Rush Limbaugh, The GOP and Their Story of Fear

I don't know about you, but I'm fed up with obstructionist politics. Oh I know, the Republicans have an ideology to uphold. You can tell me I don't understand the intricacies of the political system, and you might be right, but as an author and story expert I do understand the power of a story. I know that when Republicans in Congress walk around telling everyone Obama stimulus policies will fail, then they hold only that paradigm of possibility inside themselves. They live it, breathe it, they become it. They make it reality.

Obama is a man of hope. He is an optimist. He believes in the power of holding a different kind of story inside himself. He walks that reality, that story, in the world. The details of his story were evident in his ambitious plan for this country. Can we possibly achieve all his dreams? Maybe not, but at least he has dreams, big ideas, new goals. Republicans cling to the old Goldwater-esqe goals wearing blinders. That fearful stand in the world is the story they walk, the story they bring into reality.

What we have here are two very different stories about what matters in the world: the possibility of change and hope, bolstered by clear-eyed realism, and the possibility of mired angst and retrenchment, bolstered by naysaying and fear.

With the GOP--lead by Rush Limbaugh and hoping for a Reagan resurgence in the likes of Bobby Jindal--holding steady in their tight paradigm of fear and retrenchment, and weighing down our country in the process, we will never be able to live a new story as Americans.

What does that mean, live a new story?

The story you tell yourself inside your head and heart about what is real in the world, becomes your reality. Only if you shift that story, only if you give up the old paradigm of obstruction and partisanship--fear--can a new reality dawn.

It really is that simple.

Comments

[redheadedwriter]

Great insight, thank you for this piece. I'm reminded of Al Franken's book entitled "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot," first published in 1999. Limbaugh's negative comments only cast him in negative light.

Hopefully, we can all get behind the captain of our team - even those who may disagree with the plays being called.

[DavidEBrown]

Thank you for this piece.

I'm not sure I buy into your psychology though, except in the sense that in many ways we are guided by our world view. The Republicans see a dangerous world, so "just say NO" is a logical message for them.

Many of the rest of us, in the midst of all of our fears and difficulties, nevertheless either already see possibilities and opportunities, or are primed to listen to a message of hope. We want to be proactive, not defensive - positive, not negative, let alone hateful (now that we have finally shed that albatross of the last 8 years).

Are there risks? Of course, But doing something, anything, breaks the negative inertia of inaction, and still gives plenty of opportunity for adjustments. Republicans tend to see the world in blacks and whites, so if a policy is perceived to be bad, in some respect, even if it's not the primary component of the policy that they are focused on, they believe that it will always be bad.

President Obama sees governing as process, with the flexibility to make midcourse corrections. That's why he focuses on having the right amount of government for the task at hand. Sometimes that means more government intervention, sometimes less.

It looks to be an exciting few years ahead. I hope that President Obama continues to be able to share his vision and thereby show this great nation the way forward. It's up to us to either be proactive or

[p-junkie]

First republicans have to give up the legend of Ronald Reagan who taught them to HATE GOVERNMENT.

[BigPictureReg]

It's already a minority party. Since the time of it's previous emergence from a minority party status, after Ike and the initiation of the 'Southern Strategy', it's been pieced and held together on the basis of a combination of deception under the guise of patriotism, divisive tactics, repeated exploitation of a succession of wedge issues and, of course, name recognition. This last one often escapes the level of consciousness of most, but, there is no disputing this fact, since this 2008 election was the first national ticket in THIRTY TWO years without a Bush or a Dole in one of the two positions(!) Personality will only get you so far. (Watch out, Dems)

Here....th­is is no exaggeration

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/03/07/opinion/07blow_large.jpg

[fem56]

Bimbaugh-was a typo but I like that. has admitted that he wants Obama and the democrats to fail. He has admitted that and will do anything and say anything to make that happen. My guess is that Obama is ignoring the guy.

[skyewriter]

Human actions are guided by two base motivations: fear and love.

I think we've seen what fear motivation has gotten us and the kinds of people that try to govern using that principle.

Being motivated by hope (love--optimism) can lead only to good things.

The majority of Americans chose hope, not fear, last November.

It's time the naysayers moved aside, or changed their narrative, as you so eloquently write, Lisa. They had their chance.

We will write a new chapter in our country's history (or maybe start a whole new book), with or without them.

[dana94591]

The repubs are in melt down! They have no traction and they can't get arrested. But if we keep focusing on Rush we are going to miss the really big stuff that happening!!!

[theman575757]

I have never in my lifetime seen a bunch of Republicans as scared and as feared of Rush Limbaugh.Y­ou can not get one I mean just one Republican to say one negative thing about this talk show host and everyone clams up. Now if they do and sometime let it leak out, boy o boy do they start apologizing in groves and numbers. It is like the man is some type of god, or Jim Jones having them drink Poisoned Kool-Aid. The Democrats on the outside needs to constantly remind the public of this man and his insanse ideas. Democrats need to watch the Movie "Untouchables", and duplicate the fight power the same as Chicago against Al Capone, except the Democrats have been using Blanks against the Republicans when matching power against power.

[Shirley Showalter]

Hi, Linda. Have you seen Gran Torino? http://www.thegrantorino.com/

I think you can see the Goldwater story transforming into the new story in this movie.

[PDXKevin]

"Republicans: ****ing Up Government Since 1981!"

[cgr]

Yes, it really is that simple. Not easy, but a simple choice to leave a position of rigid ideology and accept the freedom of new thinking and new ways of seeing. Of being open and responsive to what -is, as it is, and shedding the filter of old conditioning.

The Republicans have used fear as a tool for so long to push their agenda and wrest votes, they've become victims of their own message: they're fearful. Fearful people dig in, become defensive.

Obama's wide appeal was openness, respect for all, the ability to listen and appreciate different views, different religions, different cultures.

Like it or not (I do) we have become citizens of the world, and hunkering down defending our own little turf is out of date and ineffectual. The Republican leadershipt will catch on, or they won't. Either way, the world is different now, and it will continue to change. They can drift into oblivion or wake up. Interesting to see which way it goes. If the voice of the far right wins, they marginalize themselves, a bitter small contingency without power, abandoned by reasonable, intelligent, informed people..