Should Rush Limbaugh’s supporters be allowed to vote? Given the amazingly mean spirited and stupid things Limbaugh says, should the dittoheads who mindlessly applaud him receive the franchise? Could you imagine the elevated difference in the political makeup of this country if they didn’t?
For example, on December 3, Limbaugh noted that hundreds of unemployed people stood in line for assistance at a community center in Atlanta, Georgia to apply for financial help with their heat and power bills. They’re having a bad cold snap in that city. Eventually officials let applicants come into the building, because the temperature outside that early morning was freezing.
“Standing in line for assistance,” Limbaugh repeated as he read the newspaper article on the story. “I just wonder if they would stand in line for jobs?”
Limbaugh didn’t bother to read the article one paragraph further.
“I’ve had three jobs this year, and I’ve been laid off from all three,” one applicant was quoted as saying. “I’m grateful just to get any type of help they’ll give me.”
Then the Rushbo offered this gem:
Here’s the media tweek of the day. We always announce these and it always works. This story raises very unpolitically correct questions. If people cannot even feed and clothe themselves, should they be allowed to vote? Should they be voting? If people who are receiving government assistance, that is, taxpayer assistance, if they weren’t allowed to vote, could you imagine the difference in the political makeup of this country? Can you imagine that?
This is just a think piece. I’m just putting this out there for you to ponder.
So let’s ponder the question. This would mean that a large percentage of the population on Wall Street would be disenfranchised, given the huge quantity of “taxpayer assistance” that a number of prominent financial firms recently received. It would mean that the parents of every county in the U.S. that receives federal aid for schools would lose their right to vote—not to mention the parents in states receiving federal aid for universities and colleges (and not to mention all the employees of these institutions).
It would mean that just about every veteran who takes advantage of VA benefits would lose their voting privileges. It would mean the same for Americans who are receiving extended unemployment benefits.
And, of course, something close to the entire agricultural industry would lose their right to the ballot, given the pervasiveness of agricultural subsidies—$20 billion per year to farmers in “farm income stabilization.” That would also go for the proprietors of the thousands of small and medium sized telephone companies that receive support from the Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Fund, and all the recipients of their services.
I could go on and on. Yes, Limbaugh’s proposal would eliminate the franchise for a huge portion of the population of the United States besides the poor whom he and his admirers obviously hate with a passion. And that would make quite a difference in politics. Sure thing. In fact, hardly anyone in this country would get to vote.
But rather than eliminating their right to the ballot, perhaps we should just take away Limbaugh’s and those of his fans, a not insignificant but smaller percentage of the populace whose evident moronic viciousness would not be missed in many quarters.
This is just a think piece, of course. I’m just saying. I’m just putting this out there for you to ponder. Have a nice day.
