Glenn Beck was the keynote speaker last night at The Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, in Washington, following a stellar speech last year by Rush Limbaugh. Beck had telegraphed on The Glenn Beck Radio Program, the third most listened to radio program in America, that the Republican leaning crowd may not like his message, and many did not, including former Secretary of Education, William Bennett. Bennett is a man I repsect and like but I must throw a caution flag on his comments regarding Beck's speech.
Bennett essentially breaks down his problems with Beck's speech into three parts in a article written for The Corner, National Review's blog. And while Bennett, who is a very smart and articulate individual with a great heart, makes some valid points for discussion, Bennett ends his commentary by declaring Becks words disconcerting and dangerous. In my view, it is the thought process behind Bennett's response and conclusions that makes the point Beck is focusing in on correct. Lets break it down.Bennett feels that Beck's personal failings with addiction should not be extrapolated into the public sphere, as Beck often does in describing the lessons he has learned over the years, rising from rock bottom to rock star. Do these lessons translate to life in general, inclusive of politics? You betcha they do! I find stories of redemption and hard work en route to success inspiring, as it is the pursuit of happyness. These politicians that have mortgaged our children's future for their grandstanding and addiction to power need to recognize the level their destruction has had on our livelihood, and the rise in the degree of difficulty of our children to pursue the American dream.
During the speech, Beck signaled that most Republicans have not admitted to the parties failings or problems. Bennett strongly disagrees. Both men have strong points. Have there been Republicans who have stood up in the face of the the governmental power grab and the redistribution of wealth? Bennett mentions a few that have, including Mike Pence (R:IN), Jim Demint (R;SC), Paul Ryan (R:WI) and Tom Coburn (R:OK). Indeed, those folks have, and I would certainly include Michele Bachmann (R:MN), Eric Cantor (R:VA) and Darrell Issa (R:CA) on the list. But there are several who have not, including John McCain (R:AZ). I have great respect for Mr. McCain, and against Barack Obama in the 2008 election, I strongly supported him. But he was about my fourth choice in the primaries, due to his less than conservative views on many subjects, most notably the proposed cap and trade legislation.
Bennett discards Beck's assertion that there is not much difference between the two parties and Bennett, for the most part, is correct. However, there are many cases where Republicans support anti-conservative and progressive legislation and appointments. Look no further than former GOP member Arlen Specter and South Carolina Seantor Lindsey Graham, who supports cap and trade and climate change legislation and who voted for the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor, an ACORN supporter, to the SCOTUS. Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who is running for US Senate and is down huge in primary polling, supported President Obama's stimulus package. While many are quite different, there are those who are not, including aforementioned folks near the top of the Republican Party.
Third, Bennett proclaimed to admit it is still “morning in America” but a “vomiting for four hours” kind of morning is to diminish, discourage, and disparage all the work of the conservative, Republican, and independent resistance of the past year. Bennett is off the mark on this one I think, since while the Republican party, for the most part, refused to provide adequate resistance to Obama's attempt at transforming America, the people felt compelled to act on their own. This did sound an alarm for many GOP members, but Beck is right as the GOP should have been leading resistance, not being awoken to it. Remember the flack Rush Limbaugh took for his "I hope Obama fails" comment? Rush was Right!Bennett closes, The first task of a serious political analyst is to see things as they are. There is a difference between morning and night. There is a difference between drunk and sober. And there is a difference between the Republican and Democratic parties. To ignore these differences, or propagate the myth that they don’t exist, is not only discouraging, it is dangerous. I submit to Mr. Bennett that WE THE PEOPLE saw how things were a year ago, with elected leaders drunk with arrogance and failing to listen to those who entrusted them with the honor of representing us. A governing body, with few exceptions, who are engaged in the taking over of industries, the attempted seizure of portions of the economy through climate change and cap and trade legislation and the transformation of America, with extremely limited transparency, is indeed discouraging and dangerous.
We, along with Glenn Beck, attempted to do something about it. Not the Republican party, of which I am a member, but us, WE THE PEOPLE. We surrounded them, all of the them! And still do, even at the ACORN infested ballot box!
