Limbaugh Republicans

Seems like the little four-word meme, "I hope Obama fails," is catching fire with Republicans. Rush Limbaugh first said it, and then last week it was Rush again, Tom DeLay, Rick Santorum, and Michelle Malkin.

In fact, the radically conservative website RedState is now signing up devotees who state in no uncertain terms that "I Too Want Barack Obama To Fail" and pledge to "help ensure he does."

Let's make one thing really clear. Whether you agree with his strategy or not, President Barack Obama is committed to stabilizing the downward spiral of the U.S. economy that was graciously passed on to him by George W. Bush. The current administration wants more Americans employed, they want the banking institutions to be healthy once again, and they want the mortgage crisis to be resolved. They want good things to happen, I think that's clear.

So when Republicans get in line behind a drug addict like Limbaugh and state that they want Obama to fail, what they are saying, folks, in effect, is that they want Obama's measures to rescue America to fail. They don't want his policies to be effective and they don't want any of the aforementioned to happen under Obama's leadership. Why? Quite simply, they desire this failure so they they can regain power in 2010 and 2012.

These same Republicans will try to justify their position by claiming that Democrats wanted Bush to fail. Well, no. Many Democrats disagreed with Bush on issues of the war, torture, the way he handled Katrina, and, quite frankly, the list was endless. But did we want him to fail? Did we want more American soldiers killed in Iraq? Did we want the people of New Orleans to hurt any more than they already had? Did we really want America to suffer so that in 2008 a Democrat would be elected as President? Of course not. Oh, you might find someone at Democratic Underground who expressed such feelings in the comments of a post there, but there was never a party spokesman or leader who ever uttered such words let alone broadcast them for the world to hear.

And yet, Republicans are surely not the only people who are hoping our President fails. Hugo Chavez is probably hoping that he has some problems. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is most likely wishing for the worst. And, last but certainly not least, you can betcha that Osama bin-Laden is crossing his gnarly fingers that President Obama falls flat on his face.

So as Rush Limbaugh emerges as the Republican Party's de facto spokesperson, conservatives everywhere are going to have to have to make a decision whether or not they are a "Limbaugh Republican" who wishes for our President's and America's failure, or a Republican who publicly and forcefully dismisses Limbaugh as someone who doesn't represent their views as an American conservative who only wants the best for their country. Amazingly, for some notable Republicans, it's turning out to be a hard decision.

It's important, because guys like Hugo, Osama, and Mahmoud, among others, are watching and you can bet they're taking notes.