When Glenn Beck-y Got A Brand New Bag

I think this about sums up Glenn Beck. Mired in the middle of the ratings somewhere, a sometimes interesting goof ball without the chops to break through to the top level of conservative talk, he saw an opening as he watched Ron Paul.

For anyone who supported Ron Paul's 2008 presidential campaign, it was a frustrating thing to watch how the media treated him. One of the media personalities that was particularly disappointing to watch with Ron Paul was Glenn Beck. Overall, he seemed to agree with Paul's ideas the most, and yet he would often preface any agreements he had with Paul by saying things like "I don't agree with Ron Paul on everything--not by a long shot." He would say that Paul was on the "fringe" and had some "kooky" ideas.

What was "kooky" and "fringe" yesterday is precisely what Beck has become. And the very same folks who were gaga over Paul are now gaga over Beck. What do you know, if you build it, they will come.

On his radio show last week, he apologized to libertarians everywhere for calling himself a libertarian in the past. He has long called himself a conservative with libertarian leanings, but he said he is now leaning so far libertarian that he is almost horizontal. He said, “I’m going through a change here.”

Beck would like the time machine to take him back eighteen months. Why? To go back to when he was calling Ron Paul a “crackpot on so many issues.” Now, he laments, “Gosh. I’d like to reexamine all those issues.” Among those issues is America’s occupation of many foreign countries; Beck specifically mentions Germany,  Korea, and Afghanistan. He admits that America’s imperialism has caused a lot of problems. He said, “Progressive members of the Republican party wanted to make sure that we spread sunshine, lollipops, happiness, and democracy to all around the world. That’s great. But the best way to do that is to live a righteous life and be a good example.” And he repeated what Paul has been saying for years, “Besides, we can’t afford it anymore!”

Comments

[Sabdra Binder (charmingtail)]

So...Glenn is not allowed to change his mind? Hey...I was SICK to DEATH of the death threats...the stalking and crazy actions of the Ron Paul Bots on the Insider boards and at every event Glenn was at book signings ect.... Glenn even had Paul on to ask him if he believed 9-11 was an insider job and about the violence of his supporters...Paul denounced them too. The one that is pumping all the violence against Beck is the left, Alex Jones, Savage and that idiot Levin. Glenn has often said that once he got to sit with Ron Paul many things made sense BUT the wacko supporters were making it hard to take Ron Paul serious. FUNNY..... all his supporters went over to Obama...seems to me alot of Pauls supporters were College lib olants to over through the GOP and get McCain in...it worked. I am not like Glenn... I gave $100 to Chris Peden who ran against Paul in his Congressional Primary. Glenn is a wonderful man I first meet him Mar 2001...in Tampa...his 1st day on National radio was 9/11/01! He is a wonderful human being...the way those Ron Paul truthers treated him om the book tour was awful!! The even posted pics of themselfs in stores next to Glenn and his family memebers stating they were that close to Glenn or a family memeber...frightening...Ron Paukl had to come out and tell them to stop it...that he Paul does not support violence. So...get a grip!

[Dan Riehl]

I didn't say Paul supported violence. Sorry, I always hate to upset charming tail.

[syn]

If Beck begins building those RON PAUL!!!!! Stormtrooper thugs who think 9-11 was an inside job, that it's the JOOOS running the world and who prefer doing dirty dealings with dictators, kleptocrats and all around genocidal tyrants because the profit margin is greater then Beck will be just another insanely crazy whiny-witchy misery-maker that we have now.

If Libertarians are truly concerned about American Imperialism then why in the hell do they insist upon doing dirty dealings with dictators, kleptocrats and all-around genocidal dictators?

Lastly, RON PAUL!!!!! must have forgotten his American history....without France using their 'imperialist' forces to help American Tea Partiers throw off the tyrannical chains of the British Empire then there would be no America.

RON PAUL!!!! creeps me out as much as does Obama.

[syn]

"hard to take Ron Paul serious."

All I had to do was listen to Ron Paul during the primary debate in New Hampshire to know the man is whacked-out crazy ranting on in his typically nasally-whinny wicked-witch of the West about how America cause 9/11 because of our 'imperialist' ways; spineless and without conviction for the meaning fo Liberty.

Yeah, Libertarianism is such a terrifically fantastic philosophy....a bunch of flaccid pricks and obese chicks wanting all the money for themselves so they can purchase more internet kiddie porn to alleviate their impotence.

[syn]

"that he Paul does not support violence"

Paul inspires violence which is why he must tell his devoted thugs to stop being so damn obvious.

I have been around enough RON PAUL!!!thugs to know they operate exactly the same as Obama's thugs operate; they get in your face, use fear and intimidation to get their way.

[Ran]

Paul's point about the expense of foreign power projection isn't kooky, it's numbers-gazing. He's right, at least as far as the expense part. He's wrong in the understandings of America's power and position, though.

Kooky? I don't care if Beck is kooky. If he starts to bvllsh!t, I'll vote with my dial. I dig Beck, Levin, Jason Lewis, Boortz... every one kooky in some way. So what? [BTW, Levin and Beck have vastly more in common than in contrast. Chill, charming. Grip, all that.]

Dan, I have some related thoughts here: http://ifyouseekpeace.blogspot.com/2009/09/market-solution-to-missile-defense.html

We provide the world it's security service. High time places like Germany man-up or pay-up, perhaps? If they do, it's indirect. I don't understand it well enough.

[Ellis Wyatt]

I supported Paul in the GOP primary, and I don't think 9/11 was an inside job. Nor do I think that "JOOS" are running the world or any of that BS. I didn't vote for Obama either, I held my nose and voted for McCain even though he betrayed us again and again. I'm sorry that some other supporters of Paul do believe those things, because we desperately need someone to stand up for liberty in this country. Dr. Paul is one of the few people in the GOP who actually have guts.

I'd love to see more libertarian leaders emerge from the GOP. But for now Dr. Paul is the best available. It's refreshing to see someone in the GOP who is concerned about something other than preventing gay marriages.

[BadIdeaGuy]

"a bunch of flaccid pricks and obese chicks wanting all the money for themselves so they can purchase more internet kiddie porn to alleviate their impotence."

I've never heard libertarians described that way before...

I read Beck's "Common Sense" and wholeheartedly agree with the idea that progressives in both parties have pushed us toward the mega-debtor nanny-state we're in now. I don't know if I agree that it means abandoning the GOP entirely, though a lot of progressives in the GOP have ridden the conservative bandwagon for a while, but they take every opportunity to throw social conservatives under the bus.

I like the idea of a voting block (who have a serious promise to stay home on election day if a Democrat-lite is the GOP candidate) better than complete abandonment of the GOP. Don't think that the Democrats won't capitalize if everyone heeds Glenn Beck's calls to abandon the GOP. It would take years (that we don't currently have) to organize a third party.

I still don't believe in nation-building, but I don't think we should bring all troops home from everywhere, like Ron Paul. The whole point of our military is to protect our nation (first) and protect overseas commerce, as I see it.

[HatlessHessian]

This is where the country-clubbers go off the rails (and lord does it disgust me to have to defend someone like Ron Paul to respond to this conceptual ilk). You tell me with absolute certainty that Ron Paul has not a single worthwhile idea worth consideration and I'll be certain you're completely lost and unworthy of part of public discourse.

Paul was someone I thought made everyone uncomfortable in the room (awaiting his coming out screaming about the aliens in the next room). He brought excessive baggage with him per controversies on newsletters and what he may or may not have said. That said, he also advocated some Austrian economic thought that is relevant to the discussion and it was great to have someone advance that thought. McCain is nothing more than a closet Keynesian.

This rejection of Beck reflects mostly upon the personal issues of those who oppose; not Beck or the greater conservative community. You seriously need to examine what is causing the emotional rejection. Is it his lack of pedigree? His middle class upbringing? His new money credentials? Or is it a deeper issue, finding his "having fallen and arisen again from sin" as an alcoholic and personal disaster? I've got a few pedigreed friends who are terrified of anyone who has the passion of the saved soul as they smell the ghost of fundamentalism and born-againness. They are so obsessed with this fear that they'll constantly attempt to point out new addictions (e.g. "he's only successful in that job because he's just transferred his obsession with alcohol to his obsession with work - he's still a drunk. A dry drunk!"). Regardless if this has merit (it probably does at some level - alcoholism is a symptom of a deeper personality dynamic and those compulsive energies are pretty damn hard wired), the "dry drunk" has refocused their problem into a socially and personally productive space. So why the hell is anyone else bothered by it?

Seriously, if you're having problems with Beck, Palin, etc., YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS. Political discourse needs a wider realm of thought. Wiki "critical theory" and "radicalization" and learn how the narrow realm of perspective we have in our current political system is insufficient for solving the problems inherent within it. We need oddballs, obsessive freaks, nutjobs, weirdos and crazy-brilliant people in our discourse to help us locate the solution points to the disaster our rigid, narrow perspective political realm has created.

[neomom]

So Why the Obsession with Glenn Beck all of a sudden?

Why are the alleged Conservative Elite trying to destroy Glenn Beck?

I'm calling jealousy.

Who the hell cares if Beck calls himself a Libertarian or a Conservative, really. I've found a lot of agreement in those two circles anyway.

How about just appreciating what Beck has helped to awaken in the public with the information he provides. Do you really think Van Jones would have resigned without Beck's efforts? Or the platform that Beck provided to Breitbart about ACORN?

This effort smacks of the same kind of internal witch hunt that Sarah Palin received last fall.

Knock it off. We need all the help we can get. Even from over-the-top goofy maybe Libertarians.

[gary gulrud]

My, aren't we perseverating just a tad? Get a grip and pass up a donut or two in the AM.

You're right, Beck isn't that interesting.

[Paul A'Barge]

If you're looking to hang Beck's pelt on your belt then it's going to be buh-bye from me sir.

[dad29]

"Paul's point about the expense of foreign power projection isn't kooky, it's numbers-gazing. He's right, at least as far as the expense part. He's wrong in the understandings of America's power and position, though."

At some point in time, the power-projection question should be addressed. I understand MacArthur's thought as applied in the Pacific, and evidently applied in Europe, too.

But the question of "necessity" should come up at least once in a while. Is it "necessary" to project power in Western Europe to counter Russia now? Or is it better to migrate projection to the Middle East?

[Gary]

And from many, many others I suspect, including myself.

Who's next? Those kooky creationists?

[Snooper]

Once more, Glenn Beck is a libertarian and has been for years. He's got the Leftinistra all pissed off and is now looking to see which "conservatives" he can piss off. Get over it. Take what you want form Glenn Beck and throw the libertarian crap OUT.

[Bruce, NV]

I was at the Nevada Caucuses (cauci?) last year, and I can tell you, the Paulians ARE friggin scary. If Dr Ronbot and his pal Buchanan had their way about WWII, those relatives of mine who escaped the death camps wouldn't have.

That's all I need to know about "doctrinaire" libertarians.

[PA]

If he keeps putting ordnance on target and keeps getting eyeballs, I really don't care what his personal politics are.

[Billy Beck]

Only yesterday, I bookmark a bloggist to whom I've hitherto paid quite little attention, eventually coming to the bookmark because of linx seen at other places that I would like to respect, and then today I get this post.

Come on, Dan. Are you really so far-gone in this whole rotten mess that you think it impossible that a man -- even one in Beck's position -- could come to (more or less) clear realizations of what he's been involved with?

Is there *anything* that you could take at its own word anymore? Or, do you just think it's all necessarily bullshit?

[Indentured Servant Girl]

Perhaps I'm just a tad cynical...but I can't help but wonder if his conversion re: Ron Paul has anything to do with the fact that Ron Paul's book is doing so well, and that he has earned unanimous support for his audit the Fed bill.

Everybody likes to hitch their wagon to a winner.

[Indentured Servant Girl]

To Snooper:

Beck is a Libertarian like Bill Maher is a Libertarian. That is, not at all.

It's just something they say in order to look impartial.

No one who supported the bailouts can be called a Libertarian. Regardless of how they self identify.

[Billy Beck]

"No one who supported the bailouts can be called a Libertarian."

That's right, and some of them can learn that.

[Barbara]

Dan,
I respect alot of things you do.
Two issues of late concern me:
1. an almost public battle with Robert
2. jumping on this trash Glenn wagon thing
I ask that you take a few moments to listen to your own words on the recent
radio show you did with RSM and Clarice.
You are a good passionate man this infighting has got to stop.
The goal is the preservation of America and her future.
I ask you with all my heart to do what you do best and expose those who mean
us harm.
Barbara

[christmasghost]

When ever I see Ron Paul's pinched weasel face on TV and have to hear his creepy whiny little voice all I can think of are the old Archie comics,but I can't remember the name of the kid that wore the funny hat....but it's definitely Ron Paul.
As for Glenn Beck.....please, cut him some slack. Levin is a brilliant mind and writer but how many Americans has he roused from their stupor? Z-E-R-O.
Plus, isn't it just a bit hard for anyone else here to take seriously a grown man [Levin] that wants to be called the great one by idiots like Hannity?
Sorry, Dan but I must respectfully disagree with your take on Beck.