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 don’t know why. Beck is a conservative. Savage is a liberal.
Don't move to Costa Rica just yet. There's plenty of conservatism out there. It'll find its home soon enough.
Well said...I’m with you. I listen to Mark nightly, but he needs to get off his own bandwagon sometimes...
Its not that people worship Beck, they just dont think Levin should come down on him all the time. Its not like Beck is pushing for bigger govt.
Also, calling people names shows the lack of depth in an argument.
levin does what his health allows
levin has a heart condition that i believe is serious enough to prevent him from doing more on tv, radio or in person than he already does
like i said, he has 2 other jobs also - one is running a legal foundation that focuses on environmental and environmental issues
beck barks maniacally like a dawg on tv - levin supports animal shelters and takes libtardz to court
His P.R. team are absolute GENIUSES. Best in the biz. And though there is much to like about Glenn, at the end of the day that is all he is really about--HIS biz.
I bet Beck gets a ratings boost when the tear drops begin to fall. I know my mother-n-law eats up the tears when they're on full display.
Do you have any proof that Beck stole from Levin? You do a good job of accusing, but little in proof.
I have this persistent affliction, held over from the 1980’s, trying to follow the Reagan 11th Commandment. ;-)
Beck is first and foremost an entertainer. He’s entertaining when he tosses out theories and facts. Getting an education solely from Beck would be a mistake.
Do you know when he made that statement .. I’ve been watching him for a long time and I’ve never heard him say anything about getting away from the two-party system.
When the hell has Beck ever been anarchist? That is the stupidest thing I have heard today. Beck is developing a more libertarian view but that has come naturally over time as he investigates and gains knowledge. You may not agree with his analysis but I have never heard him say single word about having no government. .He only talks about what type and the limits that should be put on our government. He actually has a greater understanding of collectivism vs individualism than most. Levin is a big dope on this one.
Or that good mormon marriott is the single largest purveyor of porn too.
Hey, crocodile tears are hard to come by now a days. Sheesh, Dakota Red. LOL!
Yea, everyone that disagrees with your pet position is a nut.
Facts are tough things to get over though.
Well the fact that you think Savage is a liberal is neither here nor there and is not the subject of this thread. Beck and Savage both attack the good ‘ol boy GOP Republican brand and that may be why Levin feels the need to attack both of them in return.
He said it a few times early last year, I believe.
He hasn’t said it recently that I’ve heard. Quite the opposite in fact.
It makes me wonder about these folks who are worried about this third party split. I don’t know anyone from my local tea party or 9/12 group that are serious about a 3rd party. Most of them watch Glenn daily and listen to his radio shiw.
It almost makes these trolls around here sound like progressives, since they think so little of the ‘stupid masses’ that they think Glenn Beck is going to poison their feeble little minds...
some ‘flash in the pan’ who was only partly valiant in the preexistance.
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