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.
Good math! ;^)
Thank you for that WSJ link. Most enlightening.
Most folks can't figure out what Joseph Smith learned to be UNTRUE about PRESBYTERIANism; either; so don't feel too bad about it.
You are not constantly hounded, you post and I (we)respond to the fallacy and error of your post. Indeed I have never posted to you where I was the initial poster. THAT would be hounding.
If you do not wish people to respond to your inane and inaccurate drivel, quit posting it.
Otherwise expect a response and quit whining.
Romney - Romney,
He's our man!
If he can't save the Constitution that's hanging as by a slender thread,
No one can!
Doubts creeping in?...
Hum....
When the deck is short a few cards; you have to play the others over and over.
Look at what is wearing an (R) right now. Deal with them and again separate as much wheat from the chaff as possible. 2010 should be about getting new Republicans in that steer with a conservative wheel (getting rid of McCain would be huge and a shot across the bow). But a third party will always be disaster for our fine Republic, and usher in another foothold for progressive socialism.I agree with you regarding a third party. Completely agree with you.
And after sleeping on it, this morning I feel somewhat differently than I did yesterday. I thought about what all the Beck critics here had to say, including Levin himself, and I'm changing my mind, somewhat.
If I come to believe that Beck is pushing a 3rd party, I will turn completely and totally against him. I don't now believe that. But I do believe that last night, when I was posting my arguments supporting Beck whole-heartedly, that I went too far. I no longer believe -- after reading many of the opinions here -- that Beck deserves my whole-hearted support.
The big time pros make it look easy. But then look at the lifestyles of the big time pros. The money is incredible but your life is no longer your own. You are completely owned by your profession, your reputation and your armed security team.
Who wants that? All for a few cocktail parties with the rich and famous leftists? Bleh.
Beck is NOT a conservative, if you knew anything about him you'd knnow what his political affiliation is and if you knew anything about Savage you'd know he is not a liberal. Perhaps you should investigate and get the facts before you post.
Levin has been implying this as well. It's time to put up or shut up. What did Beck steal?
I really hope that Levin isn't suggesting that his observations about the Marxist/Maoists tendencies of this administration are somehow his exclusive intellectual property.
I had an oak one, back when they wedre all the rage.
That thing fianlly cracked in places and if you sat on it wrong it would BITE you!
Madam; you are a PROPHET -ess!!
That would be QUITE easy to prove.
I predict (prophecy) that you will not do it.
This is a false statement.
NO one has affected your FREEDOM to worship at all.
If the posting of official MORMON quotes and writings are causing you to doubt: whose fault is that?
You blindly repeat Mark Levin's assertion that Glenn Beck stole from him and have the audacity to claim that others are engaging in idol worship? Back up your claims or stop making them. Look inward before accusing others of what you yourself are guilty of.
"There's no such thing as bad PR."
--Joseph Smith
It's not that the OTHERS are so upsetting; but things the MORMON Organization® has said and printed over the years that are SO hard to ignore.
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