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 hear GOProud liked him.
Really? Thank you for that, I only knew that crap a long time ago. I’m not disagreeing with the progressive spotlight, just that it’s common freaking knowledge...
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Really I don’t hear others educating the public on this an how it has creeped into our government and reak havoc silently for years!
I have learned about the progressive in the 80’s because I comb the NYC library for Regional Government and land control and stumbled on to Progressive.
On the table where I sat was a collection of “Dictionary of American History” pub by Scribner and Sons 6 vols.
Just for kick I looked up Mondale and that is when I also saw an article on the History of the Progressives and the Bull Moose Party also how Wisconsin was involved in this progressive’s movement
Progressive Party (United States, 1912)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Party_(United_States,_1912)
He is constantly making pro-gay comments.
Actually, I think Levin sees Beck as a moron as do so many of us. I would love to see Levin debate Beck on Beck’s tv show. But I notice Beck is afraid of Levin. He uses his book for show prep but never gives attribution. Now, Beck puts out 5 books a year, none actually written by him. One written by Thomas Paine Just saying... And his TV show is getting boring. He’s repeating himself and running Breitbart’s tapes (also without attribution) endlessly. And how long is he going to milk Van Jones? Ok Glenn, good job. We got it. And that phone bit, enough. I notice you get great TV ratings of course, but you’re not up against prime time network TV with big shows to compete against like the others. Beck faces the daunting Wolfe Blitzed. I guess Fox has concluded Beck is not ready for prime time. No, the comedy show can only be run at 5. And yes, we know, you were a drunk Glenn.
While Rush, Levin and others were fighting the good fight, you were barfing with your head in a toilet. You want praise for not doing that anymore? Ok, congrats again for being a functioning human-being we knew you could do it, our fearless leader. And we know that you and you alone were against spending and the GOP two years ago. Right.
Sure Glenn.
How about an original idea? I see you have a ditto cam and newsletter, like Rush. I see you do rallies, which Hannity has done every election cycle and for the troops. I see you charge $120 to attend your seminars while preaching against greed. No charity you Glenn. But you’re the man, our great leader. You are the Messiah, not Obama. All the others suck, Glenn. You’re the best. Rush is and has been, Levin is jealous, Hannity is a RINO, Bennett is old school, but
you, Glenn, you are the man! Let’s all drink to that!
That's it. That's exactly it. He's like the evangelist who comes through once a year and gets everyone fired up. Next Sunday you happily go back to your pastor, Rush, Sean, and Mark.
As someone else pointed out, Glenn works from the power of epiphany. A lot of us come from that same position, we're new to all this. We aren't all college graduate intellectuals. When Glenn says it's not about the parties, he wants us to understand it's about US, the electorate, and those who didn't used to vote at all. We have let this happen with our inattention.
God is at work in this nation and he is using secular voices. Mark is Jewish, focus on law. Sean is Catholic,focus on politics. Rush is Protestant, focus on culture. Glenn is Mormon, focus on economics. I don't think that's coincidence. I think it's important.
Mark, I love you, but Glenn's voice is needed. If we left the GOP to their own devices Mitt Romney will be the nominee is 2012. RON Paul just won the CPAC straw poll for crying out loud. Five years ago I did not know there was anything wrong with those things. There are a lot of people out there you should be criticizing other than Glenn. And you should have spoken at CPAC. Your presence would have done a lot more good than the JBS did harm.
What a horrible thing to say. I do not believe that for one second.
I think you’re just trying to start a controversy.
I am going to assume you didn't listen to his CPAC speech yesterday. I'm also going to guess that you'd prefer Glenn Beck preach hope and change instead of supposedly being a doom-and-gloomer.
Beck loves to speak in generalties like "we have to stop spending!", but is loathe to endorse anyone even if they are saying the same thing.
Different individuals have unique roles to play. Glenn Beck is not running for office; he is not a politician. He is educating people about the process. Do you know any other radio talk show hosts or television opinion program hosts who actually ENDORSE a candidate? If they did, wouldn't you think that they were trying to push an agenda?
If he truly believes everything he says and the attitude he presents, I pity the guy and his family. He must be the most joyless person to be around and he must never be satisfied with ANYTHING, which is a miserable way to live. He is either a horrible pessiment on the verge of a breakdown or a complete phony.
For you to post something like that, it is obvious I no longer have to speculate that you didn't hear his speech yesterday. He has already been joyless; he has already had a total breakdown. Do you wish he had died instead of picking himself up and changing his life for the better? (Do you envy his success?) You could not have listened to him and come away thinking he is a phony unless you are yet another of those intentionally dense, thick-headed, dull-witted people who seem to inhabit FR lately. And we know GLDNGUN couldn't be one of those, right?
beck jumped out in front of the tea parties - he did not start them
beck seems to me to be an opportunist
Bennett is a lightweight in talk and is just pissed because Beck gave more notice in one hour to the name of his show— Morning in America— than Bennett could accomplish in weeks.
Wish he would quit saying the parties are the same, they’re not.
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I am glad Beck is saying that he makes them squrim and those who are entertaing the Idea now think twice and just know that someone like Soros could have planted a few of his own in the Republican party
Has Glen ever said he was promoting a philosophy? To me, he is just airing his grievances. What I dont get is why Levin seems so intent on showing everyone he doesnt like Beck.
>> Mark Levin: I have no idea what philosophy Glenn Beck is promoting. And neither does he. It’s incoherent.
The Beck detractors in the Conservative camp are reacting foolishly to a colorful, but relevant perspective of history and current state of affairs.
Beck has stated on his show numerous times that he realizes the pitfalls of a third party and does not advocate one.
Levin never said that and you know it.
Beck can say what he wants, of course. But he's not immune to the slings and arrows that speech might incur. The rest of us have free speech, too.
To you he’s “colorful” but to me he’s unhinged.
Thank God for that, there's no way he could do better than Beck on T.V.
“Lets’s face it. our enemies are constantly watching us. They may despise Beck, but they also see an opportunity. Beck may be the ideal conduit for trolls and infiltrators to subvert our cause by promoting a 3rd party. If I were George Soros, I would ....”
This is something I really fear. Nice post.
The Birchers also think the Queen of England runs drugs with Castro or some such bizarreness.
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Are you sure you are not confusing the LaRussies!
I never saw stuff like that said about the Birchers!
The Birchers were the reason why I decided that the $50 I would have spent for a Saturday only pass would be better spent somewhere else.
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