About a week ago it was posted on Media Matters and then on DU (made the Top 10 Conservative Idiots List) about Rush's "Adopt-A-Soldier-Program" For $50 (less if you buy in bulk) you can pay for a Soldier serving overseas a free subscription to Rush's 24/7 program (I guess it's a program where you get some news letters and can access Rush's radio show anytime day or night).
I know my question was this: What's happening with the money being received for this program. I respect that website space costs money and I know there are those people out there that appreciate paying for top website access, we do the same thing here at DU and our star gives us some additional access not avaiable with non-donors. But I'm also thinking that if there are soldiers who want this access (and Rush is such a big supporter) then why not just give them free access. I'm sure that Skinner and the admins here would have no problem giving out a free donor star if someone serving in Iraq asked for one.
So it seems Rush responded to us "Kooks" about the fact that Rush isn't profiting from this program. But here's a question - where is the money going? Read the article (and about Rush's golf vacation in Mexico) if you can stomach it!
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/rush_24_7_adopt_a_soldier/112105.guest.htmlRush 24/7 Adopt-A-Soldier Program Rolls Out Amid Absurd Charges of Profiteering from KooksRUSH: This is the 21st of November and I've got to do a little housecleaning here. I need to remind everybody that today is the day that we start matching donors in the Adopt-A-Soldier Program with military personnel around the world. We've been collecting information from you, the donors, and from military personnel and their families all of last week, and we've been doing a number of other things to create the database of qualified military personnel in order to be matched up with donors, and today we start that match-up process. So today, the complimentary subscriptions to the members of the US Armed Forces will start going out --- and if you are a member of the US military, if you are a family member of a soldier, a sailor, a Marine or airman anywhere around the world who would like to have a complementary one-year subscription to not only the Rush website but the Limbaugh Letter, just simply go to RushLimbaugh.com and everything -- it tells you what to do -- is right there on the home page. So if you are in the US military and you have an FPO address, and we can verify that you are -- and that's part of what you'll help us do when you log on and fill out the necessary information -- you will then be matched up with a donor who has already contributed to the cause, so to speak. (Lynne note: Ok first criticism - Complimentary? No the services were donated by members who forked Rush over $50 and then Rush matched a donor to a soldier. Ok, let's get back to Rush's article and the real doozy!!
So the bottom line is this, and I just want to get this out of the way once and for all. I am matching every donation that comes in for a complimentary subscription to the Adopt-A-Soldier Program. However many there are, however many we match up, however many members of the military get matched with donors, I am matching that myself. So there is no way I will personally profit from this. There was no intent to personally profit from this by any stretch of the imaginationOk unless Rush isn't profiting a single cent off of his 24/7 program that that's just full of total shit. I think we all learned about profit margins back in ninth grade. A product costs so much to make and then the manufacturing adds a profit margin so they can make a profit. If it costs $50/year for each subscription that Rush has on his website then maybe Mr. Limbaugh ought to look for a new web host because he's getting ripped off.
Let's do some math:
10 people pay for 10 services at $50 each bringing in $500
Rush Limbaugh matches for 10 more services at $500
Where does that $1000 go: Into the Rushlimbaugh website. Lop off the cost of maintaining the website everything else is just PROFIT!!! He can probably easily match or even double the number of subscriptions he "matches" since the costs is worked into that original $50 he's charging those who are subscribing.
And as I've posted awhile back this isn't going to buy soldiers things they really need like body armor or supplies in Iraq. This is going to help pay for Rush Limbaugh's website and allow a few soldiers who would like free website access.
As I've said before. If you really want to do a good thing Rush - just give the soldiers a service. Use all the money (and match yours) and donate it to one of the many great charities that help provide much needed items for our soldiers in Iraq. You're simply shuffling money around to make it seem like you're donating something that in all reality didn't cost you anything to give in the first place. I'm not saying that your service isn't worth $50 a year (well in my book it isn't but I'm not a Rush fan) but that the service doesn't COST $50 a year (which btw, is the same cost for buying your own personal service). Do the right thing Rush - pick a charity (outside of your personal defense fund) and donate all the money raised to that cause.