Limbaugh was not the beginning of subjective reality, but he certainly exasperated it. He told his listeners that only he was telling them the truth, and not to listen to anyone else. Of course, he wasn't telling the truth, but the followers never cared.

Now we have the Trump cult. Which is not the majority of Republicans, but is enough that they can't win without them.

Are the Democrats as bad? I think they lack leadership and clear objectives, but they seem more truth-based to me. usually...

My college friend and roommate (ca. 1991) - at a very liberal art school - was an ardent follower of Limbaugh, and would tune the radio in daily, so I got a pretty in-depth familiarity with the program.  My own take on it was that I couldn't believe anyone would take it seriously, because he (Limbaugh) was so clearly just spewing bullshit, and hateful bullshit at that.  But my friend came from a somewhat conservative family, and would parrot Limbaugh "ideas" back in conversation, my favorite of which being the time he told our mutual female friend to her face that women didn't have the emotional temperament or experience to serve in the Senate.

And yes, my friend is also a conspiracy theorist, with all of the usual suspects: moon landing, climate science, 9/11, Sandy Hook, etc.  I think if you're wired that way, you're gonna go that way regardless of the availability of media sources to give you stuff to rail against.  I guess it's just easier to have bullshit spoon-fed to you than to have to make up your own bullshit?

Curiously, I always got the feeling from him that it was partly an act to get a rise out of people.  Lord knows, it worked on me plenty of times.

My own personal area of disagreement with her is in continuing to give Netanyahu's government carte blanche to press the war in Gaza on their own terms. Not like she has a ton of options, and I'd assume that she's betting that she'll bring back enough of the Biden bloc - particularly younger voters of color - to offset the resultant loss of Arab/Muslim voters in Michigan.  But it also tracks with her general rightward messaging tack from Biden on areas like security and defense.

I remember subjective reality complaining how irritated it was by him.

QUOTE:

Limbaugh was not the beginning of subjective reality, but he certainly exasperated it.

-------------------------------------

Spell-checker failed me!

Exacerbate vs. Exasperate

Exacerbate is frequently confused with exasperate, and with good reason. Not only do these words resemble one another in spelling and pronunciation, they also at one time held exceedingly similar meanings. Exasperate is today most commonly used as a synonym of annoy, but for several hundred years it also had the meanings “to make more grievous” and “to make harsh or harsher.” Exacerbate is now the more common choice of these two words when one seeks to indicate that something is becoming increasingly bitter, violent, or unpleasant. It comes in part from the Latin word acer, meaning “sharp,” whereas exasperate is from asper, the Latin word for “rough.”

As you noted, there aren't a ton of options there... she's trying to thread the needle.  If she became more critical of Netanyahu and/or started floating the idea of pressuring him to negotiate via cutting off weapon supplies, she'd be branded weak and anti-Semitic and run the very real risk of pushing pro-Yahu voters toward Trump.  I imagine she's hoping that enough of the "uncommitted" voters in swing states will be pragmatic and realize that she is the best option they have for a cease fire, and that she can't do anything if she doesn't get elected first.  Obviously that strategy is a risk, because a significant amount of people are determined NOT to vote pragmatically and will determinedly cut off their own nose to spite their face.  But of the two options available to her, it seems the more sensible choice.     

What I will have a problem with is Israel ends up in a full on war and the U.S. ends up getting involved militarily. We do not need to put out soldiers at risk over a situation that is entirely Israel's own fault. 

But always remember: Hamas is not the Palestinians, and Bibi’s coalition du jour is not the Israelis.

Yes, Hamas is ass, but so is Netanyahu, is a bull-headed crook. And if Israel gets into a full on war because of his stubborness, then that's their problem.

+++++++++++++++++++++

Yes. Which is why I said nothing about him being elected. Its the hardliners, period, who are part of the problem. And Netanyahu falls into that group. 

And Jason, the problem with politics in general is that too many politicians do what benefits them politically instead of what is actually good for everyone. Includng their own constituents. Yet they keep getting elected over and over again.