Investigation into right-wing extremists stopped by...

[Sionnach Glic]

...right-wing bitching.

In February, the Missouri Information Analysis Center, one of several "fusion" centers created after 9/11 to share intelligence among local, state and federal agencies, issued a "strategic report" warning about a resurgence of the "modern militia movement." Last week, on the same day that white supremacist James von Brunn allegedly killed a guard at Washington's Holocaust Memorial Museum, Missouri's police chief informed legislators that the fusion center had suspended production of such reports. Why? Outcry from conservative activists, who felt they were being tarred too. Similarly, in April, Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives badgered the Department of Homeland Security into backing away from a report about growing far-right extremism.

They may talk about it less in public now, but law-enforcment and intel officials tell NEWSWEEK they're quietly scrutinizing threats from the far right just as carefully as those from Islamic extremists. And the danger isn't entirely homegrown. According to published reports, von Brunn attended meetings of the American Friends of the British National Party, a now defunct group that raised funds for the U.K.'s largest far-right movement. The British National Party's leader, onetime Holocaust denier Nick Griffin, recently won election to the European Parliament and has regularly visited the U.S. to speak to extremist groups.

From here.

[Teaos]

Last week, on the same day that white supremacist James von Brunn allegedly killed a guard at Washington's Holocaust Memorial Museum...

Allegedly? He did it, he admited it, he's on camera. Nothing alleged about it...

In other news, Rush Limbaugh is allegedly a fat redneck ball of pugwash.

[Tyyr]

He has been for a long time. He's left the issues far behind for just spewing bile at the Democrats.

[Aaron]

I'd rather not slag my southern neighbours but what is it about America that encourages guys like Rush? In any other First World country he'd be laughed off the air but in the US people almost seem to worship him, is the average person that fucking stupid?

[Tyyr]

It's not hard to understand really.

People like to have things made black and white. Good vs. Bad. They like things to be made simple and easy to understand, sound bites if you will. They like to have their preconceptions reinforced and confirmed. They like to be right.

Now a days Rush panders to that. He demonizes the left. He's always done that but now he just settles for demonizing them because they're the left not because of anything they're currently doing. He makes them out to be the bad guys and the right the good guys. He boils things down to sound bites (again he didn't used to). When he pukes this all up it makes some people feel good because he's saying what they want to hear.

It's the same thing any demagogue anywhere does.

[Capt. Jethro]

Ratings, ratings, ratings. Both Rush and Hanity are just a bunch of blow hards who sound like a broken record. They give conservatives a bad name.

[Mikey]

Tyyr's right, of course. Rush exists not because he says anything of value (obviously) but because he provides comfort by telling people what they already believe - it's affirmation, because he's a celebrity^tm.

In other words, Rush listeners already believed the way they did - I doubt he's ever converted anyone to his POV.