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RUSH: Who is next? This is Phil in Las Vegas. Great to have you on the EIB Network, sir. Hello.

CALLER: Hello, Rush, been an and if of yours for 20 years. My wife turned me onto you years ago when we got started in our business here in Las Vegas and I have been listening ever since.

RUSH: Thank you very much, sir.

CALLER: Let me tell you, I have two concerns. I know you’ve talked about this and I’d love for you to refresh your memory. When the Republicans do kick butt this November, which I’m expecting them to do.

RUSH: Yes?

CALLER: Obviously, the opposition is going to say, ‘Okay, see, now, all the problems from then on are going to be Republican’s fault.’ So the two things that I have really been disappointed so far with the Republicans in their ability to articulate their points of view, is I’m not seeing anything in writing like Newt Gingrich had with the Contract with America in ’94. Two, how are they going to differentiate their position from Obama’s and the Democrat position leading into 2012. Because without that 2012 election happening, I don’t think the ’10 election is going to mean as much as it could. (click)

RUSH: I guess we lost him. His cell connection died.

CALLER: Can you hear me?

RUSH: Oh, I thought I had dropped you in mid-sentence.

CALLER: No, no, no. I’m sorry. What I was asking is: What is the Republican strategy after the ’10 election?

RUSH: Why are you asking me?

CALLER: Well, (snorts), what should it be? I know you talk about this and I have heard it before. But this is the frustrating thing that I have with the current craft of some Republicans, is I’m not seeing anything in writing or really articulated well a TV or radio about what the policies should be for the Republicans when they win in 2010, and how can they apply that to win in ’12. Because without a victory 2012, I don’t see that 2010 is going to be enough.

RUSH: Well, the two are not connected. You can’t say that whatever happens in 2010 is going have a role in whoever wins the White House in 2012. That is going to be up to whoever the Republican nominee is to win 2012. If the Republicans win the Congress or at least the House, maybe the Senate, win both, it’s not up to them to define what is going to happen 2012. That is going to be the presidential nominee who ever that is, and we don’t have any idea. I agree with you that the Republicans are not putting anything out there to distinguish themselves against the regime. They are simply relying on the fact that we aren’t Democrats. That seems to be what they are relying on. I don’t know how to say this any differently: I think the Republicans (there are exceptions but the vast majority) live in Washington and want to be part of the Washington culture.

They don’t want to be dismissed, criticized, disrespected or any of that. So they are not going to make a whole lot of waves. I don’t see an ideological movement right now coming out of the Republican Party. The ideological movement is in the tea party and that is happening at the grassroots area. Now, whether the Republicans need something in writing, that really doesn’t happen until you get a presidential nominee. But going into any presidential year, 2004, 2008, and the Democrats didn’t have anybody speaking for them until after they had a presidential nominee. They had the media speaking for them, the media was carrying their water, but they didn’t have a single identified leader. I understand your frustration that the Republicans are not taking the opportunity here to contrast themselves and it’s the greatest opportunity they will have ever have to contrast who they are with what Obama is.

I just think there is some lingering fear elected Republican politics levels to be critical of Obama because of what the media is going to say about them and fear that they are going to be called racist or worse or what have you. But I’ll tell you one thing. Where we are right now, Phil, just speaking between you and me (you know, don’t repeat this, don’t tell anybody), but if all the Republicans did after November is stand up and say, ‘Stop,’ I’d be happy. If all they would do is stand up and say, ‘Stop, Mr. President! No more,’ that would be a great beginning, as far as I’m concerned. Right now I’m not going to obsess about whether they are going to come up with an agenda, because they are never going to get an agenda passed, Phil, as long as he is president.

They are never going to be able to override his veto. What the Republicans are going to have to be instructed to do, what they are going to have to do, is come up with a stiff spine because after saying, ‘No,’ everybody is going to dump on them. Obama can’t wait for a Republican-led Congress. It’s easier to blame the Republicans for things going wrong than it is to blame your own party. Right now, it’s inescapable. The Democrats are in charge of everything going on here. That’s why they are running against Bush. So Obama is looking forward to having Republicans in Congress so he can say, ‘See? I wanted these great ideas to create jobs and reduce the deficit, but the Republicans are standing in the way and saying no,’ and that is when the Republicans are going to have to have the guts to say, ‘Damn right we are saying no! We are saying ‘no’ to the last two years. We are saying ‘no’ to any more of this.’ If they would just do that, Phil, I think we would all be happy. If we could just get unified on the Republican Party standing up and saying, ‘No! No more! Stop,’ that would be huge progress.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: I know it’s easier said than done. The Republicans are going to have to run as the ‘Party of ‘No,” and they are going to have to vote like the ‘Party of ‘Hell No!” I know what you are thinking. ‘Rush, if they do that, Democrats are just going to call them the ‘Party of ‘No” and we’re not going to get anywhere.’ At some point, we have to start saying no. At some point we have to say, ‘Stop!’ Isn’t that what we are all doing? ‘Stop it! Just stop! We want to turn back the hands of time now.’ People are saying, ‘We’re going to need more than just no, Rush. We’re going to have to have an agenda.’ What’s hard about an agenda given what we are seeing here? All you have to do is talk positively about the future of the country. Economics, we know what works: Tax cuts, cut the corporate tax rate, cut the personal income tax rate.

Do not have the health care plan tax increases go into play. Make the Bush tax cuts continue. Put money in the hands of the American people; stop putting it in the hand of government. It’s easy, very simple. Well, it’s simple for you and me. (interruption) Well, defund some of the programs. That’s not going to go anywhere. They are not going to defund anything. Maybe health care would be the way of going about that instead of repealing it off the bat. But it’s not going to be hard to show a contrast with socialism. What…? How much work does that take? How much thinking or strategy does that require? ‘We’re not socialists. We’re capitalists. We’re going to rebuild the job creation sector of America. We’re going to put you back to work. We’re doing to get all the obstacles in your way out of your way, including President Obama.’

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Another thing. The Republicans have to think about something. It’s three months before the election and there’s a cardinal rule. That is when the opponent is committing suicide and making an idiot of himself, just get out of the way and let him happen — and the Democrats are doing that. There is no reason the Republicans need to make themselves a target right now. That is going to happen soon enough. Let the action continue to focus on what the Democrats are doing, not what the Republicans may or may not say.

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