Welcome to Congress in the echo-chamber age, where outside influencers have an increasing sway on how Members shape their agenda.
At a time when Rush Limbaugh reaches as many people as vote in Florida and California combined, and when Jon Stewart can draw several hundred thousand people to the nation’s capital, these outsized personalities based far outside the Beltway have become as much a part of Washington’s political ecosystem as the lawmakers themselves.
This phenomenon was most prominent during the long health care debate but has been seen again vividly in the weeks following the Tucson, Ariz., shootings, during the Republican transfer of power and as President Barack Obama prepares his budget.
With Members taking cues from the echo chamber as well as their party leadership, it’s changed the way business gets done. Limbaugh and Fox News hosts Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity can mobilize more voters than any press release or floor speech, so Members find themselves needing to be responsive or face their wrath.
A Republican strategist and former top Republican National Committee aide told Roll Call that Members have one of two reactions when constituents start a message with “I just heard on Rush today …” — “joy and panic.”
Limbaugh has more than 20 million listeners, and most Members couldn’t dream of their message being so widely spread back home, the GOP strategist said.
Read More: By Christina Bellantoni, Roll Call
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'Bout time they start listening.
When talk radio listeners call in then the public is really heard. Try calling your congressman or senator and see what you get, an ear or an abuse. I'm sick of the abuse.
A_pen; I know exactly what you are saying. I have been trying to send my Iowa Senator, republican in name only "RINO", Chuck Grassley for over 6 months now. No matter what rout I persue I can't even get onto his web page to do so. Ignoring his constituents??? Seems like it to me!!!! ABUSE ABSOLUTE!!!
Wait a minut, folks. John Stewart never got "hundreds of thousands" of people to rally in the capitol; that was Glenn Beck!! And his numbers were lied about and buried by the media. Stewart's rally garnered only a few tens of thousands, and the photos from the air prove it!
I think they were counting the pieces of trash left behind at Stewart's rally.
Do you remember what all them SEIU memebers did to the war memorial (or was it Veteran's
memorial)?
KEEP ON DOING YOUR THING-RUSH. DON'T LET "BOZO-ILLEGAL ALIEN" OR HIS CRACK POTS SHUT YOU UP. IF ANYONE NEEDS SHUT UP IT IS "BOZO -ILLEGAL ALIEN" AND GEORGE SOROS.
I have a copy of bozo's real birth certificate from Kenya and it has his baby footprint on it.
It's time our politicians listen to us and if it wasn't for talk shows the public would never know what's in a bill.These hucksters would sneak it through and claim it's for the good of the American public.Obuma is a socialist who wants the government to run our lives.America wake up and look at the freedoms you have lost already and they do it in the name of it's good for you and your to stupid to run your own lives.
When Your Dealing With Harry Reid Type Congress Who Rates With The Three Stooges, Yikeess, Rush Limbaugh Who Looks Like A Expert In Politics, The Tea Party Has Picked Rush Bo Over Dumbo And As The Tea Party Goes So Does The USA. God Bless America.
I just watched a video with Bill Graham's son giving a speech at a nuiversity, he commented on that native guy giving the opening speech about spirits while he was waving an eagle feather. Graham questioned why the event was filled with cheers and clapping and laughter, and that the event basically left out most reference's to God or Jesus, even though a few read scriptures? It was NOT a somber event… more like a pep rally. But once again, outside influences have an impact on society, just like Obammy boy has influence on Americans. We all need to ban together and organize our own uprising to throw Obammy boy and his crew of crooked czars out of the United States.
Guess what? Yes folks the same thing that is happening in Egypt is coming to a town near you! We the people have had enough of Obammy boy and his crew and it's time we get our balls in order and begin to organize our own UPRISING to throw obammy abd his crew out of America before he let's the islamic and muslim terrorists take over our country.
Truth Hurts, Yikeess, And Obama Rope-A-Dope Will Not Fly And Patriotic Americans Have Had Over Two Years Of Listening To The Liar Deluxe Dumbobama Rope-A-Dope!! So Now We Compare Mr Rush-Bo And Sarah Palin Without Any Spin, Yippee, To The Most Corrupt White House Please Read "The Manchurian President" And Pray From The Bible Psalm 109:8 "Let His Days Be Few And Let Another Take His Office"!! God Bless America.