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Mark Levin: I have no idea what philosophy Glenn Beck is promoting. And neither does he
Mark Levin Fan ^ | February 21, 2010 | Mark R. Levin

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.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: allenwest; beatupbeck; beck; beckisajackass; beckisfubar; beckisgoofy; bennett; circusclownbeck; conservatism; cpac; cpac2010; february; glenkook; glennbeck; holdonnow; levin; marklevin; mormon; paul; pimp4mormons; pimpforldsbeck; politics; ronpaul; ronpaulssmartguy; rubio; talkradio; thirdpartykook; vote4rubio; west4congress
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To: donna

McConnell and Christie are proposing spending cuts in NJ and Va, the entire Senate and all but 1 House GOPer voted against BamaCare, Scott Brown was confident enough to talk about Security in the Massachusetts campaign


521 posted on 02/21/2010 5:16:33 PM PST by Raider Sam (They're on our left, right, front, and back. They aint gettin away this time!)
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To: editor-surveyor

I don’t watch him so that’s news to me! Pro gay comments and trashes birthers? What’s in the heart comes out of the mouth.


522 posted on 02/21/2010 5:17:10 PM PST by presently no screen name
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To: ohioWfan

There are too many texts and Youtubes of Beck speaking in favor of or pushing Third Parties
and the constant Republicans and Democrats are the same mantra.
So Demint and Palin are the same as Harry Read and Pelosi, Who knew


523 posted on 02/21/2010 5:19:03 PM PST by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: Sergeant Tim

You and Beck are both working towards the same ends. You're just going about it differently.

524 posted on 02/21/2010 5:19:10 PM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all. -- Texas Eagle)
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To: GLDNGUN

How can Beck be doom and gloom when he talks about Morning in America?


525 posted on 02/21/2010 5:19:22 PM PST by restornu
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Dr. Levin, put away the measuring stick. Beck has bigger ratings and more book sales than you. You don't have to like him. There are plenty of reasons not to like him. He is not the legal scholar that you are. His writings do not have the depth of experience that yours do. But he has added the word 'progressive' to the daily lexicon of public discourse. He has encouraged millions of people to study history. He has persuaded millions of people who have not asked questions before to ask questions. He has sold millions of books, both his own and others. Are those bad things? Encouraging people to read Madison and Paine and Jefferson?

Let's take the long view for a moment. 2010 is important. 2012 is more important. I have confidence in the GOP to make large gains in November and effectively make Obama a lame duck. The problem is, what will the GOP do if they take back both chambers and the White House in 2012? If we have a repeat of 2000-2006 then the Republic is dead. The GOP will open the doors of our freedom and hand the keys to socialists. And next time there may be no turning back. This might be our last chance.

We don't need another radio host to tell us Obama, Reid and Pelosi are bad. We have plenty of those.

知彼知己,百戰不殆;不知彼而知己,一勝一負;不知彼,不知己,每戰必殆

It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.

It is not enough to know the enemy. Right now the GOP does not know itself. Beck is right in his history lessons. If we don't fix who represents the right then winning back control of Washington will mean nothing more than a delay of the inevitable. We are trapped in Margret Thatcher's ratchet. We can temporarily stop socialism but we can not reverse it. Unless the motto of the GOP becomes cut, repeal and deregulate then our moment in the sun is over. As Yuri Bezmenov said "There is no where left to defect to."

As this thread shows the pissing match between conservative pundits is a useless waste of energy. Go back to fighting the enemy in both parties. If we have to fight amongst ourselves let's win first, then argue over which bloated bureaucracy to dismantle first.

P.S. I'll know the GOP has come to it's senses when people like Mitch McConnell and Michael Steele are no longer in charge.

526 posted on 02/21/2010 5:19:49 PM PST by Pan_Yan (Is the sarcasm tag really necessary?)
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To: CaptainK
I find Mark's "anger" funny."

I used to as well.

527 posted on 02/21/2010 5:20:06 PM PST by arasina (So there.)
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To: TornadoAlley3
"Blacks and Orientals who chose not to go?"

It certainly isn't the fault of the 10,000 people who were there. They didn't tell Blacks and Orientals to stay away. It's always someone else who tells them to stay away, and they don't have to listen to those voices. But they did.

528 posted on 02/21/2010 5:21:11 PM PST by YHAOS (you betcha!)
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To: Fawn
Glen is just against progressives.....

Those who aren't progressives, are, also. What is he for? Seems to be Libertarian - they aren't progressives?
529 posted on 02/21/2010 5:21:17 PM PST by presently no screen name
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To: greyfoxx39

You know the Palin bashers are desperate.
They can always find their hate confirmed on the Left Wing sites.


530 posted on 02/21/2010 5:21:30 PM PST by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: Sergeant Tim

Oh SNAP!


531 posted on 02/21/2010 5:22:10 PM PST by greyfoxx39 ("The Economy Is So Bad, Even 'Rosy Scenario' Lost Her Job"-Jim Geraghty)
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To: jenk

Conservatives do not like the homosexual agenda.


532 posted on 02/21/2010 5:22:29 PM PST by little jeremiah (Asato Ma Sad Gamaya Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya)
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To: jenk

No he’s not .. he is insulting the PROGRESSIVES - which are in both parties. Lesser in the GOP, but still there; most likely in the form of RINO’s.


533 posted on 02/21/2010 5:22:47 PM PST by CyberAnt (Our RIGHTS are given to us by GOD; not Congress or the President)
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To: whatisthetruth; jenk

Conservatives do not like the homosexual agenda.

And if homosexuals don’t parade around or make announcements about their sexual perversion, no one will know or care.


534 posted on 02/21/2010 5:23:16 PM PST by little jeremiah (Asato Ma Sad Gamaya Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya)
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To: Arthur Wildfire! March
Great job Arthur, great to hear fro you. Sign me up. I have been a JD Hayworth fan for some time. I sure hope he can take the geezer out once and for all.
535 posted on 02/21/2010 5:23:32 PM PST by rodguy911 ( Sarah 2012!!! Home of the free because of the brave.)
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To: Texas Eagle

NOW YOU DID IT JUST SPIT SOME COFFEEE, ALL OVER.....


536 posted on 02/21/2010 5:24:16 PM PST by rodguy911 ( Sarah 2012!!! Home of the free because of the brave.)
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To: Sergeant Tim

“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?”

I remember Beck calling Ron Paul “the mayor of crazytown.”


537 posted on 02/21/2010 5:24:19 PM PST by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: rodguy911

rodguy, it’s the same for those Republicans serving in congress. It is so easy for everyone to dismiss them out of hand, like Beck did, but saying and doing are two different things.

I imagine most new Republican congressmen go to DC with high hopes and ideals but are beaten down by the system. We need to get their backs every time they come under attack in order to keep their spirits bolstered. No longer can we be a vote them in and let them go about their jobs. That city will eat up even the staunchest conservative. The People must stay vigilant.


538 posted on 02/21/2010 5:25:26 PM PST by upsdriver
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To: SoCalPol
So Demint and Palin are the same as Harry Read and Pelosi, Who knew

LOL! Exactly, SoCalPol!

The absurdity of holding both parties equally responsible is shattered in those few words.

Even Republican haters can't believe his schtick about their being the same as the Marxist left.

DeMint, Palin, Bachmann (I really like her!) and a slew of others.

And yes, there are many videos and texts verifying that he indeed does do that.

Even comparing Reid with McConnell and Pelosi with Boehner (no matter what you think of the R's) makes the whole thesis ridiculous.

539 posted on 02/21/2010 5:25:55 PM PST by ohioWfan (Proud Mom of a Bronze Star recipient!)
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To: Utah Binger

When I lived in Utah and was at BYU, the Birchers were big on campus and there were a lot of billboards. Utah is still the only state I see Birch billboards in, there may be some in the south, but they are still big in UT.


540 posted on 02/21/2010 5:26:31 PM PST by reaganaut (- "I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see")
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