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.
Finished wood, I hope-ow! Hate to think about that!
Breitbart has been a guess on Beck’s many times and all the show on TV use video that Fox aquires and they all seem to share the same stuff
What are you talking about?
When did Rush mention Beck?
You are disingenuous and do not practice the Golden Rule or you and a few of you cohorts would not be sniping nothing I have said here is any different from others expressing their opinion except I am LDS.
I did see those who are Jewish folks saying well you defend Levin because he is Jewish or those who are Catholic oh you defend Hannity because he is Catholic etc
You post inaccuracy about my faith and I will just leave it because this is another topic anyone wants to know what you think about my faith can enter Mormon in the keyword ping to see what terrible people the LDS are!
I call this constantly being hound by Godzilla; Utah Binger; ejonesie22; greyfoxx39; Elsie is bias and discriminating!
My religious freedom is being infringe upon every time I go to the News post as well!
Tomorrow Elsie will be here to harass all of my post!
Well, you do raise a good point and I appreciate it. And thanks for the spelling tip! Told you, I’m learning. ;)
Godzilla; Utah Binger; ejonesie22; greyfoxx39; Elsie
Courtesy PING to # 944
Your names are mentioned...
I’ve been told that he has not spoken about it since April of last year.
That would tell me he doesn’t consider a 3rd party a good thing.
That’s for the PING Tim...
Mark is still The Great One...
:)
Rush went on Beck’s show a few months back, and it was very amiable. Rush stays above this sort of thing, as I mentioned earlier.
restornu, at the risk of offending-because I don’t know you, not here and certainly not in real life...don’t let it get to you. You’re a Mormon and proud of it-great-ignore the flamers and be confident in your faith; don’t worry about what others will say. Kinda like being a conservative these days, hm?
Hi Nana! It’s been a LONG time!
I question whether this speech is really for Beck's benefit than the GOP. "Look at me!" That kind of thing.
Thank you I am trying and it is good practice, something new I am learning that place that is in us to strive to continue pressing forward...
You should stop while you are ahead before you insult all those in the heartland!
Do you really imagine that any national talker does all of his own show-prep research? Just wondering...
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Well if you don’t use teleprompter I guess you have learn what you are going to say and for that you have to have a repertoire to draw from which means the things you say have to be a part of you like breathing in and out!
Not all but those areas where one is passionate
What interest me is that he is talking about things I learn in the 80’s in NYC I have a wonderful collections of things I collected over the years from excellent used book stores of old books on history like 1st edition before revision set in!
Do you know the story on Christmas Sweater book which series it came from?
I have listen to Levin way before Beck and like I said Beck was the only one to talk about things I learn in the 1980 and I never met the man!
So did he break into my apt and steal the stuff?
Politics and religion are tightly intertwined in Utah. Too tightly.
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Newsflash I live in Michigan!
yes - levin does - he said it last week - you can listen for yourself on his web site - its free - free as in no money required to listen to his shows
as i understand it, almost all the proceeds from 'rescuing sprite' went to the animal shelter in levin's area
I am really disappointed in Levin remarks as well as Bennett’s for they put their listeners in an uncomfortable place when many of us listen to all for various reasons.
Making the listener to choose one over another or feeling the need to defending there is enough going on in the world without the clashing of titans!
Mark is right, thank you!!!!
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