25 yrs I changed parties. Now I absolutely cannot stand the far-reich and am embarrassed that I was duped into voting republican for all those years. To my credit, I was only a ditto-head for about 6 months (and I couldn't take it anymore). The GOP isn't even conservative; it's like a combination of the ku klux clan, nazis [insert the word "liberal" in place of the word "Jew"] and religious fanatics who want the world to end so maybe, Jesus will come back (don't want those types near the red button).
Hell, maybe Obama will actually use my tax money to better the lives of middle-class tax payers like me instead of funneling it to his rich friends and deregulating to the point that his rich friends can steal my pension too... like Bush did (all in Jesus name of course)
Only an idiot holds Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity in high esteem at this point in time. I might be a slow learner (took me a few years) but even I finally put 2 and 2 together.
Posted by: anonymous in the midwest | February 27, 2009 at 08:30 AM
anonymous in the midwest.
Go screw yourself you phoney piece of shit. I doubt that the most liberal moron on this site buys your line of crap.
(well, maybe joanie, but that is special circumstance)
Posted by: chucks | February 27, 2009 at 09:23 AM
I agree that the GOP isn't conservative.
Posted by: Coiler | February 27, 2009 at 09:35 AM
"I doubt that the most liberal moron on this site buys your line of crap."
well let's check. what say ye coil
Posted by: jaonie | February 27, 2009 at 09:45 AM
jaonie?
Are you saying Coiler is the "most liberal moron on this site"?
Posted by: chucks | February 27, 2009 at 10:49 AM
good topic today
Posted by: Dave (not dave ross) | February 27, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Pat Buchanan is conservative god. He just hates neocons, and doesn't always think Israel is perfect. He's principled, and calls 'em like he sees 'em, even if he would be comfortable in the Jurassic.
Posted by: Sanka | February 27, 2009 at 12:36 PM
AJ: I wouldn't be whoopty doo-ing seeing you "baring with it." Keep your clothes on around here.
Posted by: blathering michael | February 27, 2009 at 12:47 PM
HaH! Adventures in spelling...
Posted by: sparky | February 27, 2009 at 04:29 PM
The reason the left has no widely popular radio hosts is because common sense is not particularly entertaining.
Corporations make more money when people vote Republican. The only way anyone making under a quarter mil would ever vote for the current crowd of Republicans is if they were brainwashed and scared to death. Hence, corporate profits rise while they fill our airwaves with hours and hours of hate- and fear-filled propaganda to sway frightened and inadequately trained thinkers.
Posted by: Leslie | February 28, 2009 at 01:08 AM