Think Progress published an interesting article which included this amazing video. I suppose the people who buy into Glenn Beck's performance are all the more impressed with his ranting. I mean, he's talking about serious stuff, right?
The hysterical haranguing about "redistribution of wealth" and likening it to the policies of Castro and Mao, connecting Obama to these philosophies, calling them Marxist, all combine to attract viewers. Unfortunately, many of them are taken in.
The Think Progress article showed that Thomas Paine, whom Beck likes to quote as an example of true patriotism in the American style, actually held some of these dangerous beliefs himself.
What's your opinion? Are people really frightened that they will have to "share their wealth" with the have-nots? Wasn't that already happening through income taxes and welfare programs? What is Beck stirring up, fear that it will increase?
Do you think this might show how difficult it is to call upon 18th century ideology and apply it to today's society? Isn't that what the gun folks do when citing the 2nd Amendment as their authorization?
What's your opinion? Is there a real point to Glenn Beck's ranting?
Please leave a comment.
I don't watch beck or any other talk show hosts as I turned off my TV in 2001.
ReplyDeleteI remember ranting about Obama's redistribution of wealth speeches long before I ever heard Glenn Beck. Van Jones is a self proclaimed Marxist and it is no secret that half of his cabinet and Czars are socialists. Anita Dunn admitted that he is guided by Mao Tse Tung.
ReplyDeleteGlenn may rant and rave for ratings and dollars but regardless, he is not very far off the mark pointing out the communist ideals of the administration. He doesn't make up wild claims, he plays back video of these people making the claims themselves.
Beck is a showman, no doubt, but that doesn't make him a liar.
FWM, Your labels for all those Obama Administration official are fine, but what do you call Thomas Paine then?
ReplyDeleteThose aren't my labels. In most cases they have applied those labels to themselves.
ReplyDeleteThomas Paine was not a Marxist or a communist.
Are people really frightened that they will have to "share their wealth" with the have-nots?
ReplyDeleteYes, I am. I don't have a problem with helping to support people who can't support themselves. I do have a problem with people who won't.
Wasn't that already happening through income taxes and welfare programs?
Yes, already far too much. Even if you think we should have a welfare system, the current system is astoundingly bad, with perverse incentives that discourage people from getting off. I wish I could find the reference, but a study that followed people who were given welfare compared to those who were denied, 5 years later the people denied had a higher standard of living.
Sevesteen, I agree wholeheartedly the welfare system which discourages responsible living is a mess. It's a dilemma. How do we address that without scraping the whole thing and harming people who really need it?
ReplyDelete