The 8th Man that Damaged the US Through Massive Propaganda Radio
He is Rush Limbaugh, the U.S. conservative radio host who died at 70 years old back in 2021 from lung cancer. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom by president Trump. This award is bestowed to “individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors,” according to the White House.
He was a prominent American conservative radio personality, author, and political commentator backed by the Heritage Foundation. Heritage gave Limbaugh access to their research and talking points, and he often cited Heritage policy work on-air. He was influential in shaping conservative thought in the U.S., especially via his syndicated show, "The Rush Limbaugh Show." Known for provocative, polarizing commentary, often making controversial remarks about politics, climate change, social issues, liberalism, feminism, etc.
Some notable quotes of his:
“Most of the reasons people think they can’t do something are reasons they’ve created. Everything you do is up to you.”
“Liberals measure compassion by how many people are given welfare. Conservatives measure compassion by how many people no longer need it.”
He often criticized feminism, liberalism, and progressive policies, with quotes like “Feminism was established to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream.”
So how did he damage the US? Well he was on the air with his radio show for 3 decades. Rush Limbaugh helped deepen political polarization, normalize hostile and often misleading rhetoric, and shift conservative media and the GOP toward outrage-driven, less fact-based messaging with measurable effects on voting and public attitudes.
How critics say he did damage America:
Normalized grievance- and outrage-driven politics — Limbaugh made combative, dismissive rhetoric the main currency of conservative talk radio, encouraging listeners to view politics as war rather than policy debate. This changed the tone of political discourse. Poynter+1
Spread misinformation and conspiracies — He amplified false or misleading narratives (e.g., birtherism, climate denial, repeated misleading characterizations of opponents), which eroded shared facts and public trust in institutions. Media critics point to his role in mainstreaming several conspiratorial claims. TIME+1
Increased polarization and electoral impact — Academic studies find counties with heavier exposure to Limbaugh’s show shifted more toward Republican/Trump voting and exhibited more polarized attitudes — suggesting his program had real political effects, not just talk. SSRN+1
Mainstreamed harsh attacks on groups and individuals — Repeated sexist, racist, and dehumanizing comments (well documented over decades) helped make those lines of attack more acceptable in mass conservative media, worsening social divisions and stigmatizing vulnerable communities. (See compilations of his controversial remarks and the backlash they generated.) Vanity Fair+1
Helped build a partisan media ecosystem that prizes persuasion over accuracy — Limbaugh’s success showed profitability in partisan, personality-driven media; that model multiplied (TV, talk radio, later online outlets), narrowing people’s news diets and increasing echo chambers. Journalists and media scholars trace today’s partisan media landscape back to this shift. Poynter+1
Undermined norms of civility & fair play in politics — His style rewarded scorched-earth attacks and “gotcha” framing; this lowered incentives for compromise and civil discourse among politicians who courted the same audiences or sought his endorsement. JSTOR+1
Concrete harms that followed:
Policy & governance effects: By shifting GOP messaging and priorities toward culture-war issues and distrust of institutions, critics say Limbaugh helped create a political environment less focused on governing and more on mobilizing anger — with knock-on effects on legislative gridlock. Brookings
Social trust: Repeated dismissal of scientific consensus and civic institutions contributes to declining trust (e.g., on public health, elections). TIME
Real-world political outcomes: Research links exposure to his show with voting shifts (greater Republican vote share), not just attitudes. SSRN+1
Important caveat, is that not everyone agrees, especially conservatives!
Supporters argue Limbaugh gave voice to many conservatives who felt ignored, helped organize a political movement, and energized civic engagement on the right. Some will say his show reflected existing sentiments rather than creating them. Scholarly work debates causality and magnitude — but multiple studies and wide commentary suggest his influence was large and often consequential.
Rush Limbaugh transformed political talk radio into a national force that
amplified misinformation and partisan grievance,
normalized toxic rhetoric
shifted political behavior and media markets in ways many scholars and journalists link to greater polarization and weakened civic norms.
Whether you view that as “damage” depends on your politics but the empirical work shows his impact was real and long-lasting. I find it shameful that he was awarded the medal of Freedom when all he did was tear this country apart by setting up librals to be hated by conservatives. This only weakens our country and helps the rich stay in power of others so that they do not draw hate to themselves through class division.
Why can’t thing change in America, its because we were taught to hate other people just like Rush Limbaugh promoted for 31 years!