@blatham,
I believe Rush Limbaugh has been on the air for about 25 years . He has endured and has developed a wide audience over that time. I doubt that during that period I've spent more than 20 minutes listening to his broadcasts, and don't recall doing so at all over the past decade. LImbaugh represents a conservative point of view, and tends to see excesses and even conspiratorial motives behind the actions of his political opponents - as you illustrated in your net neutrality comments. Whether the net neutrality legislation represents necessary government intervention (the web has thrived so far without it) or needless or even badly mnotivated government overreach is a subject of much debate today - even among serious people..
That said, I don't see much difference between many of your posts here and the Linbaugh stuff you've quoted. You both have a point of view (or should I write ideology) and you both frequently find conspiratorial bad intent behind the actions of those whose beliefs you oppose. I'm aware that you are an avid reader of contemporary political commentary and are (or were) yourself involved in various political blogs. Perhaps the main differences between you and Linbaugh are your respective points of view and the remarkable commercial succerss he has somehow achieved. I find it remarkable that one of your insight would fail to see these parallels.
I don't fault Limbaugh for his opinions. I agree with some that I've heard and disagree with others. I could say that about yours as well. To the extent that you both prejudge the inner motives of those with whom you disagree I reject both of you equally. Some of these insights (by both of you) may well prove to be true, but we'll likely not know that for a long time. Even serious historians are sometimes wrong, and often disagree, about such questions. However, I completely reject the a priori judgments of bad intent coming from both of you, and find it odd that you don't see that similarity in your respective campaigns. ( fear that you will say this is just more of my "equivalency" BS, and that once again I am failing to recognize that (only) your **** doesn't stink.)
In the case of public officials in a democracy, we must all make some judgments about the characters and intentions of those for whom we vote, and do so with the information we have. In addition we all have a right to attempt to persuade others of our opinions. However, even in these cases it is important to distinguish between what we believe (or suspect) to be true and what we know for sure. Even there, necessary judgments about the characters of such candidates should focus more on their actions (or inaction) rather than preconceptions about their unknowable inner motives. I believe tha both Blatham and Limbaugh are far too quick and persistent in seeing evil conspiracies in the hearts of their political opponents, and both equally wrong in assuming that they are necessarily exempt from them.
I'm not trying to insult or be offensive here: rather to face a basic point which I fear you persistently ignore. If there is any thread to our friendship here, that's it.