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 heard from a certain source that at one time, again I don’t know he still does, Glenn Beck was endoring the John Birch Society giving out material, etc. Interesting that they had a booth at CPAC at same time he is keynote speaker. Not sure if they have been there in the past. Again how relevant has CPAC been today and recent past, not when Reagan talked particularly. Beck does sound like a recovering addict and an emotional reactionary. I worked in a psychology office for a psychologist and heard the rantings of an ex alcoholic drug counselor on the answering machine in the morning when I arrived at the office. Sometimes reminds me of Beck.
A radio show doesn’t have a bibliography. All Beck does is read from books! I remember when Beck read that bit about the founding fathers, but I assumed that everyone knew where it came from, since I’ve heard it so many times.
bttt
And I have heard him say, ad nauseum, that there is NO difference in the parties, and I have seen him put his little magnet of President Bush on the same side of the board as communists and traitors.
He's off the deep end. WAY off.
But the bottom line is, if he gets his way and we have an active third party, we are guaranteed to get four more years of Marxism, and it will be partly his fault.
I take the future well-being of this nation very seriously. And I don't like anyone - even someone I used to like - risking our future by hyperbole and histrionics.
He almost never attacks the Dems without including the Republicans as "just as bad" or "It's in both parties."
Wrong. And dangerous. Because its good for Obama.
If you have to ask that question, then you need to ask it of those who went though the battle to get them out of the conservative movement. Memory's don't go away because someone says they have changed. The Birchers will always be schizophrenic crackpots to me and many others of my age. They damaged the conservative brand just as the white supremacist's did more recently during the immigration debates. Many of them you will likely find, BTW, at a Bircher meeting. Birds of a feather..........crackpots tend to stay together.
Yes, I may be melding some LaRouch and some John Birch theories in my mind. I find them both, seriously, crazy.
“Mark Levin; I have no idea what philosophy Glenn Beck is promoting. And neither does he”
This really is a remarkable accomplishment for Glenn Beck, who noted that he attended one semester of college and is otherwise self-educated.
Mark Levin is a Constitutional lawyer - and he is asking what philosophy Glenn is promoting????????????????????
Think about it!!!!!!
His own numbers deny that ridiculous comment.
That's why I stopped watching. I don't like it when people don't speak the truth.
I am not experiencing any sort of hangover or have a need to throw up for four hours to know the Democrats are planning to spend more and grow government more than any Republican I know. To say Dems and Repubs are the same is simplistic and self defeating.
Mark is right on the money.
Nope. When Goldwater ran in 1964 the The John Birch Society were avid supporters of his candidacy. There is NO QUESTION that the quote was a recognition by Goldwater of that support. If you believe otherwise you are wrong but you are free to make your case if you can. Just denying the premise is not good enough for me.
The Birchers take the Far Left position on the War, GITMO, and basic national security vs. the IslamOfascists.
He shows the spending chart just last week, and he showed the increase under Bush as an elevating line then he showed Obama and the line goes straight up... have you forgotten why people were angry and voted the GOP out in 2006? Spending.
I wish I knew. I have no respect for McCain at all.
He was talking this same way on CNN during the 2008 primaries and he is the first to say he voted for McCain.
I tell you it is just like standing up in church and telling these faith promoting experiences and getting all teary eyed.
Beck is the master of pure unadulterated trickery. What amazes me is that his naive followers here are so taken in. Almost the same as the Mittbots. They think that he is so very clever. To me he is just one more little GA wannabe.
Mark my words, he will start giving prophecy any day now. Also, the jist of all of this from Mark Levin is that Beck is evidently a copyist of Mark’s material. If he’s not careful he may end up tangling with Mark in a legal way.
He doesn’t want that as he will be eaten for lunch. He’ll manage to cry while giving testimony though. If you cry, you’re a truther but not a birther.
UNless he’s quivering on about some dead puppy
Apparently, not much. Those who censored the nation's textbooks continued to work like termites to undermine the America's foundations, and in 2008, a dumbed-down citizenry elected a Congress and Administration dedicated to complete destruction of those foundations.
Now, Beck's approach may be unconventional and, at times, silly and dramatic, but he has captured the attention of people whom the scholarly and traditional conservatives have not and will not reach. He has caused more people to examine the Founders' writings, and to involve themselves in TEA Party activities and such, than anyone else. For that, Levin and others should be grateful.
At the time of America's founding, the sermons of the Revolutionary Period were fiery and stirring. That did not hinder the thoughtful and highly intellectual leaders of the day from methodically going about their work to secure liberty. As a matter of fact, they were complementary efforts which resulted in a common cause--liberty for millions yet unborn.
In this day, when great forces are consolidated in an effort to "change" America, there is a place for all voices that sound a warning of the dangers of tyrannical government power, arouse public inquiry into truth, and seek to encourage independent thought.
Levin and the others should just go about the place carved out for their talents, attract the attention of those stirred up by Beck, and hope that when both truth and error are allowed to be heard and read, truth will prevail.
For too long, the mind controllers have been keeping the ideas of America's founding under wraps. That is not true today, thanks to technology and people like Beck and bloggers.
I saw nearly all of it - it was awesome. He and I agree on a lot of things, and I've stolen one of his lines for my tagline.
As for the jerk-attacks we just have to be vigilant, polite and, ultimately, firm.
Yeah, you're right. I get a little cranked up when someone slings an insult my way. Grew up in the city, and served as a bouncer at a local bar in my younger years. Still have the "bouncer" mentality at times (which will be useful when the libs finally spark CW2, but I digress).
Bingo. I should have been more specific. I was indicting homosexual people (necessarily), but I was indicting the homosexual agenda that seems to permeate the homosexual community. Maybe I'm way off base, but my sense is that GLAAD, irrespective of the Republican stance against two men marrying, will ALWAYS be supporting the Democrat candidate and party. They seem to be a conventionally liberal group of folks.
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