Where does Rush stand on this whole PATRIOT/privacy thing?

[hopein08]

It's not really my question. My mom asked me if I had heard anything about what Limbaugh's been saying about the PATRIOT Act and the civil liberties/right to privacy debate that has been going on. As I try to avoid his drivel and I know that some people here are much stronger than me and can listen in every once in awhile and perhaps tell me what he says, I thought I'd try it here.

So, where does he stand taking into account his medical record situation?

Thanks so much in advance if you can help me out and I completely understand if you can't.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays.

[CarbonDate]

1. Where ever Mr. Rove tells him to.

Actually, he believes that his own privacy is very important. Other people's, not so much.

He doesn't have principles; he's just a slime ball.

[Charlie Brown]

2. The same as every other neo-con

Police powers are necessary to protect the country from the dark-skinned Mooslims and their liberal minions.

What Bush did was legal . . . blah, blah, blah.

[Ksec]

3. He likes it (in between his mega doses of Vicodin)

[Aimah]

He's doing the "Clinton Did It Too" dance.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200512210012

You'll have to read down a bit to get to the sections you want.

It starts with this:

"LIMBAUGH: But let me read you this -- this Jamie Gorelick quote from The Washington Post today. And this quote -- now you're -- if you don't understand the context, you are going to assume that she is supporting the president. But she's not. She's supporting McCain . She's -- this is an anti-Bush comment. But what follows this is the pièce de résistance. She says in The Washington Post today, "The issue here is this. If you're John McCain and you just got Congress to agree to limits on interrogation techniques, why would you think that -- that limits anything if the executive branch can ignore it by asserting its inherent authority?"

[Aimah]

4. He's doing the "Clinton Did It Too" dance.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200512210012

You'll have to read down a bit to get to the sections you want.

It starts with this:

"LIMBAUGH: But let me read you this -- this Jamie Gorelick quote from The Washington Post today. And this quote -- now you're -- if you don't understand the context, you are going to assume that she is supporting the president. But she's not. She's supporting McCain . She's -- this is an anti-Bush comment. But what follows this is the pièce de résistance. She says in The Washington Post today, "The issue here is this. If you're John McCain and you just got Congress to agree to limits on interrogation techniques, why would you think that -- that limits anything if the executive branch can ignore it by asserting its inherent authority?"

[Uben]

5. He doesn't believe in civil liberties

....but he's willing to pay millions of dollars to make sure his are not violated. Had his maid buy him dope, endangering her life and her children's, if she had any. He has no respect for anything that doesn't make him money....period!

[Charlie Brown]

7. His lawyer, Roy Black, defended William Kennedy Smith in 1991

It figures Rush would turn to a Kennedy lawyer for help when his ass is in a bind.

[PSPS]

6. Rush doesn't have a "stand" on anything. He's merely a paid mouthpiece.

He, like all the rest of the RW media, get their daily blast fax straight from the White House giving them their talking points and spin for the day. Then they dutifully follow the script.

[SammyWinstonJack]

8. His bank account is all that matters to him. I guess he thinks money

will protect his privacy issues and apparently in his case, it has.

[CoffeeCat]

9. I heard Rush addressing this issue...

Pardon me, if I don't remember his exact words.

When I listen to him--I am only half listening. That way I only get half disgusted.

Anyway, on Friday--Rush discussed how he is against the opening of his medical records and for Patriot Act. He took a good chunk of time to "set the record straight" on these issues.

Rush essentially said that keeping medical records private--and protecting the citizens from terrorism are completely different issues. I think he said, "If you confuse these two things then you are missing the point!"

What Rush tried to say--is that it is ok for the pResident to use his authority to save us from terrorists and to protect national security. We lose a bit of privacy, but the diminished freedoms are worth the gain in security and safety. Rush said his medical records are personal, private records that have nothing to do with national security. They're his personal records and exposing them should not be allowed.

He also went on to say that most heinous privacy offenses are conducted by local and state authorities; not Federal authorities. Local/state officials are the ones attempting to expose his medical records. Conversely, Rush challenged anyone to come up with one example of abuse by the Patriot Act. He strongly urged anyone to enlighten him of any privacy/freedom issues that resulted from the Patriot Act.

Ok---that's how he explained it (and again, I'm paraphrasing).

What Rush did was pretty skillful--his usual clever way of clouding the issues. I have to say--the man is a brilliant orator. He could convince a drowning man to drink a bottle of Evian. However, he is so full of sh*t. Notice that he talked about PERSONAL PRIVACY when addressing his medical records. However, he switched to "terra, terra, terra, pResident Bush is keeping us safe" when he discussed the PA. He never discussed the personal freedom and privacy issues surrounding the PA. He only discussed how the PA keeps us safe from terror. Typical Rush verbal gymnastics.

He discussed both subjects--but his arguments were incongruent.

Essentially, he weaseled his way out of addressing how the Patriot Act does rob us of freedoms and privacy, but I'm sure many Rushbots missed the flawed logic as they hugged their radios, drooled on their "Club Gitmo" coffee mug and feverishly renewed their subscriptions to the Limbaugh letter.

[JohnnyRingo]

10. The day after the eavesdropping story broke he advocated buildind a prison

for whistleblowers.

[ima_sinnic]

11. I heard him say T. Daschle out & out lied in his WPost article

(summarized here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/22/AR2005122202119.html )

--which is totally ridiculous!! I was in a good mood and didn't want to wreck that, so I quickly switched over to a CD of reggae music--so, sorry, I don't have any further details.