Topic: It's Official: Glenn Beck Jet Skis Over Shark Tank

[IronDioPriest]

...I have a theory about history that I think I mentioned before.

I call it the Great man Theory.
In times of great crisis, a great leader will come forth.

There may be someone there who can rise to the office but I can't see it now

LOTR The Fellowship of the Ring - Boromir and Aragorn in Lothlorien

Famous Speeches: Aragorn at the Black Gate

Coronación y canción de Aragorn

A great president may be among us now, and he or she may not be aware.

[AmericanPatriot]

My hope is for a brokered convention.
However, that may work against us,too
But it can't be any worse than what we have

[IronDioPriest]

My hope is for a brokered convention.
However, that may work against us,too
But it can't be any worse than what we have

No doubt. The worst that could happen would be a reaffirmation of Newt or Romney as the nominee. I would LOVE to see a brokered convention. Throw somebody off the wall at the Democrats at the last moment. It seems pretty clear that the person Republicans can feel good about getting behind is not now in the field.

[Libertas]

The last time a Republican convention came close to being "brokered" was in 1976, but Reagan didn't push it and Ford was given the nod.  I think Ronald knew any candidate with an "R" after his name running in the post-Watergate cauldron was going to get trounced no matter how incompetent the Dem nominee was...and look, they picked a nobody Governor/peanut farmer!  Plus, I think Ronald knew 1980 was going to be a better year to make a strong push, and once the disaster that was Carter became reality, Reagan's decisions look inspired.  Ike I guess was the last hand-picked republican nominee.

I doubt we'll get to a brokered convention, but perhaps somebody not currently in the field could be selected if the current crop cannot see one emerge with enough delegates...but I doubt it...my Ruling Class BS detector is still chiming loudly, so I think the likelihood that the fix is in at some point is the most likely result...

[AmericanPatriot]

I suppose you're right, Libertas.
Then I would expect it to be Romney.

I don't see Newt having the discipline or staying power to make it all the way

[radioman]

I've been praying that at the convention, none of the present candidates garner enuff votes to secure the nomination, and Sarah is drafted as our nominee.

Ok, wake me up!  

[Libertas]

A lot has to happen between now and this summer, I will be pleased if I am proved wrong and the Ruling Class candidates have been eliminated, but we'll see...I know I am casting my lot with Bachmann when the caucus hits my state, at least if I am kept awake at night it won't be over that!

Nice dream ya got there Radioman, if only it could be true!

 

[Damn_Lucky]

A lot has to happen between now and this summer, I will be pleased if I am proved wrong and the Ruling Class candidates have been eliminated, but we'll see...I know I am casting my lot with Bachmann when the caucus hits my state, at least if I am kept awake at night it won't be over that!

Nice dream ya got there Radioman, if only it could be true!

 

That's where I've decided to put my hat and Radioman we can dream can't we.
 Just say NO to Prog's.

[michelleo]

It saddens me greatly that people within our cause are fighting amongst themselves over a nominee.  The right nominee has not revealed himself/herself, obviously.  Glenn Beck is on our side.  Someone said he's an addictive person.  That he thinks he'll be a savior when TSHTF.  He is admittedly a prepper.  He wants others to prepare.  He's going to produce a show on GBTV following the pursuits of one family as they prepare.  That takes courage.  I don't see any other well known figures putting themselves out there seriously talking about TEOTWAWKI, not even Rush.  I'm not sure that makes Beck a savior in his mind.  His emotions run strong, and he is clearly affected by the prospect of TEOTWAWKI.  I think many of us can say the same.  His personal cause has become trying to help people through it with grace, not hopelessness.  I don't think that's such a bad thing.

[Libertas]

And I'll say this about Beck, since leaving Fox and going out on his own, he has been a lot more riled up on his show...there was always some humor and ridicule there before, but now I think he feels liberated to unload.  I don't agree 100% with everything he says, but 90 some percent of the time he is making valid points.  I think Rush views himself as an educator and entertainer in the field of politics and daily life as we know it, I don't think he would be comfortable discussing things like prepping primarily because at his core he is a hopefull and optimistic person.  That is not a character flaw, it is an asset to him and to us.  Hearing both what we can do now and what we can do tomorrow rounds out our perspective so both men fill roles that are of benefit to us.  It will be interesting to see if the prepper show Beck is talking about is serious and not something that makes people look like fringe kooks.  Hope they picked the right family!

[Delnorin]

Who's more conservative? Ron Paul? Or Newt Gingrich?

In my mind, there is no debate. Gingrich is a big government progressive establishment Republican. His relationship to the constitution is academic. Ron Paul is a small government libertarian conservative. His relationship to the constitution is visceral and near absolute. So absolute that he completely takes himself out of consideration for an entire voting bloc because his version of conservative foreign policy is complete isolationism and fails to make moral distinctions between allies and enemies. But there is no question that Ron Paul is as ultra-conservative-libertarian as Newt Gingrich is ultra-establishment progressive GOP.

In other words, aside from the quirkiness and the vapid foreign policy, Ron Paul's policy positions are exactly what the conservative electorate has been pleading for. That is going to be attractive to many, many people.
If Ron Paul runs 3rd party, it's game over - Obama wins. There is no way possible to deride, shame, and cajole enough of his followers and enough anti-establishment Republicans to give the vote to Gingrich. Glenn Beck's comment will not make Ron Paul's 3rd party run any more damaging to a Newt Gingrich GOP run than it would otherwise be without it*. If Paul run's it's game over. Beck could say the exact opposite of what he said, and it would still be game over.


*ETA: Without Beck's comment, that is.

Exactly !! (see bold above)

[Delnorin]

You're right Trap, Paul is a libertarian. But it is also true that a great deal of what defines libertarianism is constitutional principles - otherwise known as conservatism. We have a two party system, which means people outside the mainstream who seek an effective political voice will infiltrate one of two parties. The GOP is a logical home for libertarians who seek to work within the two-party system.

But that's just it: Two parties. If Paul goes 3rd party, he's a treasonous bastard that willingly hands the nation to Marxists on the altar of his libertarian principles. If he stays a Republican, and continues to work to bring libertarian values to the GOP, that's the way it's supposed to work.

So far, he's worked within the two party system to bring the GOP closer to the constitution. As repulsive as he may be to many as a presidential candidate, observation of his effect on the electorate seems obvious to me. Ron Paul has brought constitutional awareness to more people more quickly than anyone else in the modern political climate. He has made apolitical people into zealous (even if misguided) defenders of the constitution. That doesn't earn him the presidency, but IF he stays loyal to the party that brought him to the dance, then I say his influence has not been negative, and could end up in hindsight being extremely important to the survival of constitutional principles among a generation that was meant by the Left to abandon them altogether.

Amen to that.. right on.  (above bold print)

[Delnorin]

My own preferences notwithstanding , I've always considered Beck an irritating , iconoclastic gadfly and I wish he'd shut the hell up . Why FOX ever wasted air-time on him is beyond me .

True... FoxNews is far too "Establishment GOP" to allow for independent thought and pushing for Freedom and individual responsibility.  I agree.

[Delnorin]

This just illustrates to me the weakness of the candidates in the Republican field.  And I qualify weakness not in the sense that the MFM would like to twist it into, I mean a real weakness, a lack of true star power and someone who would take the fight to the enemy and not compromise...but she decided to bow out of the race so this is what we're left with.

So...

People can tell me Bachmann is dead in the water, but I see her as the least likely of anybody in the remaining field to screw me over...when it comes time to cast my lot it will be with her, whoever ends up with the nomination may or may not get my vote.  Y'all know my thoughts on this, no need to belabor them.

Here Here... I'll raise my drink to that!  (bold above)

[Delnorin]

Here's the "good" news: none of this much matters certainly not as much as we'd all like to think it does. The fact of the matter is that even if this country started doing everything right from this moment forward we're still going to hit the iceberg. You just can't undo this mess -- there is going to be a lot of pain and austerity coming as Reality reacquaints itself with our depraved citizenry. The big question mark is what will happen as a result of that discomfort. It's the sort of thing that has in the past been a recipe for the rise of opportunistic tyrants.

Very well said and pointed out Glock32... exactly right. (bold above)

[Delnorin]

My hope is for a brokered convention.
However, that may work against us,too
But it can't be any worse than what we have

No doubt. The worst that could happen would be a reaffirmation of Newt or Romney as the nominee. I would LOVE to see a brokered convention. Throw somebody off the wall at the Democrats at the last moment. It seems pretty clear that the person Republicans can feel good about getting behind is not now in the field.

I'm not sure if that's exactly true.  I do think Republicans can get behind Romney and Newt... they perfectly follow the progressive/socialist views of the Republicans....

Now.. on the other hand.

Let me re-write your comment:
It seems pretty clear that the person Conservatives can feel good about getting behind is not now in the field.

I think that is worth talking about.

(Point trying to make):  The Republican party is no longer conservative... conservatives feel lost and wandering for their choice in a location that no longer is even trying to give them a choice they can feel good about.

[Delnorin]

I've been praying that at the convention, none of the present candidates garner enuff votes to secure the nomination, and Sarah is drafted as our nominee.

Ok, wake me up!  

From your lips to God's ears.

Edit: (addition)... though I think Sarah has some issues with letting the GOP push her around.  After reading her first book I got annoyed with how much she just accepted what they shoveled on her and led the reader to think ... well.. they're the big guys... they must know best.

I want someone that will take a running chainsaw and shove it up the ass of the establishment while singing the national antheum.

[Delnorin]

And I'll say this about Beck, since leaving Fox and going out on his own, he has been a lot more riled up on his show...there was always some humor and ridicule there before, but now I think he feels liberated to unload.  I don't agree 100% with everything he says, but 90 some percent of the time he is making valid points.  I think Rush views himself as an educator and entertainer in the field of politics and daily life as we know it, I don't think he would be comfortable discussing things like prepping primarily because at his core he is a hopefull and optimistic person.  That is not a character flaw, it is an asset to him and to us.  Hearing both what we can do now and what we can do tomorrow rounds out our perspective so both men fill roles that are of benefit to us.  It will be interesting to see if the prepper show Beck is talking about is serious and not something that makes people look like fringe kooks.  Hope they picked the right family!

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be a religiously loyal viewer (pun intented for humor) of the prepper show he's going to be producing.... but I can't justify the $10 a month for a membership to GBtv.com for it.  I'm spending that $10/month on bags of rice and ammo.

[AlanS]

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be a religiously loyal viewer (pun intented for humor) of the prepper show he's going to be producing.... but I can't justify the $10 a month for a membership to GBtv.com for it.  I'm spending that $10/month on bags of rice and ammo.

You're a wise man.

[Pandora]

It saddens me greatly that people within our cause are fighting amongst themselves over a nominee.  The right nominee has not revealed himself/herself, obviously.  Glenn Beck is on our side.  Someone said he's an addictive person.  That he thinks he'll be a savior when TSHTF.  He is admittedly a prepper.  He wants others to prepare.  He's going to produce a show on GBTV following the pursuits of one family as they prepare.  That takes courage.  I don't see any other well known figures putting themselves out there seriously talking about TEOTWAWKI, not even Rush.  I'm not sure that makes Beck a savior in his mind.  His emotions run strong, and he is clearly affected by the prospect of TEOTWAWKI.  I think many of us can say the same.  His personal cause has become trying to help people through it with grace, not hopelessness.  I don't think that's such a bad thing.

No, it's not a bad thing, michelleo.  The prepping discussions are what got me/us started.

I wrote what you've cited here about "savior", so let me explain and clarify.

I've been listening to Beck on the radio since way before he was on Fox and observed how he's changed.  His emotions do run strong, and, while not a fault, Beck is intemperate.  It's not what he says about who, it's not the prepping and his anxiety over the future of the country and our welfare; it's because he doesn't appear in control of those emotions.  Some days, before he left Fox, he sounded as depressed on the radio as he must have felt; other days he was in full rant, Levin-style and too many days, he and Pat and Stu ... well, the show was unlistenable -- manic laughter, weird voice-imitations while screeching over each other.  Not only was it not entertaining, it caused me to wonder what the hell was wrong with them that they thought it would be.

Then there was the YouTube he made of himself after his "ass surgery" as he put it.

I don't find fault with the faith rallies, either, but I question Beck's devotion to the work and memory of Martin Luther King; for a man who prides himself on The Truth, he's either missing a lot or deceiving himself about the entirety of who King really was.

Finally, there's his insistence on non-violence.  It makes me grind my teeth.  If he thinks we're going to Gandhi or King our way out of this, and it appears he does, he couldn't be more wrong.  But I can see him standing at the forefront (here's the "somewhat delusional" part) shouting to not resist, don't fight, don't shoot.

I take from Beck the good and the sensible and I credit him for that, and I stand in awe of his deep and abiding Faith, but the rest? I worry.