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Mark Levin: I have no idea what philosophy Glenn Beck is promoting. And neither does he
Mark Levin Fan ^ | February 21, 2010 | Mark R. Levin

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.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: allenwest; beatupbeck; beck; beckisajackass; beckisfubar; beckisgoofy; bennett; circusclownbeck; conservatism; cpac; cpac2010; february; glenkook; glennbeck; holdonnow; levin; marklevin; mormon; paul; pimp4mormons; pimpforldsbeck; politics; ronpaul; ronpaulssmartguy; rubio; talkradio; thirdpartykook; vote4rubio; west4congress
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To: Sergeant Tim

Circle your own wagons. Don’t come anywhere near mine.


221 posted on 02/21/2010 2:30:18 PM PST by hkp123
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To: joe fonebone

Not promoting ideology? He says there is no difference between obamba and GW Bush.

Oh really?


222 posted on 02/21/2010 2:30:35 PM PST by Carley
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To: jenk

CAN YOU HEAR US NOW?

223 posted on 02/21/2010 2:30:36 PM PST by Evil Slayer (Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war)
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To: Sergeant Tim
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?

A VERY good point!!

I don't watch Glenn Beck, because there's just too much drama. He has some good ideas, but he goes right up to the edge too often for me. Yes, we do need to hold the GOP's feet to the fire, but it still is the best alternative to the Democrats, so non-stop trashing of the Party is not particularly helpful.

224 posted on 02/21/2010 2:30:37 PM PST by SuziQ
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To: Arizona Carolyn
When you can identify a single pedophile, Marxist, animal rights activist, tax cheat, Maoist, Communist or terrorist in the Republican party, I will agree that they are "not any better."

What you are doing is making an extreme comment (as is Beck) that is not based in any form of reality.

The fact that there are problematic people in the Republican party (McCain, Graham, et al) does not even come close to saying there is no difference between the parties.

They stupidly voted for Holder, but is there anyone who IS a Holder (i.e. Communist terrorist sympathizer) in the Republican party?

Beck is dead wrong, and so are you. It is hyperbolic and inaccurate, and will not help us solve the problems in the Republican party.

The Tea Parties are starting to do that. Let's keep it up. I've noticed that Beck seems to be ignoring the Tea Parties now. What is the reason for that? My guess is, that they are starting to get results, and the results are more conservative Republicans, and not loser third parties like Glenn wants.

225 posted on 02/21/2010 2:30:50 PM PST by ohioWfan (Proud Mom of a Bronze Star recipient!)
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To: DakotaRed

I’m not your “hon”.....


226 posted on 02/21/2010 2:30:56 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: Happy Rain
Beck ... is not perfect but I believe necessary to the conservative reconquest of the US
Notice I cut out the "like O'Reilly". I hate that bilge-bag and I'm saddened that you compare Beck to him in any way. As I am saddened that you compare Beck to Trotsky or Roehm.

I get your point. As a kind of analogy. But you know what? I don't need that analogy.

I just like what you said about "necessary to the conservative reconquest of the US". I firmly believe that is happening... and that Beck is a small but important part of it. As is Levin. As is Rush.

227 posted on 02/21/2010 2:31:35 PM PST by samtheman
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To: Sergeant Tim
My Gosh...

Bennett and Levin at times still think we can fix things with the party, Glenn is looking towards individuals, us to fix it. Don't get me wrong we have a few good ones, but I would take 535 Officers recently retired from all branches of the Service over all of them.

I don't think Bennett and Levin Get it... The RNC has been outsourced to Freerepublic, The Tea Parties and groups like Rattle with Us. The RNC and all they players are GM, We are the unafilliated suppliers, and quite frankly I want to stay that way. I will not be fooled again.

Glenn looks 2 to 4 years out and sees things that are exogenous that could really have an effect on you. Big risk doing that, wrong once and your a fool. Those that listened to Glenn and got out of the market are looking pretty sweet right now.

I do not hear Bennett or Levin speaking of what I not only hear from Glenn about debt, but from "MarketWatch", "Business Insider" and many other sites that folks link to here that denote more bears on the horizon.

228 posted on 02/21/2010 2:31:38 PM PST by taildragger (Palin/Mulally 2012)
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To: Sergeant Tim; holdonnow

bump


229 posted on 02/21/2010 2:32:15 PM PST by Christian4Bush (Mike/Chris Wallace: Did you give in? Palin: "HELL NO!" 254 days til the midterms.)
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To: Arizona Carolyn

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 and Beck had better move on and think about the November elections before we lose every damn one of them to the STINKING PAUL BOTS.


230 posted on 02/21/2010 2:32:27 PM PST by jenk (REMEMBER MASSACHUSETTS!!)
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To: Sergeant Tim

Beck is an entertainer and Witch Burner. He was great on Van Jones and a lot of fun. He’s no Philosopher!


231 posted on 02/21/2010 2:32:36 PM PST by Anti-Bubba182
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To: Arizona Carolyn

Well hopefully J.D. will win. My wife is from Arizona and we love J.D.

I’ll say one more nice thing about McCain. In 2000 he gave me tickets to President Bush’s inauguration...so did J.D. for that matter. I was still serving in the U.S. Army, so even though I was living in Maryland I was for legal purpose a resident of the State of Connecticut and neither of my two shucksters forked up tickets for me nor did the Maryland delegation.


232 posted on 02/21/2010 2:32:55 PM PST by big'ol_freeper ("Anyone pushing Romney must love socialism...Piss on Romney and his enablers!!" ~ Jim Robinson)
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To: Carley

Those who don’t understand the past are doomed to repeat it.

You know who said that?

You think those words don’t apply anymore?

You think it’s not important for us to understand in 2010 what we did in 2000-2006 to put us in the sorry state we find ourselves?


233 posted on 02/21/2010 2:32:57 PM PST by samtheman
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To: The Duke
in this story he credit’s the GOP with having slowed down the the Demoncrat’s agenda when, in fact, it was the American People who accomplished that.

But it was the elected Republican representatives who looked over the American political landscape and responded to us by their votes against that legislation.

234 posted on 02/21/2010 2:34:05 PM PST by SuziQ
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To: Arizona Carolyn

To this day most have no idea how close we came to a total meltdown in late September. Many billions of dollars drained out of the stock market. it was a coup against America and no one has been charged with the crime.

Without drastic action by President Bush I cannot imagine what would have happened.

It elected this maoist so I believe the attack on our markets was orchestrated by those who wanted this man to be our president.


235 posted on 02/21/2010 2:34:18 PM PST by Carley
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To: 1raider1

If “conservatives” are going to continue the circular firing squad when the Dems, progressives and media do their own sniping, I have no choice but to wave the white flag and surrender. I’ve had enough already.
- - - - -
Sorry it was too strenuous for you, but life is hard.


236 posted on 02/21/2010 2:35:47 PM PST by excopconservative
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To: samtheman

Lemme guess, did Beck say those words?


237 posted on 02/21/2010 2:36:16 PM PST by jenk (REMEMBER MASSACHUSETTS!!)
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To: All

Beck has gone off the rails lately. His special about commie icons was great but he’s been unwatchable for quite a while.

Wish he would quit saying the parties are the same, they’re not. The democrats are elitist, socialism and commie sympathizing statists. The Republicans, for the most part, are a much better representation of American society. There can not be a stronger distinction between the parties than right now and it borders on lying to call them the same. As long as we can start to purge the party of the more liberal element, we will be in fine shape.
Beck needs to wise-up or he’ll turn people away from the ballot box which will only assist the democrats with destroying the nation.


238 posted on 02/21/2010 2:37:18 PM PST by newnhdad (The longest of journeys begins with one step.)
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To: denydenydeny; ScreamingFist

The Birchers also think the Queen of England runs drugs with Castro or some such bizarreness. They believe that a secret Trilateral Commission runs the whole world with a shadow government, and are huge conspiracy theorists. Tri-lateral killed JFK, etc. If I am wrong on a detail here and there perhaps someone with a more intimate knowledge of the Birchers can correct me.


239 posted on 02/21/2010 2:37:39 PM PST by Persevero (Satan tries to separate what God puts together and join together what God separates.)
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To: jenk

You’re definitely in a playful mood today, jenk. Or maybe that’s the way you are always?


240 posted on 02/21/2010 2:37:40 PM PST by samtheman
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