What's Wrong With Glenn Beck

The following is clipped from a conversation I was having with an ideological opponent, so if it seems short, crude, or incomplete, that is why. Still a good summary of my feelings on the subject:


...it is a sad testament to Beck that despite watching his show, having heard his radio show, and reading his book (Common Sense), I can't actually argue against any of his political positions, because he doesn't really have any, which is what my problem with him in short boils down to. He admits himself to being a rodeo clown entertainer, and if that is all he was worth, I wouldn't even care about him. Unfortunately, he presents himself and some perceive him to be a credible news source or a fair and legitimate pundit opinion.

Let me get to it with some examples-Beck is fond of saying that health care reform is a government take over, is going to lead to a socialized state, and is Obama's way of getting back at whites for slavery (yes, he actually said that), yet he presents NO ideas, alternatives, or solutions of his own. (This is where that party of "no" stuff comes in). Even if they don't agree how to do it, a majority of Americans support health care reform and recognize the system is broken. Steeping your speech in anti-government rhetoric and hate is not tantamount to offering a solution or alternative. The same goes for him on the bailouts and the stimulus, which he railed against, cried about, said all kinds of offensive and crazy things and generally lost his mind over without offering any ideas or alternative to how to save American jobs, companies, and savings. Just saying "no" or "less government" does not address or solve any of the problems facing President Obama and America. It's easy to sit on the side lines and shout how the plays should be done, anyone can do it. Doesn't mean it's worth anything. But in addition to having no ideas or substance, he is also just a hate-mongering, possible racist, that plays to and amps up people's irrational fear for his own selfish reasons of book sales and ratings. That is why I not only don't like Glenn Beck or agree with him on anything, I don't have any respect for him.

Beck on Palin

While talking about the possibility of being on Palin's ticket in the 2012 election on his radio show, Glenn Beck said:


"No, no I'm just saying -- Beck-Palin, I'll consider. But Palin-Beck -- can you imagine, can you imagine what an administration with the two of us would be like? What? Come on! She'd be yapping or something, and I'd say, "I'm sorry, why am I hearing your voice? I'm not in the kitchen."

Get the F*** Out

From the Huffingtonpost-

In a little-noticed blog post published on the White House website in September, President Obama's special counsel for ethics and government reform Norm Eisen announced that the administration no longer wanted federally-registered lobbyists appointed to agency advisory boards and commissions.

These appointees to boards and commissions, which are made by agencies and not the President, advise the federal government on a variety of policy areas. Keeping these advisory boards free of individuals who currently are registered federal lobbyists represents a dramatic change in the way business is done in Washington.


As has been reported, the President has made a commitment to close the revolving door that has in the past allowed lobbyists and others to move to and from full-time federal government service. In furtherance of this commitment, the President issued Executive Order 13490, which bars anyone appointed by the President who has been a federally-registered lobbyist within the past two years from working on particular matters or in the specific areas in which they lobbied or from serving in agencies they had lobbied. The aspiration we are announcing today builds on this commitment. While the letter of the President's Executive Order on Ethics does not apply to federally-registered lobbyists appointed by agency or department heads, the spirit does and we have conveyed that to the agencies who are responsible for these appointments.

On Friday, the Washington Post reported that the move "may turn out to be the most far-reaching lobbying rule change so far from President Obama," resulting in "hundreds, if not thousands, of lobbyists" being ejected from federal advisory panels.

http://bit.ly/6qqQtH

Why People Love Sarah Palin

From New Left Media at http://www.newleftmedia.com

They also had this posted, in response to any potential criticism of partisanship:

THERE ARE UNINFORMED OBAMA SUPPORTERS, TOO
It has been said in comments that we would find similarly talking point-driven, substance-less supporters at an Obama rally, and we agree. But no politician has emerged on the national stage as ... See More undefined and unqualified as Sarah Palin, and her public persona--which is anti-intellectual by definition--discourages substance. Instead, we get winking. One could hardly imagine her giving a complex speech about race in America, or speaking eloquently about our country's relations with Islam. Not just because she couldn't write such a speech (Obama has speech-writers, of course) but because she wouldn't--such necessarily academic discussion is antithetical to the persona she's created for herself and that her supporters have come to love.

Are You Smarter Than a Politician?

Lou Dobbs is reportedly talking about running for the Senate, as an intermediate step to running for the White House. There has been talk about Glenn Beck running for office. Some still consider Sarah Palin a serious nominee.Has reality TV really already effected people's brains this much? You've always had to have a celebrity appeal, they call it charisma, to run for office. All three of them do. But you use to be required to actually know something too. Is everybody else as frightened by the prospect of having celebrity "face" politicians, who have a television smile, but literally know nothing more than what their advisers just briefed them on? I shudder for us, Facebook generation.

An Open Letter To A Delusional Reader

From Mario Piperni, at www.mariopiperni.com

A reader from Tennessee writes in response to the current health care system.

“I have never in my 58 years of life known anyone first hand, or even second or third hand that has experienced the difficulties you mention. While I am certain there are exceptions, I don’t think it is nearly as rampant as the left/libs want us to think. I think a lot of the “hysteria” concerning shortcomings of the Health Care System are a healthy dose of “Chicken Little”.”

To him I say, check this link from a View from a Stall. (http://shar.es/aikXH) Former health insurance executive, Wendell Potter talked about dropping into…

“…a three-day charity program at a county fairgrounds to provide medical care for patients who could not afford doctors. Long lines of people were waiting in the rain, and patients were being examined and treated in public in stalls intended for livestock.”

You sit wherever the hell it is you sit surrounded by the possessions of your comfortable life and doubt that there is real suffering out there. You talk about “exceptions”. You try to make people who speak of the suffering and death caused by a broken health care system appear as if they are delusional and hysterical.

No, my friend, it is you who are not only delusional, but blind. I think you honestly believe your own words and that makes you the most dangerous and pathetic type of American. You believe that with some tinkering, whatever minor problems there might be within the current system, they would be fixed and everyone would shut up and stop complaining. You are one who judges everything by the manner in which they themselves are affected. If it isn’t raining over whatever part of Tennessee you’re at, then it just isn’t raining. Or, should someone convince you that it is indeed raining in California or New York, then you have no problem assigning blame to the individuals who are getting wet. It is their fault. It is always their fault.


Read more at mariopiperni.com

http://shar.es/aikX1

Democrats Get It Done

I have to say, I am legitimately shocked and impressed. The Dems actually move the ball down the field.

In a way you can neither overstate or understate the importance of this vote. On one hand, yes, it was only a procedural vote that just allows the legislation to enter in to the real debate and actual vote. The Dems will still have to break another Republican filibuster attempt to close the debate. If they can do that, all they need is a simple majority vote (51), which they have easily.

But on the other hand, this is an effort that some critics have labeled dead for months. The Democrat's incompetence and impotence is something of legend. Three Democratic senators were on the fence until today. Republicans were in a full uniformed united effort to filibuster the bill and kill it before it reached the floor and could be debated on. Not a single Republican voted to allow the legislation to even reach the floor.

In the end, the Democrats secured all 58 members of their caucus and brought in both Independent votes to reach the needed 60 votes to break a filibuster. For now at least, our sometimes friend/ sometimes foe Joe Lieberman came through.

Good on you, Joe.




From CNN.com-

"Health care reform backers won a key victory Saturday night as the Senate voted to move ahead with a floor debate on a sweeping $848 billion bill.

The 60-39 vote to prevent a Republican filibuster against the start of debate on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's legislation broke down along strict party lines. All 58 Senate Democrats -- along with independent Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont -- supported bringing the measure to the floor.

Thirty-nine of the 40 Senate Republicans opposed the motion. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, didn't vote.

"Tonight's historic vote brings us one step closer to ending insurance company abuses, reining in spiraling health care costs, providing stability and security to those with health insurance and extending quality health coverage to those who lack it," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement."

http://shar.es/aiYWc

Senate Health Care Vote

Tomorrow there will be a vote on whether or not to allow the Senate Health Care Bill to move on to the Senate floor (where the real vote on the actual legislation takes place). Every single Republican senator is united in a filibuster attempt to block the legislation from even having a chance to be properly debated on.
(Why they are so afraid of a fair vote beats me).

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs every Democrat in the Senate to be united in this vote tomorrow.

Call your senator, now!


And especially call if you have a Republican senator and let them know you are paying attention and not happy with their actions.


Organizing for America | BarackObama.com



"We're in the final sprint toward reform, and the next challenge is already here. It's critical for constituents to weigh in right away, and for senators to hear quickly and unmistakably: Move forward! Please call your senators now.


We need to thank those who have fought so hard to get us this far, and remind them all that their constituents support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and want a fair and honest debate without delay."

Jon Stewart vs Lou Dobbs

While having some border line fringe positions, I don't think Dobbs is as bad off as a Beck or Hannity. While I believe Stewart is the clear winner, it was a good debate for both men. An important conversation.

Round One:
Exclusive - Lou Dobbs Extended Interview Pt. 1

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
www.thedailyshow.com
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Round Two:
Exclusive - Lou Dobbs Extended Interview Pt. 2

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Round Three:

Exclusive - Lou Dobbs Extended Interview Pt. 3

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
www.thedailyshow.com
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Your winner, by TKO in the third round, Jon Stewart!

Gone Rogue

Daily Show: The Rogue Warrior

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
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Senate Health Care Reform Bill (Reid Delivers)

From CNN.com-

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid unveiled a sweeping health care bill Wednesday that would expand health insurance coverage to 30 million more Americans at an estimated cost of $849 billion over 10 years.

Reid and other Senate Democrats cited an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office for the coverage and cost figures.

In addition, they said at a news conference, the budget office estimated that the proposal would reduce the federal deficit by $127 billion over the next 10 years and by more than $600 billion in the following decade.

Reid, D-Nevada, needs 60 votes in the 100-member Senate to overcome a certain GOP filibuster attempt and open the chamber's debate on the bill. It would take another 60 votes to close debate that could last for weeks, while final approval of the bill would only require a simple majority.

A public option with an optional state opt out is included in the bill.

President Obama's statement-

"From day one, our goal has been to enact legislation that offers stability and security to those who have insurance and affordable coverage to those who don't, and that lowers costs for families, businesses and governments across the country. The Senate proposal meets those principles."

Read more-
http://bit.ly/SY3Bz

Going Rogue

Thought I would post this again in light of all the talk about Palin and her book.




Deeply funny stuff.

President Barack Obama at Town Hall in China

President Obama begins his prepared remarks at about the 9 minute mark. The really interesting part is when he starts the "town hall" question segment, at about the 25 minute mark, which (keep in mind this was broadcast on TV and the internet) is something that is unprecedented in heavily censored China. (In China, Facebook and Twitter along with many other sites are blocked on the internet by the government).



Read the prepared remarks here-

http://shar.es/az0a6

America Hates Immigrants!

Moves kind of slow at first but it's worth it. Funny stuff.

As an advisory, it's worth noting I don't actually share the sentiments of the "Anti-Columbus" crowd (I don't know if they even do or if it is just a symbolic protest), but think it's appropriate that the Anti-Immigration crowd got a taste of their own medicine. We are all immigrants to this land and it's not a nice feeling to have people accusing you of crime, disease, and the disintegration of communities while shouting for you to leave.

I saw this on http://www.brilliantatbreakfast.blogspot.com

Originally from http://www.idonthateamerica.com

Copenhagen=Epic Preemptive Fail

From Time.com-


"Confirming doubts that had been growing for months, the world leaders in attendance at APEC... announced on Sunday morning that a legally binding deal on climate change would be impossible to achieve at the U.N. summit on global warming in Copenhagen next month.

Instead, in Copenhagen, diplomats will aim to reach a less aggressive — and much less specific — "politically binding" agreement, with the hope that hard numbers and legal obligations to reduce climate change would be added soon, in a two-step approach.

The reason is simple: the deadlock between developed nations and developing ones. Developing nations refuse most responsibility for climate change, arguing that warming is primarily the fault of rich industrialized countries, and want the developed world to take on strict short-term emissions reduction targets. Developed nations, led by the U.S., argue that fast-growing developing nations like China and India will emit the vast majority of future carbon emissions, and that any deal that exempts them from action — as the Kyoto Protocol did — is a farce. Despite months of negotiations in Barcelona, Bangkok and other world cities, that gap remains vast.



Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1939573,00.html#ixzz0WyoNGVhK


Epic fail.

President Obama Speaks on the Future of U.S. Leadership in Asia Pacific Region

The Tea Party Hypocrisy

From a fellow liberal blog here on blogspot, Brilliant at Breakfast. http://www.brilliantatbreakfast.blogspot.com

"If you're a liberal and the President is a Republican, your protest is penned in a mile away from where the president is. If you're a teabagger and the President is a Democrat, you can take a loaded gun to the place where the president is appearing.

If you were a lefty activist in the 1960's and you advocated armed revolution, you might find yourself on an FBI watch list for the rest of your life and ended up going to jail for conspiracy. For that matter, if you are an adviser to the president and you ever used the "r" word, you're hounded out of your post by teabaggers. But if you're a conservative teabagger in 2009, you can advocate revolution and get paid millions of dollars by a corporation to use the public airwaves to do so. You can even be a United States Congresswoman."


Read the full blog-

Brilliant at Breakfast

FOX News Is Full of Crap

If that hasn't been evidenced enough already, here is Jon Stewart blowing it open-


Sean Hannity Uses Glenn Beck's Protest Footage

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
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FOX News=opinion journalism masquerading as news.

Happy Veterans Day

Thanks and respect to those who have served and those who continue to serve America.

The Greatest Country

"According to a study released by the Harvard Medical School, 2,266 veterans under the age of 65 died last year as a result of not having health insurance. Researchers emphasize that "that figure is more than 14 times the number of deaths (155) suffered by U.S. troops in Afghanistan in 2008, and more than twice as many as have died (911 as of Oct. 31) since the war began in 2001."




http://bit.ly/38eaKl

Congressional Steel Cage Match

The Men Who Stare at Votes

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
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Shit On Rupert Murdoch

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Gay Marriage Should Not Be Legal

I originally saw this on http://www.brilliantatbreakfast.blogspot.com It is originally from http://www.modernfabulousity.blogspot.com


THE TOP TEN REASONS WHY GAY MARRIAGE SHOULD NOT BE LEGAL

1. Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

2. Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4. Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn’t changed, like many of the principles on which this great country was founded: women are still property, blacks still can’t marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

5. Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of marriages like Britney Spears’ 55-hour, just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6. Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn’t be allowed to marry, because our orphanages aren’t full yet and the world needs more children.

7. Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8. Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That’s why we have only one religion in America.

9. Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That’s why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10. Gay marriage will change the foundation of society, and we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven’t adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

For A Smile

Hilarious.

Health Care Reform TODAY

"The House is poised to vote today on comprehensive health reform legislation — and we expect it to be very close. But with only hours left before the vote, the insurance industry and their allies are putting extraordinary pressure on every representative to defeat it.

So we need to make sure representatives' phones are ringing off the hook with constituents supporting reform."


Here is what you can do now-

Organizing for America | BarackObama.com



The website gives you the telephone number for your local representatives based off of your zip code, and even gives you some tips on what to say. Here is pretty much all that needs to be said-

"Hello, my name is __________ and I'm a constituent calling from __________ (city or town).

I'm calling to ask you to vote for the House health reform bill."


The official House health care bill-

http://shar.es/akHEc

Fort Hood

Thoughts are with the families and those others effected by the Fort Hood tragedy.

Glenn Beck, go to hell

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

"Beck, you and the 9/12ers have the nerve to exploit 9/11 for your lousy TV raitings? You cannot make light of 9/11, nor bandy about as if your petty political grievances are comparable to it and still be an actual, patriotic American. In short, Glenn, 9/12ers, if you're invoking 9/11 just to oppose health care reform, go to hell."

Maher: Is this as good as it gets from Obama?

"It's still too early to lose hope in a guy as smart and talented as Barack Obama. But I would counsel him to remember: If you're going undercover to infiltrate how Washington works, so you become one of them for a while, to gain their confidence, well, it can be just like all those movies where a cop goes deep, deep, DEEP undercover with drug people and -- fuck, he's a drug addict, too!"


Read the full blog here-

http://bit.ly/NYmPT

Nov. 3rd Elections

If you've missed it, the big story in politics right now is the Republicans sweeping hotly contested elections for governor in New Jersey and Virginia. Republicans are, of course, claiming this is a referendum on the entire Obama agenda.


The Huffington Post-

"Conservative Republican Bob McDonnell's victory in the Virginia governor's race over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds and moderate Republican Chris Christie's ouster of unpopular New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine was a double-barreled triumph for a party looking to rebuild after being booted from power in national elections in 2006 and 2008."


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/03/virginia-governors-race-2_n_344576.html

The Republicans won some governor positions. Congratulations. But as to this being a referendum on President Obama?


CBS News-

A majority of voters in both states said they are worried about the direction of the nation’s economy over the next year. 85 percent of Virginia voters said they are worried, as are 90 percent of voters in New Jersey. These percentages were similar on Election Day in 2008.

In both states the economy topped the list of issues that mattered most to voters in their choice for governor – in Virginia health care was second, while in New Jersey the second choice was property taxes.


Still, majorities of voters in both states (55 percent in Virginia and 60 percent in New Jersey) said President Obama was not a factor in their vote today. Those who said Mr. Obama was a factor in New Jersey divided as to whether their vote was a vote for the president (19 percent) or against him (20 percent). In Virginia, slightly fewer voters said their vote was for Mr. Obama (18 percent) than against him (24 percent).


http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/11/03/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5514455.shtml


Also, in other news, the so called Conservative candidate in the New York congressional race that forced the RNC endorsed Republican candidate out of the race lost to Democrat Bill Owens. The story was significant because after the Republican party officially endorsed the Republican candidate Dierdre Scozzafava, Sarah Palin went rogue and endorsed the Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman (the Conservative candidate was essentially a representative of the tea party factions, as it has been explained). After all the drama, the Democrat won anyway.


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/03/bill-owens-leads-doug-hof_n_344776.html

Obama: Dropping the ball?

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For the record, I would be fine with a "trigger" or the state opt-out currently present in the Senate bill. I agree with Ed, however, that President Obama is not pushing hard enough for the public option or putting enough pressure on Republican legislators.