RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.

RUSH LIMBAUGH

Be a man all you want, but if you’re non-conforming to my opinion, I don’t want to hear from you ever again.

KEVIN MCCARTHY, chairman of the ’08 Republican Platform Committee, citing the platform’s preamble

As the party of ideas, rather than a mere coalition of interests, we consider vigorous debate a strength, not a weakness.

RUSH LIMBAUGH

Yeah, right, like anyone’s going to believe that.

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For additional perspective: Andrew Sullivan and David Brooks.