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.
Glenn was in teaching mode, and I guess I was in listening mode. Glenn makes learning history entertaining, which is more than half the battle when most people have learned history by what Dave Barry calls, "The Boring Method."
Glenn doesn't have to endorse particular candidates if he doesn't want to. Right now he seems to be emphasizing the pernicious Progressive movement, of which most people are completely unaware. If he helps more people to understand the roots of modern liberalism, then he will have performed a great public service.
And that's good enough for me. Rock on Glenn, rock on.
Conservapedia is about as accurate as Wiki....., i.e not at all. Also, welcome to FR.
Good video. :)
Wellll....Beck’s a mormon.
DITTO!
BRAVO!
If I recall correctly, Reagan believed in small and localized government, lower taxes, lower government spending, the protection of individual rights, protecting the integrity of private property ownership and following the Constitution. It was a winning formula. Why, oh why, can't we learn to stick to the formula and not go down these rabbit holes? As far as I can see Glenn Beck's popularity is because he largely sticks to the formula.
Although I personally do not care for Ron Paul, it seems he won the “conservative” straw pole. Perhaps because that “individual liberty” part of the formula is so sadly lacking in other conservative brands.
They both have their schtick. Levin’s is shouting people down, an unusual technique for someone so conversant with logical argument, and Beck’s is over-acting, which he does well.
Levin is a solid conservative. No question about it. Beck is an actor. His take is one of discovery. Look what I’ve found out. Did you know that....? We are headed for total destruction! It’s a more appealing TV drama, but less satisfying for me than Levin on the radio. Levin is great on the radio, Beck is good TV. My question with Beck is when is he acting and what does he really believe. By going to CPAC, he diminished himself in my view. His appearance was a validation for GOProud and the JBS and the questionable dealing of Keane. I think he was able to put those things aside in order to take the spot that last year was occupied by Rush Limbaugh, thus elevating his position in the world of radio/TV talkers.
I’m with you, arasina.
People who criticize Beck, come off snobbish. Beck does Beck very well. He is out there telling Americans, “Wake up, you’re being hoodwinked.” And they’re listening, and getting the point. I couldn’t care less if he’s ADD, Mormon, alcoholic, or incapable of raising the dead. He is advancing a cause dear to my heart: waking up Americans.
I like Levin too, though I think he’s slightly overrated around here. His latest book — or shall I say oeuvre? — served an excellent purpose, and that’s admirable, but celestial revelation it was not. More like Polonius, only longer.
Likewise Bill Bennett. Fine fellow. Does not walk on water.
When these guys fire on each other, they fall in my estimation.
Great post!
((((((((((((thank you))))))))))
The only time I understood History was when the teacher I had seemed to make it come alive. That is what Glenn Beck is able to do.
Amen! Good post.
Applause...lol
I agree with your take on Beck. From my point of view, the only part of the Conservative philosophy that the GOP has strayed from the last 12 or so years, is spending - not minimize the importance of rigourous expense control, but there some other issues at hand, namely...
The GOP gave us the first Partial Birth abortion ban, an incremental step towards the elimination of abotion.Yes, there have been some mistakes - lack of real immigration reform, and the Prescription drug bill (which was ridiculous). But, on balance, the country is still light years ahead of where it would have been with AlGORE in the White House with a Democrat majority. To say that there's "no difference between the parties", is insane.The gave us a Supreme Court that has struck down oppressive gun regulation, infringements on our free speech and balanced (for the most part) civil liberties and national defense.
The GOP has played a strong hand in defending the country from enemies abroad and at home.
And so far, they have resisted the calls from the leftists to give into the global warming hysteria.
the “CPAC” straw pole.
approx 10,000 attended.
2,400 voted.
48% attending were College students
No wonder Paul won. since most voting were looking for their leader for Peter Pan
I agree with Bennett.
Excellent!
Another.. MUST HEAR .. FANTASTIC speech by
Mark Levin, at the Churchill dinner at Hillsdale
College in December. He brings all that’s
happening now into total focus.
Lord, protect us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TIOjQP0neA&feature=player_embedded#
But he only blubbers about his own puppies.
The true to the matter was Mark Levin was to be among the top three he was always kicking Savage who I can not stand now it is Beck.
Gee Mark let the bigger man in you come out!
Stop with the whinning!
No one likes a person who is always bad mouthing
I like Mark but stop listing because he is always bad mouthing his competition!
If he stirs people to think for themselves, to read books about Washington, Madison, Jefferson, Adams (which he is doing), if he exposes some of the powerful people and groups who are organized to "change" America from its constitutional foundations, if that's all he does, then he will have served a useful cause.
Clearly, the intellectual conservative "think tanks" have not reached the ordinary citizen over the past several decades. If they had, the "dumbed-down" citizenry would not have elected the 2008 Congress and Administration.
Each person should just pick up the mantle that falls to him, work hard to help restore the Founders' ideas, and stop criticizing others whose talents may lead them to do other things.
I take it you like the philosophies of the John Birch Society. So tell us a few and why we should embrace this society.
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