Inside the [yellow] belly of the beast

Larry Thornberry writes [Listed For Life] about trying, unsuccessfully, to get off Republican mailing lists.  They ask "Have you given up?  Our records show we have no yet received your [fill in the year] Republican National Committee membership contribution." ''When I receive these letters I write, "Yes, I gave up on a directionless, unprincipled, testosterone-free Republican Party years ago -- Please take my name off your mailing list" across the top of the letter and return it to the RNC in the thoughtfully-provided postage-paid envelope.'' What's the mystery.  Some of you may remember watching on C-Span Rush Limbaugh's address to the Republican congressional freshman in 1994 - the year 40 years of Democrat Party rule ended.  In a nutshell he offered this advice. '' But in all candor, folks, it’s a thing that I think is crucial, because a lot of people are looking for -- in the people that voted for you -- are looking for action. Everybody is euphoric, but if you stay, rock-ribbed devoted in almost a militant way to your principles, you'll continue to be sent back here until your term-limited out. And they'll love you for as long as you’re here. But if you start trying to [win approval from the media, you'll betray that trust]. '' Guess what?  Here's the telling part in Larry's article. But wait, there was one significant change I noticed in this most recent letter. For the first time the word "conservative" doesn't appear anywhere in the letter. Could this possibly be just an accident? Truth in advertising.