Rush Limbaugh Buys Jeweler A Car
On October 28, Belinda Davis, co-owner, DD & Angels’ Gems Shop, Kerrville, Texas, phoned The Rush Limbaugh Show radio program to talk about a potential Obama presidency. Davis told Limbaugh that she was concerned about how Obama might tax small business owners. She was also disheartened by celebrities donating millions of dollars to the Obama campaign when so many ordinary Americans were losing their homes to foreclosure and could have used that financial assistance.
Sympathetic Limbaugh claims that Davis just “sounded so tired, distraught, and frightened about her husband’s business future with an Obama victory that, aw, heck, I just thought I’d buy her a car,” he told the press. One condition: buy a General Motors vehicle. The Davis’ selected a 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe worth nearly $60,000.
Controversial radio host Rush Limbaugh is a friend to jewelers, or, at least one with a business in Kerrville, Texas.
See a Fox News television interview with Belinda Davis here.
Wow! A 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe now belongs to Belinda and David Davis, courtesy of Rush Limbaugh.
JCK spoke with Belinda’s husband, David Davis, today about his wife’s now-famous phone call.
“[Belinda] told me that she was going to call in, and I encouraged her,” explained David. “For a long time I thought that she should express herself more, and I guess I was right since it worked out so well.
David had been a lapidary hobbyist for 37 years before he opened their shop 10 years ago. Davis cuts unusual cabochon stones—Fire agate, rhodochrosite, opal, turquoise, and more—for local jewelers to use in designs. The Davis’ also set some of their stones into sterling mountings and sell as finished pieces of jewelry.
David Davis, co-owner, DD & Angels’ Gems Shop, Kerrville, Texas, cuts Fire agate cabochons similar to these for resale in his shop.
In the past year, the Davis’ have seen business drop off quite a bit, which hindered their ability to maintain upkeep on their seven- and 14-year-old vehicles. The advent of Limbaugh’s gift, a dependable vehicle, offers hope to the Davis’ who look forward to attending more gem and mineral shows. “We’re planning on doing the [Fredericksburg Rockhounds Gem and Mineral Club Annual Show, January 17 – 18] in Fredericksburg, Texas,” says David.
As for the next four years, the Davis’ are hopeful, and indeed have gotten off to a promising start with the new vehicle. “The business people in this country run the economy, and income is based on everyone flourishing,” says David. “I guess time will tell how much growth we’ll see.”
Belinda Davis, co-owner, DD & Angels’ Gems Shop, Kerrville, Texas, in her new 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe that Rush Limbaugh purchased for her and her husband after a phone call she made to Limbaugh’s radio show.
To try to get Limbaugh to buy you a car, phone in to the show between 12 noon and 3pm Eastern Time at (800) 282-2882. Or if readers know of any other friends of our industry (anyone have an Oprah connection?), please pass on the names and your very own good news.
Sunshine commented:
Carrie - my thoughts exactly! They can't maintian the upkeep of
their older cars, but they can pay the crazy gas prices &
maintain fees on that monster of a vehicle. It's so darn big! John
- I think there would still be 'taxes' on a gift, especially at
that price! It's quite a sad story actually. Not sad for the DD's
plight, sad for the world to see American's whine like that.
Carrie commented:
The irony here is PRICELESS! Rich celebrities making political
donations that could instead help less fortunate people = Boooo!
BUT: Rich celebrities donating an (outrageously) expensive car
costing enough to have instead purchased reliable (not to mention
fuel-efficient) small cars for at least four families in need =
Yay!
John commented:
It was a gift...not "winnings". All they had to do was pick it out,
pick it up and drive it home.
Hedda commented:
He paid car sales tax, or he's going to pay the couple's extra
income tax? "Tax and tags" usually means sales tax on the car, not
income tax on winnings.
Hedda Schupak commented:
I'd bet 35-50%--I'm not an IRS expert, but I think taxes on
winnings of this sort have always been pretty high, regardless of
who's in power. But I have to wonder if Limbaugh would have given a
nice shiny new car to a Democrat who was struggling in small
business? I don't think the current economy has specifically
targeted Republican small-business owners or that only Republicans
have been foreclosed on their homes. I think everyone is affected
by it, regardless of party, and as we well know, people vote their
wallets. As for her complaint about celebrities donating to Obama's
campaign, they are people too and allowed to donate to whichever
candidate mirrors their beliefs, just as any of us can. They may be
more financially well-off, and able to give more money, but she as
a citizen has the right to donate to whichever candidate she wants
to and also has the right to object to the celebrity donations by
not watching that celebrity's movies or listening to that
celebrity's music, or whatever. That's the beauty of
America--freedom of expression and freedom of speech, even when you
don't agree with what's being said.
Jennifer Heebner commented:
Apparently, Rush paid for taxes and tags, too.
Heart commented:
Anyone know how much tax you'd pay on a $60,000 car?
