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.
The way I understand Beck is that he is mainly railing against Progressives in both parties... Marxists Communists which are the Liberal Progressives and Libertarians which are the Conservative Progressives. Thats why I don’t understand how he maintained coherence at CPAC because of the large amount of Libertarians in attendance.
Fringes are bad on both sides....
I think the most salient Conservative Princple that punctuates both sides of this debate is how out of control our Big Government has become.
this one point scares everyone except of course the marxists, so we find ourselves allied with moderate liberals all the way to right wing fringes on this single issue.
Using the issue of out of control Big Government is the winning strategy. Obama’s entire agenda dies on the vine when he becomes forced to reign in government.
Don't you think that's the end game? Paul is going to be a third-party candidate, perhaps calling himself and "Independent Republican", guaranteeing the win for Obama. This has "Soros" written all over it, IMHO.
He seems to be aimed more towards ‘cleansing’ the Republicans of the progressive element.
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Yet he will never go after Romney. Not much ‘cleansing’, imo.
Maybe with himself (Beck)as the candidate.
It is one thing to point out the imperfections and follies of Republicans. It is nonsense to equate them with Marxists, tax cheats and perverts.
Third Parties always facilitate a Democrat victory
“At least McCain had a decent pro-life and limited government voting record.”
I can’t honestly call either of them conservatives. For me, you need all three pillars...I remember McCain stabbing conservatives Republicans in the back on almost every key issue.
We’d have to have a RINO fest and see which one had the biggest horns I guess. But McCain’s backstabbing and serious consideration of Liebermann took the cake for me.
I too am sick of his AA poor me stuff. Somebody said he was a dry drunk.
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I am too. And I can see him being a ‘dry drunk’, easily.
Ugghhh-some well meaning, yet naive, relative signed me up to receive info at a LaRouche booth. I have been getting bombarded ever since.
McCain voted for TARP... and TARP had $150Billion in pork attached to it.... there is nothing limited about that or McCain-Feingold or Mc-Cain-Kennedy...
Ah, but Bill O isn’t a conservative, he “claims” he is Independent, IMHO he is clearly a progressive whatever.
I thought Beck’s speech was impassioned and had many great points. I do not agree with his theory that we need a third party, if that’s what he advocates. He(and his research staff)are good at pointing out problems: progressivism, radical czars, etc. But I’ve never heard him mention Reagan on his show as he did last night with such glowing praise!, The Republican party is still the best vehicle we have for winning elections. They need to solidly reject the Rino generated “big tent” and “reach across the aisle” formulas for success. Getting back to core Conservative principles is the only lasting solution.
Where is the Gipper when we need him??
I like Beck and Levin a lot but what I dont like at all is one anti leftist attacking another. Lay off the lactose, Mark and remember who the real enemy is.
I cannot listen to Mark on the radio either. Love his ideas but he is too abrupt and rude to callers, even those who agree with him must feel put down.
As for the doggie book, I read it too, and his emotion was heartfelt. Some people just feel more strongly about their pets than others. My husband still mourns for our late lab, Stewart.
Levin ping
Levin is in for Levin, Hannity for Hannity, Rush for Rush... that is how capitalism works.
Wouldn't kill him, but certainly would kill his "shtick" -- or his narrative, as your typical leftwing academic might say.
Interesting piece by Buckley. Thanks for posting it. What I got from it, though, is that it was the founder, Welch, who had all the crackpot ideas. Again, I ask (and again, without caring enough to go google it for myself) what does the John Birch Society say today (presumably, Welch no longer being with them or with us) and specifically what do they say that is so egregious that Mark Levin can’t be in the same (big) room with them?
Beck says then that McCain is the same as Obama, which is not true.
He also said that he would have voted for Hillary, who describes herself as a progressive, happily.
I’m totally off of Glenn Beck, but I think Mark should have attended and given his opinion.
It’s not a good thing to go taking one’s ball and going home when the game is still going on.
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