May 31, 2005
Lars Larson, Compassionate Conservative
His Latest Mass-Emailed 'Joke'
As we've mentioned here before, local radio host Lars Larson on occasion likes to take emails sent out to the media by organizations such as the Portland Police Bureau and respond en masse to everyone with his little observtions.
Today's case in point was his retort to a Police Bureau missive about four apparent overdose deaths related to the intravenous use of heroin, which in part ends with the Bureau saying that it "does not condone the use of controlled substances".
Larson's response?
"If you actively encouraged it," he mass emailed back to a full 68 people, "it would turn into a self correcting problem."
And that, dear readers, is the voice of Oregon's self-described compassionate conservatives.
Comments (16)
carla on 31 May 2005
What a sick son of a bitch.
JVK on 31 May 2005
I remember listening to his show a couple years ago and he was in the midst of a debate he couldn't handle with an environmental scientist. They were discussing the "myth" of global warming, as Lars was sounding off about how there was no substantial proof that global warming was real.
And then he says that even if global warming were real, shouldn't we like it if the weather were just a little warmer here in Oregon?
I swear I'm not making this up.
rthoward on 31 May 2005
b!x, I use to think this was fair and unbiased blog. A Purple blog.
Are you sure you got Lars' quote right.
Is Lars the person Carla says he is?
Carlara's demise.something is gas. Can you Imagin being in the sack and under covers with Carala? Thats somthing NASA might want for fuel.
Does Randy really have tenderloins for barbeque? Be careful of what you put into your mouth...it could be deism.
The One True b!X on 31 May 2005
How anyone could think this blog is unbiased is beyond me.
As for the accuracy, the email is sitting in my inbox, having come from the same Lars Larson email address from which he sends all such brief cracks. It is indisputably what he said.
FYI, the URL you used with your comment appears to make it dangerously close to comment spam, because it certainly doesn't appear to be yours, but rather some idiotic "search" engine.
justin on 01 Jun 2005
I bet a majority of Lars Larson's listeners agree with his comment.
JVK on 01 Jun 2005
Too bad for the Republicans they have no credible leadership in this state. That's the real reason they don't do well in Oregon.
MM on 01 Jun 2005
Speaking as a Republican - and a REAL Repblican, not one of those who have sold out to the far right, I cannot conceive of considering Lars Larson, or any of his loudmouth talk show ilk as anything remotely close to "credible leadership". He's a talk show host - trust me, he does NOT speak for Oregon Republicans, although a vocal subset may agree with him. I mean, is Jeaneane(sp) Garofalo considered a credible Democratic leader? Talk radio is even more reactionary then the comment sections of blogs like this. Blowing up over throwaway comments that get Lars free press just furthers his political goal - which is ratings and buzz.
JVK on 01 Jun 2005
I can appreciate that, and for my own part, it's comforting to see a Republican post that. I don't mean to sound completely ignorant, but everytime I hear podlings like Savage and Larson talk about building a wall around the country and pointing nukes at everyone, I really wonder if all the other righties are out there bobbing their heads. So thank you for that.
But my indictment still stands. Mannix is an ass. He's also out of touch with most urban voters. Lars may be a fanatic, but his lines are merely Oregon Republican rhetoric writ large, and I'm convinced that Mannix is bobbing his head everytime he turns the dial to 750.
If the Oregon Republican party is smart, they'll see Saxton beat Mannix in the primaries and put up a bloody, gory fight with Ted in 2006. I'm on the left and even I would probably sooner vote for Saxton before Ted, provided he drops the whole "just trust me, I'm right" line.
So I backpedal a bit...there is one Republican that I like, and I'm not the only one on the left that does. Hope it isn't threadjacking to say so.
Penny on 01 Jun 2005
::: shudder ::: What a loathsome remark.
teresa dulce on 01 Jun 2005
Hello b!x,
Could you re-print or link what the police said about the heroin related overdoses? Am interested in the original message, although I'm not suprised at Lars attitude. For the last few years we've been working on our overdose prevention messages in public health. Four down is a lot...
The One True b!X on 01 Jun 2005
It was in today's Oregonian. The reason the Bureau spoke up apparently was because they suspected a shipment of harder stuff, or poisined stuff, might be in the area. Hence the tag about them not condoning its usage -- it was them saying people shouldnt use it at all, but it was more important right now for people to be especially careful.
JVK on 02 Jun 2005
Yea, right after I posted that I read about his solution for PERS. Never mind. Forget I said it.
TimNE on 02 Jun 2005
>I cannot conceive of considering Lars Larson, or any of his loudmouth talk show ilk as anything remotely close to "credible leadership".
Loud mouth Republicans win elections. Our neighbors to the south elected Arnold. Bush isn't exactly a shining light of leadership, unless you consider "my way or the highway" to be leadership.
While I sympathize with the moderate Republican's plight, the fact of the matter is that Repbulicans that ARE elected tend to be in a race to the bottom, at least when their public (i.e. political) image is concerned. Will we ever have a Republican leader with the image of intelligence again or did Regan kill that one for good? Look at how someone with an intelligent public persona like John McCain is marginalized by the GOP.
The MO is to pander to conservative values, appear to stick by your guns no matter what, and maybe throw in a few movie quotes and girlie man insults. Oh and never ever under any circumstances admit that you are wrong about anything every period. Particularly if you are/were actualy wrong. And the convservative masses apparently will vote for you. I think Lars could win in Oregon.
tomhiggins on 02 Jun 2005
Right wing talk show host have are are being used by the Republicans, bot in part and sometimes as a body, as both Mouthpieces and Whips of the party's message.
The early 90's use of Rush Limbaugh is the text book example if this. The party itself and the leaders thereof embraced Rush on and off the air going so far as to make him an honarary party leader.
Since then the path to lowcost Mouthpice and Whip tools across the American broadcast spectrum was made clear. Fox New has taken it to the next level and a sea of local talk show hosts are the logical distributed follow up.
The Lefty talk show hosts are fairly new in comparrison to the Rights decades long effort and there not many Leftys who seriously consider themselves on the level of a Ditto Head when it comes to chanting the words of your fave media mouthpiece/whip.
Lets face it, the sheeple machine may cut both ways but the Right and thus the Repubs have done a much better job at penertration into the society's gestalt.
Proof..heck look at the last couple years of elections.
Exceptions..like OR(at times and on some issues)..sure but they do not disprove the above they simply show where more work is needed by the flaks and wonks.
Dont like it....open your wndow, open it up wide, and yell Im As Mad As Hell And Im Not Going To Take It Anymore.....then wait for the reeducation police to show up:)-
-tomhiggins
Penny on 02 Jun 2005
Hey, JVK? I was talking about Lars' remark, not what you said. Sorry I wasn't more clear.
george on 06 Jun 2005
compassionate conservatives seem to follow each other like sheep, here is a perfect expample of their compassion. Follow the link, lars likes this site so much it makes me sick and this is considered mainstream from their point of view