Posted on 02/21/2010 1:14:06 PM PST by Sergeant Tim
I was invited to be the opening speaker at Saturday's CPAC session. I had accepted but then, to my amazement, I learned that the John Birch Society would be one of many co-sponsors. This takes the big-tent idea many steps too far for me. So, I withdrew. Apparently, others were not so moved. That's fine. But it wasn't for me. Bill Buckley and Barry Goldwater, among others, chased the Birchers from the movement decades ago. And they're not a part of the movement. So, to give them a booth at CPAC was boneheaded.
I want to commend Bill Bennett for his wise piece this morning on the Corner. I agree with him.
I have no idea what philosophy Glenn Beck is promoting. And neither does he. It's incoherent. One day it's populist, the next it's libertarian bordering on anarchy, next it's conservative but not really, etc. And to what end? I believe he has announced that he is no longer going to endorse candidates because our problems are bigger than politics. Well, of course, our problems are not easily dissected into categories, but to reject politics is to reject the manner in which we try to organize ourselves. This is as old as Plato and Aristotle. Why would conservatives choose to surrender the political battlefield to our adversaries -- who are trashing this society -- when we must retake it in order to preserve our society? Philosophy, politics, culture, family, etc., are all of one. Edmund Burke, among others, wrote about it extensively, and far better that I possibly can. But all elements of the civil society require our defense. Besides, why preach such a strategy when conservatism is on the rise and the GOP is acting more responsibly?
Moreover, when he does discuss politics, which, ironically, is often, how can he claim today that there is no difference between the two parties when, but for the Republicans in Congress, government-run health care, cap-and-trade, card check, and a long list of other disastrous policies would already be law? The GOP is becoming more conservative thanks to the grass-roots movement and a political uprising across the country, which has even reached into New Jersey and Massachusetts. Why keep pretending otherwise? My only conclusion is that he is promoting a third party or some third way, which is counter-productive to defeating Obama and the Democrat Congress. These are perilous times and this kind of an approach will keep the statists in power for decades.
And what of his flirtations with Ron Paul's lunacy respecting America's supposed provocations with her enemies, including al-Qaeda? Why should such a fatal defect in thinking be ignored? Do we conservatives agree with this?
Finally, Beck is fond of congratulating himself for being the only or the first host to criticize George Bush's spending. This is demonstrably false. I not only attacked his spending, but the creation of the Homeland Security Department, the prescription drug add-on for Medicare, his "moderate" tax cuts, as well as his nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court, "comprehensive immigration reform," and so forth. And I was not alone -- Rush and Sean did the same, for example. And as someone who fought liberal Republicans in the trenches when campaigning for Reagan in 1976 and 1980, I don't need lectures from Beck, who was nowhere to be found, about big-spending Republicans. But this is not about me, or Beck, or Beck's past drunkenness (which he endlessly wears as some kind of badge of honor). It is about preserving our society for our children and grandchildren. Beck spent precious little time aiming fire at Obama-Pelosi-Reid in his speech, and it is they who are destroying our country.
On as a positive note, I am personally happy to see that Beck has cleaned up his public act -- as best I can tell, no more boiling fake frogs on TV or pretending to pour gasoline on someone -- and the rest of it. But I do think his speech, which contained nuggets of truth heard before and read elsewhere, including on Rush's show and in my book and many other books, may have distracted from some of the more compelling and coherent speeches at the event, including Marco Rubio's superb speech. I fear the media will see to this. I hope not.
I must apologize for assuming that FReepers make an effort to understand one another in a correct way and that sometimes an excited moment causes out bursts of joy with certain language some of us southern Utah hicks are accustomed to using. In discussing my approach to language in a few private messages with others I have been admonished to clean up my certain descriptors and tame it down.
I apologize for my lack of decorum. I hope you will accept it in the manner intended.
Obama is the dumb bastard.
You do understand that they need money to remain in high visibility don't you? General elections cost billions of dollars for each party.
With all due respect, I’ll agree but add: The election of Barack Obama also proved, if nothing else, the incredible power that years and years of public school system indoctrination has produced.
You are rude there is room for various voices.
Are you just one of those folks who just want one voice all the rest shut up and set down!
I seriously doubt Mark would feel upstaged by Beck. When Mark speaks, he commands your attention without theatrics.
Could it possibly be that he also didn’t approve of the GOProud group? Why must it be because of Glenn Beck? Mark must’ve had his reasons, as did Sarah for not going. Is Sarah afraid of being upstaged by Beck as well?
Seriously, some of you are just as bad as the obamaites.
Becks entire hour speech was excellent. His histrionics get a bit much on his regular show, but last night he was dead on.
“On its website, the Birch Society describes it mission as to “to warn against and expose the forces that seek to abolish U.S. independence, build a world government, or otherwise undermine our personal liberties and national independence. The John Birch Society endorses the U.S. Constitution as the foundation of our national government, and works toward educating and activating Americans to abide by the original intent of the Founding Fathers. We seek to awaken a sleeping and apathetic people concerning the designs of those who are working to destroy our constitutional Republic.”\
I think Levin was for Fred Thompson.
***
You are correct Mark is fond of the Thompson’s
Apology accepted and appreciated. I reacted harshly also, and wish to apologize for that.
Let’s continue to direct our anger at the true enemy, the left.
What's there to like?
But, is BOR a conservative? I seriously doubt it.
Oh. So it's okay for you to criticize Republicans but Glenn Beck can't. Gotcha.
Somebody ping Bill Bennett. He may want to write an article lambasting Mark Levin.
Well and good. They might well have had the same mission statement in the fifties. But that's not what they were about when Joseph Welch was leading the show.
Skousen wrote some good stuff, and some really weird stuff.
One that I remember that I think was called “The Third Thousand Years” or something like that was really freakazoid material.
Thank you for your remarks some seem to listen to those who bad mouth and do not do their own home work!
See my post regarding Beck and Cleon Skousen
#359
Then click on this Link
Read What we might Expect in the Next Twenty-Five Years Written by W. Cleon Skousen
Glenn Beck —>John Birch Society —>Cleon Skousen..”Willard (W.) Cleon Skousen (January 20, 1913 – January 9, 2006) was a Mormon American conservative author and political commentator.” “In 2008, political commentator and media personality Glenn Beck began recommending Skousen’s works, sparking new interest in his ideas and publications.”
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That explains a lot. The link you posted stated that Glen Beck said Skousen’s works are ‘divinely inspired’.
I don’t think Levin wants Beck silenced. But Beck could afford to come back to earth every now and then. He’s a little high on himself at times. And one more thing...if he means liberal republicans....say liberal republicans.
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