As I watch and admire the achievements of our 47th president, I am amazed at the sheer magnitude of achievement in just the first two weeks of his new administration. It is both remarkable and stunning in its width, depth, and breadth of endeavor. I am saddened, however, by the fact that the man who represented the possibilities of conservatism and demonstrated the evils of progressivism with a voice unmatched in media history did not survive to see Trump’s emerging second-term greatness. That man, of course, was Rush Limbaugh.

Limbaugh, who died four years ago this month from lung cancer at the age of seventy, is sorely missed. In his over thirty years behind the EIB (Excellence In Broadcasting) microphone, Rush advised, educated, and entertained his listeners with a daily dose of wisdom interspersed with charm and wit.

During the wilderness years of the Obama regime, the sound of his voice was often the only thing that kept us going. He said so many wise things: “The biggest crime in America is the illegal invasion of this country.” “Liberalism is a mental disease.” “We are in a cultural war that is more important than any war that has ever been fought.” “The idea of America is that the individual is sovereign.” “If liberals didn’t have double standards, they wouldn’t have any standards at all.”  These quotes are but the tip of an iceberg of proffered wisdom.

I was late to the Limbaugh party. My profession usually found me drilling on molars during the hours that he was on each day. I would occasionally hear a quote and think that he made some good points, but I wasn’t a regular listener until I semi-retired in 2010. Then that 12-3 time slot became a must-listen. Rush could sum things up and make sense of an issue unlike anyone else, even trusted outlets like Fox News. I knew that if I were ever restricted to one source of news, it would be the Rush Limbaugh program.

When his comments about “my formerly nicotine-stained fingers” became a portentous omen of his end of days, we hoped and prayed for a miracle. Our 45th President, who bore an uncanny resemblance to our 47th, awarded Rush the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His listeners were thrilled, but we recognized the shortness of his remaining time. He fought to the end, stating, “I refuse to not be optimistic about what is possible.” But the end did come on February 17, 2021, and Rush was gone from us at the age of seventy. I believe, however, that he would have reminded us that even though he was gone from our lives, “The American dream is still alive if you believe in it.”

Thanks to you, Rush, we do believe in it. Rest in peace, and enjoy the view of these splendid events that you helped create.

Bill Hansmann is a dentist and dental educator with over fifty years in the profession. He continues to teach and write political blogs and semi-mediocre novels while living with his wife and cats in Georgia.

Image: Gage Skidmore