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 agree ... the experts urgently came to him
with the economic doomsday scenario, yet
all crucify him.
Levin is a German Shepherd trained by Mossad.
Beck is an untrainable hyperactive Golden Retriever who slobbers.
Each serves an audience. Each is valuable.
Pitting the German Shepherd against the Golden Retriever serves no purpose and proves nothing.
Will the slobbering Golden Retriever try the patience of the Mossad-trained Shepherd? Frequently. Yet the slobbering Beck is ON THE SIDE OF THE Shepherd, regardless of his awkwardness.
Levin’s point: Where is Beck aiming? Answer: Beck flies by the seat of his pants, and navigates on instinct. Sometimes Beck cannot articulate where he’s aiming. This isn’t a crime.
Beck cannot state his position on paper, on par with Levin’s book. Few can. That’s what makes Levin Levin.
In other words: We’re beseiged by Marxists and we don’t have time for this crap. Levin should attack the enemy, not Beck for being a slobbering puppy.
I agree we need them both they have much to contribute!
Nuke the gay sharks! ;^)
as far as spending on socialist programs goes.........
Great analogy.
I've seen no evidence of this, at least not at the leadership level. As long as they continue to push socialists like Charlie Crist, John McCain and Dede Scozzafavas on us, they are only showing that they're ignoring their conservative roots.
The most effective strategy is for conservatives to take back the GOP.
That is true, but it isn't enough. The leadership of the GOP needs to go or conservatives will not have any GOP to take back.
They call anyone they disagree with a Communist. If they disagreed with you, you’re a Communist. It’s insane.
Respectfully fellow FReeper, I DO NOT!
Having said that...(that's as far as I read in Mark's article)...there is no conservative media person...Rush & Beck included...that I would would rather be in a foxhole with than Mark Levin.
(rethinking...I would include Ann Coulter :))
Thanks, well said!
What would satisfy me is some sign that these guys actually GET what this is all about.
In 2008, our presidential nominee ran around trying to out-socialist the socialists, wanting to pay everyone’s mortgage for them and cram cap and tax down our throat.
Last year, Paul Ryan, brilliant shining star of the Republican party didn’t know that a bill of attainder is unconstitutional when he voted for a 90% tax on AIG bonuses.
We’ve still got the usual suspects doing their best to undermine conservatism. We’ve got Pandsey Graham trying to find any way he can to get Cap and Tax through the senate. We’ve got McLame going around trying to ‘work with Obama’ on health care.
But on top of them, we’ve got McConnell saying that the GOP is going to support the latest stimulus package because the Democrats called it a ‘jobs bill’ and gee whiz, Republicans wouldn’t want to be thought of as ‘anti-job’!!!
I mean, at what point do you stop buying BS like that and start calling these guys complicit in this stuff? We give them the benefit of the doubt and say that they’re just spineless, but how long does that hold water?
The establishment Republicans have shown almost no signs that they have learned anything. Evidence of that is in Bill Bennett’s column this morning. See also, Orrin Hatch’s speech the other day where he told off the tea partiers.
The parties are NOT the same, but that doesn’t mean that the answer to the country’s problems is just voting Republican. That’s what Glenn said yesterday and he was right. In the past, he has said that the parties are the same and while I understand what he’s trying to say, it’s far too simplistic a way of saying it. He was much clearer about it yesterday.
That doesn’t mean that it is all doom and gloom. I actually see a new breed of RINO on the horizon. The ‘Scott Brown RINO’ if you will. The kind of RINO who’s libertarian on social issues, but rock solid on everything else and with a spine to back it up. But even Scott Brown voted for the fascist Romneycare back in the day, so while I hope he’s seen the light, it’s hard to be sure that he’s for real. If he supports the ‘jobs bill’, then he’s nothing more than another big government progressive in office to undermine the constitution. I hope not, because I kind of like the guy.
That's essentially how William F. Buckley saw this group. Paranoid and delusional conspiracy theorists. They believe much of what radio host Alex Jones believes and that is everything is a conspiracy theory.
That is true, but it isn't enough. The leadership of the GOP needs to go or conservatives will not have any GOP to take back.”
Yes, yes, yes. However, there is only one way to change the GOP leadership. You would have to get involved in GOP politics to have any say in the process. Just criticizing is not enough. It's worthless. Easy to throw darts. Try some action that will help change the situation.
Sometimes, Beck runs all over the map.
This is ok. Most bad ideas drop out under their own weight. The bad ideas that stick, the American people will weed out. That’s our job.
Beck is like the guy standing outside the circus on stilts, hollering “STEP RIGHT UP!”
He’s grabbing attention and getting people into the tent. This is a good thing, and long overdue.
Beck is rare in his ability to do that.
Levin is rare in his precision and ability to communicate.
We’ve needed these guys for 30 years, and now that we’ve got them, squabbling seems idiotic.
However, Levin does seem concerned that Beck could lead a wide audience down the “third party” path, or cause some other fragmentation. This is a real concern — addressed frequently by Rush, and now by Levin.
We’d be in a world of hurt without Cheney, but I find little in Horowitz to admire. He’s a nut case now just like when he espoused the far left.
The part of this article that I thought was spot on was when Mark said that nowhere in Beck’s hour long speech did he call out Obama, Pelosi or Reid, who happen to be the architects and stewards of this economic disaster.
So gambling addiction is ok in your book!
To me I like all of them and very disappoint at thoes who are trashing their colleagues!
Glenn Beck -->John Birch Society -->Cleon Skousen.."Willard (W.) Cleon Skousen (January 20, 1913 – January 9, 2006) was a Mormon American conservative author and political commentator." "In 2008, political commentator and media personality Glenn Beck began recommending Skousen's works, sparking new interest in his ideas and publications."
But Bill O has done the pretty weird stuff in the past towards his colleagues which was uncalled for!
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