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Rush Limbaugh On Obama Health Care Logo

Posted 30 months ago|35 comments|5,743 views
VIDEOS
Written by
Chris D
Seattle, WA
Is the Obama health care logo an endorsement of Nazism? It’s unlikely.

My good friend Rush Limbaugh continues to flirt with true insanity. Today, he had a nice big rant that’s simply too funny to ignore.

Here’s the background: Nancy Pelosi has accused members of the “Teabagger” income tax protesters of wearing swastikas and SS symbols to some “town hall” meetings about health care. (This is true. There are pictures.)

Rush Limbaugh exploded, saying that Pelosi lied and that the Democrats are much more like Nazis than the Republicans ever have been. For evidence, he cited a post on the right-wing blog “Sweetness and Light.”

“Obama's got a health care logo that's right out of Adolf Hitler's playbook,” Rush Limbaugh said.

You can see a picture of the Obama health care logo to the left. Clearly, it combines a caduceus (an 6,000 year old medical symbol) and Obama’s web 2.0 “O” symbol. But Rush Limbaugh isn’t interested in history.

He went on to list reasons Democrats are like Nazis:

- They are against big business.
- They are opposed to “Jewish capitalism.” (Huh?)
- They are against pollution.
- They are against cruelty to animals.
- They want to ban smoking.
- They love abortion and euthanasia.
- They want cradle-to-the-grave nationalized healthcare.

Some of those comparisons are true, and some false, but ALL are taken out of context. The thing I don’t like about Rush Limbaugh is that he wants to create turmoil and divide, instead of building bridges and working around our differences.

You know, Godwin’s Law states that comparisons between your opponent and the Nazis are unavoidable. When we descend into name-calling, all hope for civilized debate is gone. I wish Rush Limbaugh, Keith Olbermann, Bill O’Reilly, Chris Matthews, and many more people would learn that.

Symbols can be powerful, but the Obama health care logo is not a Nazi symbol. C’mon, people.


(H/T to Media Matters, Rush Limbaugh, and Sweetness and Light)


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COMMENTS
30 months ago: Just google obama logo and watch what shows up.
If that doesn't prove this is Obamacare your blind.
You need to read Godwin's Law again.
30 months ago: OK, I googled obama logo: http://www.google.com/search?q=obama+logo&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

So where are the Nazis?
30 months ago: Oh, and incidentally, Wikipedia actually has a pretty good writeup of Godwin's Law: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law
30 months ago: HNN. go find a mirror and put it on your monitor.

That should answer your first question.

To answer your second.

When Godwin's Law is invoked during a debate (During) it is to end the debate. When a debate begins with the insertion of the term Nazi Godwin's Law does not apply. You need to read it again also.
30 months ago: TCG, you have just personally insulted me and my Jewish family, several of whom died during WWII in concentration camps. That you didn't know my family background before calling me a Nazi is of no consequence. I see no reason why I should bother being civil with you any further after that.

Nevertheless, I will be.

On the subject of Godwin's law, the "debate" has been going on for a while now. You can't possibly think Rush *started* the health insurance debate with his asinine comparison of Obama to Nazis, can you? Come on...

But all this is moot. Rush and his dittoheads - which I sincerely hope you don't count among - are obviously not familiar with the caduceus. One has to wonder if they're familiar with any American imagery whatsoever, which is rife with birds holding various seals and logos.
Chris D
Chris D
Seattle, WA
30 months ago: @TCG

Godwin's Law states:

"As a discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1."

Meaning, any discussion will eventually reach a Nazi comparison.

But you said:

"Just google obama logo and watch what shows up. If that doesn't prove this is Obamacare your [sic] blind.
You need to read Godwin's Law again."

Which is unrelated to my Rant.

You're missing the point. I'm saying that when we descend into name-calling, all hope for civilized debate is gone. Arguably, your term "Obamacare" is an attempt to slur the health care plan.

Why don't you write a Rant explaining your arguments against the President's plan? I would certainly read it.

Please, avoid sarcasm or insults, and I can promise you that we'll all benefit from it.
30 months ago: HNN. tough news you need to think hard about your agenda.

Chris, I'm glad you chimed in here since you also need to read and hold to heart what you have written [sic]. If Godwin's Law was unrelated to your rant. Why include it? I'm guessing you felt it was related when applied to the rightwing "Rush". You want a link to your little outburst of ridicule?
30 months ago: TCG, I've thought hard about my agenda. It consists of:

* Universal health insurance coverage

There. That's it. That's my agenda. That you would stoop to calling me a Nazi for it tells me you have no sense of perspective, and that you wouldn't apologize for it - and even choose to reinforce it - tells me you have no sense of shame.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
30 months ago: Noni, in all fairness TCG never called you a nazi,(on this page).

"Just google obama logo and watch what shows up.
If that doesn't prove this is Obamacare your blind.
You need to read Godwin's Law again."

He was drawing the from the obvious symbolism on the O logo, indicating Obama thinks of himself as some great healer, either medically or socially, and wants to be recognizes for it. Thence TCG's comment about "Obamacare".

The comment he made about Godwin's law, (which is a pile of dung, by the way, only given credence by people who are likely to compare people to Nazi's) was that he thought it was used out of proper form.
JAK Gladney
JAK Gladney
Saint Albans, WV
30 months ago: I get a kick out of the comparisons: we're socialists, AND we're fascists--polar opposites on the ideological spectrum.
30 months ago: OOTB, in all fairness, yes he did. I asked "So where are the Nazis?" He responded with "HNN. go find a mirror and put it on your monitor." And I'm calling him on it. Comparing a desire to see health care coverage extended to everyone with a desire to exterminate a people is a deeply personal insult.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
30 months ago: Sen. Grassley

"Let's just lay everything on the table," Grassley said. "A Democrat congressman last week told me after a conversation with the president that the president had trouble in the House of Representatives, and it wasn't going to pass if there weren't some changes made ... and the president says, 'You're going to destroy my presidency.' "

The White House did not respond to requests for comment.

A lot of what Rush Limbaugh says, as with Olberman, and most of the high paid pundits, is strictly grease paint, garish to the point of obscene, because in the theatre of public attention, subtleties tend to get washed out. I do not believe Limbaugh thinks Obama is a Nazi any more than Olberman thought Bush was a Nazi, and Bush was called a Nazi many times. They might think some policies resemble Nazi policies, but look at Limbaugh's list of defining Nazi traits. If this is not tongue in cheek, I would be very surprised.

I'm still looking for the pictures of the people Pelosi paid to attend the meetings wearing swastikas.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
30 months ago: When have we ever had a pompous *** for a president that needs his own logo? What is he selling?
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
30 months ago: Ah yes, Noni, I missed that one. I thought you were referencing his opening comment.
30 months ago: HNN.. You need help...

TCG stated "OOTB, in all fairness, yes he did. I asked "So where are the Nazis?" He responded with "HNN. go find a mirror and put it on your monitor." And I'm calling him on it. Comparing a desire to see health care coverage extended to everyone with a desire to exterminate a people is a deeply personal insult."

without any knowledge of you background. You know what? I stand behind the statement even after finding out you and your family is jewish. You think that the 'white shaved heads" can hold a Nazi agenda? Man you are a real piece of work.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
30 months ago: Faciolists, the lot of ya.
30 months ago: Wow, I'm insulted because..the truth hits hard..

I'm

Jewish
Christian
Muslim
White
Brown
Black
Yellow
Red....

North American
Central American
South American
EuroTrash (all)
West Asian
Central Asian
East Asian
Persian

Need a longer list?
30 months ago: Seriously, does my background matter? That I took personal offense at it in no way detracts from how offensive it would be if you told a Buddhist or an atheist that he was a Nazi.

Let me be clear here: You didn't call Obama or any other elected figure - a group of open targets for insults, however mind-numbingly stupid - a Nazi.

You called *me* one. Me personally. For my stance on health insurance. I imagine I'd have to be a skinhead or neo-Nazi not to take offense at that.

I like this topic, let's explore it a little more. The Nazis engaged in all kinds of medical experiments, so I can definitely see the connection between them and universal insurance. Eugenics? Why, that's just like Obama's idea for tax credits to small businesses that offer certain levels of coverage. And forced sterilization is just like allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for prices! And the long lines for emergency medical care that a public option will surely lead to? Why, it's just like the extermination of millions of Jews in gas chambers and by starvation! Not like the all-American long lines for emergency medical care we have now.

This is what you're comparing *me* to. The very reason for the existence of Godwin's law is that most comparisons to Nazis are inherently stupid. Anyone who does it with a modern politician is guilty of truly moronic levels of hyperbole.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
30 months ago: Faciolists, , (noun) A combination of the words fascists an socialists, uncommonly used when talk of Nazi's occurs.
It would probably mean, if it were a real word, a combination of the undesirable traits of both fascists and socialists, unless you are one. It would then mean the exact opposite. -Watsons dictionary of made up words-.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
30 months ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DuafAqAHrc

Soros Compares President Bush To Nazis
30 months ago: HNN.. You threw it into the Equation... not me...
30 months ago: OOTB, you made me laugh with the "Faciolists" definition. Thanks. By the way, I thought it was moronic when Soros did it, too. As bad as Bush was - and I think Bush was about as bad as U.S. Presidents get - he was no Nazi. Just incompetent.

TCG: I threw what into the equation? Calling people Nazis for disagreeing with me?
JAK Gladney
JAK Gladney
Saint Albans, WV
30 months ago: In the interests of clarity:

HNN writes, as his "first question": "OK, I googled obama logo: http://www.google.com/search?q=obama+logo&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

So where are the Nazis?"

TCG answers: "HNN. go find a mirror and put it on your monitor.

That should answer your first question."


TCG didn't "directly" call HNN a Nazi--he was too busy being cute. But the inference here is clear, so let's not dance around it.

And what is this statement all about: "without any knowledge of you background. You know what? I stand behind the statement even after finding out you and your family is jewish. You think that the 'white shaved heads" can hold a Nazi agenda? Man you are a real piece of work."

I don't know you personally, so I can't target your ethnicity [aside: it's otherwise okay to suggest someone you disagree with is a Nazi]. Nevertheless, I stand behind the insult that a person of your background, now known, would find especially personal and venemous. Good tactic: don't apologize or own up to it--respond like a cornered animal.

This is just another day in sweaty, confused, red-faced tantrum throwing, HNN. Don't take it personally. He hasn't thrown a shoe yet.
30 months ago: HNN ... don't be stupid
30 months ago: JAK, don't try that let's all get along speach.
It's really old news. We won't buy it any longer.

Jak, you also need to look in the mirror.
30 months ago: Rush My Man!

DITTO!

Yeehah.
30 months ago: You guys crack me up! Are you sure we're not all "brothers from another mother"?
I agree Rush is a bit unhinged but certainly no less than say Rosie O'Donell. And if he is trying to speak loudly and sometimes boisterously I would guess it is because most of the media is left leaning and he is trying to get some balance. I don't personally listen to his show. I do watch CNN and FOX as well as many other sources of information. I don't feel that I have been coerced into "violent" opposition to the health care plan I do however feel that my health insurance which I am happy with is going to be sacrificed in order to replace it with something that will be eventually a lower grade of care. In this respect I do understand the strong opposition (I have yet to see the "violent" opposition some are describing).
I am sure I will get the "it's not the same thing" rebuttal so I will try to address it along with my point. I feel the Cindy Shehan war protests were much more unruly and damaging than anything I have seen with these town hall things. With the Obamacare opposition you have people who as I stated have quality health care coverage and are concerned about not only losing that but paying for someone else's lower grade health care to boot. With the Cindy Shehan protests people opposed the war but by camping out at the presidents front gate they were giving the enemy aid and the propaganda tools to further fight and kill Americans. So two examples of lively opposition, which one actually is more damaging?
JAK Gladney
JAK Gladney
Saint Albans, WV
30 months ago: Rush is primarily an entertainer--that he is also someone of serious influence within the Republican party is something they have to reconcile. I don't spend a lot of time dissecting Rush's statements. They're outrageous, but the networks that air his show demand these theatrics, and he's made a very nice lifestyle through them.

I don't buy the "aid and comfort" line--this is a Vietnam-era argument. If the democratic process emboldens the enemy, I don't see an easy remedy for it. The tone of the debates--other than the obvious fact that it's hard to have a dialog when one side claims a monopoly on truth, recklessly throws unfounded or debunked suspicions as fact, and won't allow you to answer questions--still is not my primary concern.

As I've stated before, we knew Cindy Sheehan's biases, and we knew who was footing the bill to shuttle her from one anti-war protest to another--MoveOn.org never made any bones about that. That the push against health care reform has some obvious corporate sponsors--people who stand to benefit a great deal from the status quo, and are using their considerable influence to mobilize much of this public outrage--should be a continuing matter of public record.
30 months ago: JAK, that's it exactly. Sunlight on the left doesn't hurt it, so why should sunlight on the right be objectionable?
30 months ago: HNN and JAK ? I invoke Godwin's Law against you.

Thread dead by gas.

Sorry, the EPA has ruled their gas might cause GHGs so the Obama EPA has rescheduled their "gas" to a inert substance known now as "donkeygas". Look it up.
Mike Licht
Mike Licht
Washington, DC
30 months ago: Obama's gonna kill Grandma?

See:

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/obama-wants-to-kill-your-grandma/
30 months ago: I don't find Rush Libugh's inane ramblings to be entertaining at all. His intellectualism is on par with that of a pet rock. What's amazing is there are people out there who take his every word as gospel. That's frightening.

30 months ago: Huey:
Rush says 99% of the things I am already thinking.
You should try siding with freedom and liberty sometime.
You might like it.
30 months ago: Rush is an entertainer and an ****. I put him on the same level as Howard Stern as far as being relevant to the culture. Conservatives would be better off without his high-handed, racist, and inflammatory rhetoric.

However I guess he does serve a purpose in in that the nuts on the far far right can balance out the nuts on the far far left.

As far as being on the side of freedom and liberty, I just ordered a Frederick Douglass t-shirt and believe the Bilbe is fully relevant to all of today's situations.
30 months ago: JAK, I agree the Democratic process must be allowed to work and regardless of the effects if there are citizens which do not agree with a war then they should be allowed to "peacefully" demonstrate that. I guess the point I wished to establish is that we have examples of disagreements with policy from both sides of the spectrum and they are both peaceful yet "loud" maybe (for lack of a better word).

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