Posted on 09/21/2009 4:22:12 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
Unlike others associated with Time magazine, David von Drehle is a skilled, careful, and perceptive writer. So I was interested in his cover story on FOX Newss Glenn Beck, who is considered to be a red-hot commodity these days.
I dont pretend to be an expert on Beck. In the past I assumed he was a typical figure in the pundit and cable-media world. Only recently have I watched portions of his television program, as well as interviews with him, and heard parts of his radio program. And what Ive seen should worry the conservative movement.
I say that because he seems to be more of a populist and libertarian than a conservative, more of a Perotista than a Reaganite. His interest in conspiracy theories is disquieting, as is his admiration for Ron Paul and his charges of American imperialism. (He is now talking about pulling troops out of Afghanistan, South Korea, Germany, and elsewhere.) Some of Becks statementsfor example, that President Obama has a deep-seated hatred for white peopleare quite unfair and not good for the country. His argument that there is very little difference between the two parties is silly, and his contempt for parties in general is anti-Burkean (Burke himself was a great champion of political parties). And then there is his sometimes bizarre behavior, from tearing up to screaming at his callers. Beck seems to be a roiling mix of fear, resentment, and angerthe antithesis of Ronald Reagan.
I understand that a political movement is a mansion with many rooms; the people who occupy them are involved in intellectual and policy work, in politics, and in polemics. Different people take on different roles. And certainly some of the things Beck has done on his program are fine and appropriate. But the role Glenn Beck is playing is harmful in its totality. My hunch is that he is a comet blazing across the media sky right nowand will soon flame out. Whether he does or not, he isnt the face or disposition that should represent modern-day conservatism. At a time when we should aim for intellectual depth, for tough-minded and reasoned arguments, for good cheer and calm purpose, rather than erratic behavior, he is not the kind of figure conservatives should embrace or cheer on.
“The only way Obama will lose is if a Republican wins.”
An election, yes. But not the battle for public opinion. And that’s what Beck is after.
If it was up to the Republicans alone, who knows, they might have signed off on Obamacare with a few meaningless concessions, like a nod to counteracting “defensive medicine” and empty promises about patient-doctor autonomy. As it is, with poll numbers and conservative Democrats against it, Obamacare is in real trouble, and real compromises will be made. Conservative pundits, not Republican leaders, are partly to thank for that.
I didn’t know libertarianism and conservatism were mutually exclusive. I think they have a broad overlap.
Ronald Reagan
“If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. I think conservatism is really a misnomer just as liberalism is a misnomer for the liberals if we were back in the days of the Revolution, so-called conservatives today would be the Liberals and the liberals would be the Tories. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is.”
Ronald Reagan
This is why I like Beck and Savage better than I like Limbaugh and Hannity. The latter 2 tend to be shameless apologist for the Republicans. Limbaugh and Hannity do point out enough criticisms of Republicans not to be thought of as Republican lap dogs, but certainly Beck and Savage are far more open and honest about the problems with the Republicans.
Said he, just before he went on to post another 50 lines of text.
Hey, if you wanna make some statement of intent claiming "Well, I think Ive said as much as Im going to", at least make some effort to follow through on what you just said will ya, instead of break your word in the very next 20 sentences after that.
“If I want to waste my time arguing with an idiot, there are plenty of idiots who are a lot closer to me.”
Yeah
The idiot closest to you being yourself of course.
Can't get any closer than that can you?
“If you want to go on deluding yourself that Bush was somehow just as bad as Obama, I cant stop you.”
Again, no one has ever said Bush deficits were bigger than 0bama's in this thread, apart from you.
You keep creating your own bogyman then attacking the bogeyman you created.
This is about what caused the Republican Party to lose to the Democrats in the past 2 elections. Glen Beck had nothing to do with it.
John McCain, George Bush, and the Republican Party itself, had everything to do with the Democrats winning.
this one I agree with...yes the GOP often sucks and ignores it's base but the Democrats are now Simply Red.
nice post for a bluebelly X.
while I don’t completely agree I do find your allegories remarkably astute
Nicely put, but I thing that last sentence sould read:
The Crist/Pawlenty/Giuliani/Bloomberg/McCain globalists have done enough, thanks.
Not necessarily so: reference Abraham Lincoln.
Exactly right, but some conservatives are looking for that 'perfect conservative candidate,' and if they can't find that person, they don't care if Obama wins again.
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