Green Elephant Line Media Backgrounder

Environmental Stewardship Is Truly Conservative; Limbaugh Isn't

March 4, 2009

Rush Limbaugh and other "conservative" talk show hosts regularly indulge in inflammatory language to paint environmental stewardship as a "liberal" value. Too many Republican office-holders and candidates kowtow to these entertainers, further cementing the Republican Party's poor reputation on environmental issues that concern Americans across the political spectrum.

Limbaugh and others like him insist that conservatism can only be defined on their terms. The truth, however, is that they are not the conservatives that they pretend to be. Rarely are their opinions rooted in the ideas of traditional conservatism.

Instead, they peddle a radical ideology that subordinates virtually all values to profit, personal gratification, egotism, and self-indulgent materialism. Ironically, their hedonistic ideas bear a striking resemblance to the 1960s left-wing counterculture's "if-it-feels-good-do-it" attitude.

For example, Limbaugh has boasted about wasting energy by leaving lights on, air conditioning his garage, and driving around in gas guzzling vehicles. Whether he is actually that irresponsible or was indulging in hyperbole, his remarks in any event disparaged reasonable efforts to conserve energy.

Since when is waste a conservative virtue? It is not and never has been. Using energy more efficiently is fiscally responsible and is in the national security interest in the United States. Yet the pretend conservatives on talk radio regularly rail hysterically against even modest policies to improve motor vehicle fuel economy and diversify our energy resources.

The Real Conservatives
The radicalism preached on "conservative" talk radio bears little resemblance to the traditional ideas of the modern conservative movement's founding fathers: 18th century British statesman Edmund Burke, revered conservative thinker Russell Kirk, who was one of Ronald Reagan's favorite authors, and Southern agrarian Richard Weaver.

Burke, Kirk, and Weaver taught us that stewardship, including protection of our natural endowment, is a fundamental obligation. They warned against unrestrained consumption and allowing "powerful interests" to hold sway over society.

Burke likened society to an intergenerational contract, in which the present generation has no right to "commit waste" upon the inheritance of generations to follow. Weaver attacked the false idea that nature can be abused without dangerous consequences.

True conservatism recognizes man's fallibility, the limits of self-interest, and the inseparability of freedom and responsibility.

Unfortunately, the foundational values of traditional conservatism - prudence, humility, reverence, thrift, and stewardship - are nowhere to be found in the rhetoric of Limbaugh and the other great pretenders of "conservative" talk radio.

Our nation cannot afford to indulge their addled notions. Instead of pretend conservatives, our country needs real conservatives who are guided by an ethic of responsible stewardship, prudent forethought, and protecting the interests of unborn generations.