Rush & Sarah

President Kennedy was assasinated in 1963 when I was 13 years old. I was in the Webster Intermediate gym, and I remember exactly where I was standing when I heard about it. Apparently, this is a common thing - people remembering exactly where they were when they heard the news.

Another event of seismic proportions occurred when I was driving west on Creek Street, between Crockett St. and Milam St. in Fredericksburg in 1991. That was when I first heard Rush Limbaugh on the radio! You may think I'm crazy, but what he was saying was almost as shocking as when I heard the news about Kennedy. This is also a crazy phenomenon; people remembering where they were when they first heard Rush. I'm serious.

You see, like many of us, in my youth I displayed, shall we say, some rather negative liberal tendencies. They say you can't escape from the dark side, but by 1991 I was married, a father of four sons, a Christian, and had seen the light and become a conservative. Also I had developed an interest in politics. I liked political programs, but almost every TV news show, every radio news break, every newspaper article, magazine, all of the media seemed to promote and praise liberals/Democrats and ridicule or put down conservatives/Republicans. I wondered sometimes if my views were really valid - maybe the only people that thought like me were those in my little social circle in Kerrville. This was maddening.

So, that day in 1991 when I flipped on the radio and a guy is practically reading my mind and saying things that were right down the line with my beliefs, it was quite a shock. And that is why Rush zoomed to such popularity - he validated the thinking and feelings of millions of people. We were not alone; we had an advocate, a very gifted spokesman to represent us in the cultural and political wars. (We have another one, too, and He's a lot bigger than Rush.) He was so popular that some restaurants set up Rush Rooms where you could go with your friends, have lunch and listen to Rush. Although his enemies try to discount him, he has had a huge and positive impact on our society. He was very instrumental in helping Republicans take control of Congress in 1994 after 40 years of Democrat dominance.

I don't have a lot to say about Sarah yet - Sarah Palin, that is. But, when she came on the scene, and I heard her convention speech, it was that same kind of feeling as when I heard Rush for the first time.

At this time, the U.S. Congress is held in low esteem by many Americans. Some might say they are lower than whale poop on the bottom of the ocean. Others might express themselves in a more sophisticated manner. But since this is my blog, I'm going with the whale poop. Their job approval rating is about 15%, the lowest in history. This is because most of them are self-seeking, self-promoting, out of touch morons who make every decision based on how it will help or hurt their ability to hold on to their power. (Sometime I will tell you how I really feel.) As Obiwan said, "You'll not find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy." I really should be held in contempt of Congress since I actually am in contempt of Congress and they are an organization deserving much contempt. I digress, but I feel so much better now.

So anyways, back to Sarah. She comes across as a genuine person. She is like us, not them. That is my assessment and, if I am correct about her, she will help turn this country around to some degree. I hope that if she gets in as Vice President that she changes Washington, and not the other way around. Beware of the dark side, Sarah!