Frank Talks with Paul Rahe about Despotism and President Obama's Friendship with Dictators

WJR radio 760 AM ^ | 4.28.09 | Paul Rahe, Frank Beckmann

[stayathomemom]

(April 28) - Frank Beckmann talks with Paul Rahe. He holds the Charles O. Lee and Louise K. Lee Chair in the Western Heritage at Hillsdale College and has authored four books, about despotism and President Obama's friendship with dictators. He is the author of Soft Despotism, Democracy's Drift: Montesquieu, Rousseau, Tocqueville, and the Modern Prospect

[stayathomemom]

This is an excellent 8-10 minute interview with Paul Rahe. I have never heard him before. He speaks of Tocqueville's impression of the fledgling US and its marvelous contrast to post-revolution France, how this all relates to the direction of the country under Obama, and what might be done to change the direction in which we are heading.

[SunkenCiv]

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Soft Despotism, Democracy's Drift: Montesquieu, Rousseau, Tocqueville, and the Modern Prospect by Paul Anthony Rahe

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[p. henry]

Obama likes dictators, or at least does not understand their evil, because he himself is a tyrant. Compelling banks to lend to favored companies (i.e. the car companies), forcing the resignation of a CEO not to his liking, ignoring the rules of the Senate, bestowing lavish federal largesse on his supporters (i.e. the UAW), proposing the arrest of his predecessors on criminal charges, forcing the adoption of significant legislation without understanding, explanation, or debate, and maintaining a Homeland Security Department that seems overly interested in his domestic political opponents are all marks of tyranny.

Our main hope has to be that enough people realize we have elected a tyrant and so move toward the Republicans that the vulnerable Democrats in Congress rebel against this madness.

[stayathomemom]

Another book for me to read this summer!

[justiceseeker93]

I'd never heard of Paul Rahe before, but I noticed that he's from Hillsdale, which is very fitting.

And I'd never heard of Frank Beckmann outside of sports broadcasting. Kind of surprised that he apparently is a conservative - there aren't too many conservatives in sports media these days.

[stayathomemom]

Frank Beckmann has a very good morning program on WJR which leads into Rush’s at noon. He covers local and national issues well and is very savvy on the global warming nonsense, too. It’s interesting that you should mention that there aren’t too many conservatives in sports broadcasting. WJR carries Mitch Albom, also a local sports media personality, in the early evening. I usually have to turn off the radio when he’s on. Too much liberal whining for me if he strays into political topics at all.

[justiceseeker93]

Thanks for the info, stayathomemom.

I'm aware of Mitch Albom, who made his mark in the literary world with "Tuesdays With Morrie," which isn't very political in any sense that I noticed, though I only saw the TV film version.

Sports media - and sports administration - is just so left that I hardly watch or listen to games anymore, despite the fact I more or less grew up on them a long time ago. If you think that sports is separate from the general political world, I can probably write a book for you to show otherwise.

[SunkenCiv]

Or any other media, either. :’)

[iopscusa]

Ping - Frank Rahe-Hillsdale College