Glenn BECK: REASONABLE QUESTIONS for AN UNREASONABLE TIME

www.glennbeck.com ^ | Monday, August 24, 2009 | Glenn Beck

[Yosemitest]

Reasonable questions for unreasonable times
Monday, August 24, 2009 - 18:05 ET

Am I hateful if I ask:



- Our unfunded liability for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is close to $100 trillion.
Is there any way to pay for these programs without bankrupting America?

- We are in so much debt,
why spend more borrowed money on cap-and-trade and healthcare programs
before we stop the flow of red-ink?

- The stimulus package funneled billions of dollars to ACORN.
How does giving billions of dollars to ACORN
stimulate the economy?

- If it was so important for congress to pass the stimulus bill
before they even had time to read it
why has only a fraction of the stimulus money been spent 6 months later?

- Bush said
he had to abandon free market principles in order to save them,
how exactly does that work?

- Why won’t member of Congress read the bills
before they vote on them?

- Why are citizens mocked and laughed at
when they ask their congressman
to read the bills before they vote on them?

- Was the cash-for-clunkers program meant to save the earth or the economy?
Did it accomplish either?

- How did Van Jones, a self-proclaimed communist
become a special advisor to the president?

- Did President Obama know of Van Jones’ radical political beliefs
when he named him special advisor?

- The Apollo Alliance claimed credit for writing the stimulus bill—
why was this group allowed to write any portion of this bill?

- If politicians aren’t writing the bills
and aren’t reading the bills,
do they have any idea what these 1000 page plus bills actually impose on the American people?

- If the ‘public option’ health care plan is so good
why won’t politicians agree to have that as their plan?

- If town hall meetings are intended for the politicians to learn what’s on our mind—
why do they spend so much time talking
instead of listening?

- Politicians are refusing to attend town hall meetings
complaining, without evidence, that they are scripted.
Does that mean
we shouldn’t come out and vote for you since
every campaign stop, baby kiss and speech you give
is scripted?

- Why would you want to overwhelm the system?

- Is using the economic crises to rush legislation through congress
what Rahm Emanuel meant
when he talked about not letting a crises go to waste?

- What are the czars paid?
What is the budget for their staffs/offices?

[JasonC]

"that wealth increased because we invested some of our disposable income into it."

Not remotely. In increased because asset increase in real value. Yes men add savings to their asset holdings, no that does not remotely account for the growth in asset values. The book value paid for something and its market value now are not the same. Men paid for stock in the 1940s that their family still owns today. Men paid for houses in the 1970s that their family still owns today. Men invested in their small businesses and professional practices in the 1980s and 1990s, that are still profitable going concerns today.

Assets increase in value, Americans own great gobs of them, so Americans are rich and go right on getting richer. Grok already!

[Star Traveler]

Hi Marbren, you were saying...

Star Traveler I do not think you or I have discussed economics. I am not an expert. I would appreciate reading a discussion of JasonC's position with your wisdom involved. Do not get bogged down in economic theory.

You're right, we haven't discussed economics, basically because I hardly ever get into that area. I mean, I might talk about balancing a checkbook or that it's a good idea to have a good job if you want to make a good living, but aside from that... not much... LOL...

And then you were saying...

I am more interested if JasonC's world view is in line with our standard, God's Word. To me the issue is where do we put our faith.

Well, the best place to start with that one is with JasonC... :-)

I mean..., if anyone knows what I think about the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, about Israel, about Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, about Biblical prophecy -- it's only because I've posted on it so much.

And, of course, I think there are absolutes in those things..., but others don't think so, as we can so well see on Free Republic, many times in many threads. So, it wouldn't be unusual to find someone disagreeing with what the Bible says on these things -- or -- even disagreeing that the Bible should even be considered as authoritative on these things (not saying that's my position, but that others say that the Bible is not authoritative on these things...).

So perhaps you can engage JasonC on the Bible being authoritative (or not) or inerrant/infallible in all that it says and/or teaches about.

[tacticalogic]

I’m looking at this through the lens of my own experience. I started out almost 40 years ago with little more than the clothes on my back. If you had doubled the cost to provide health care for myself and my family for that 40 years I am quite certain it would have substantially impacted the amount of wealth I have been able to accumulate in that time.

[marbren]

Well, JasonC, I appreciate reading your optimistic insights to the current economic condition we are in. You are very intelligent and have a tremendous grasp of economic theory. You are also very truly a conservative. I applaud your stance on Israel and your attitude of gratitude. Also, your communication skills are very high.

One thing you lack, so far, from my perspective, is true wisdom. You could change my opinion in this by showing how your theory lines up with Scripture. This is my standard that I try to use, usually feebly, to see if something is true.

It is kind of funny that Quix, a person you were sparring with earlier in this thread and is also intelligent, presents a world view that does in fact line up with Scripture in many ways.

What you are presenting is “hope and change” according to JasonC. What I am interested in is real hope found only in God’s word.

You have however given me some new information that I did not have especially about the role of manufacturing in our economy, the possible impact of China on our economy and took away my idea of investing in gold. For this I am grateful.

[Quix]

EXCELLENT POINTS, imho.

Thanks.

[marbren]

Glenn Beck’s acronym for the week is “OLIGARCHY”

[Quix]

I like this paragraph a lot:

The test is in all cases the same. Are men willing to give up values to receive the good or service, greater than the cost to the provider of providing that good or service? If they are, willingly, then they value the output more than they did the inputs. Rearranging the inputs that way pleased more people or pleased them more. The whole art of economy consists in moving any resource to the place where it can do the most good, and every shift that adds value is based on such a reallocation of real resources, a rearrangement of existing goods, and of use of worker’s time.

[Quix]

Hmmmm . . . so what does he have for each of the letters?

[marbren]

I forget but it is probably on his web site. I am not necessarily 100% on the same page with Glenn. He seems to project a false hope based on the American Dream and our wonderful constitution. At this point in time I feel both are in jeopardy.

[Quix]

TOOOOOOOOO TRUE, FOR SURE.