Sometimes things are too easy. I watched last Friday’s episode of Glenn Beck with my wife and we both felt it was worth sharing with as many people as possible. I’ve posted links to all six segments (scroll down for them). I also posted on Facebook and asked my liberal friends (of whom I have many) to tell me what they disagreed with. Take a few minutes to watch it yourself, then continue reading below.

What were the responses I received?
This tool is so far gone I could fill up facebook boxes for days.
We teach respect for beliefs of others and not to be afraid of opposing ideas. To search for their own truth, so that they can be happy as adults. This is what Glenn Beck fears. Not some ideological indoctrination. He is so full of fear it radiates off the screen. He surely lives a sad life, despite his relative success.
Sounds like Glenn Beck wants to indoctrinate the children with extreme right wing Christian ideologies, so that when they grow up they can do battle with their indoctrinated extreme right wing Muslim enemies!
I really like the edited children segments and the very earnest way GB tries to come across as he tells you not to let your children listen to anything other than what I want you to tell them. At least that’s what I got out of this. I’m more of a ‘talk to your children presenting each angle objectively so they can form their own opinion’ kind of guy.
Glenn Beck is a lying bastard….Like Goebells of Nazi Germany fame he’s trying to gin up hatred to a mentally challenged segment of our population (aka anyone who listens to this fat pig bastard) so they will make an attempt on my presidents life. And for that…I spit in his ugly retarded face.
Hmm. From these comments you might be led to believe that Beck is telling people to only believe his viewpoint, to only consider the Conservative viewpoint. You might think that Beck is spewing anti-liberal hatred and lies about the left.
Well, for the record here are a few quotes from the video:
“There is an effort to indoctrinate our children. Most of us are too busy to notice.”
“Give my child the facts on both sides. Teach them how to think, how to find the answers for themselves. Stop indoctrinating.”
“I want to have these discussions, but not at the behest of some covert plan.”
“Our educational system is failing them, If you as a parent do not fill that void, Obama’s propaganda-filled friends will fill it.”
And, here are a few of the talking points from the video:
Al Gore is asking kids educate their parents. A video was shown with a high school kid saying “after 2004 I was furious” and that  parents “need to do something different”
Another video example included a middle school girl saying to her parents about the debates: “We really think that what Obama/Biden said about energy is really important, we need to fix that now before it is too late.”
I shouldn’t be surprised. But I am saddened at the responses because despite the fact that Beck clearly delivered a serious concern with quotes, facts, videos, etc. the message was ignored because of the messenger. Until the press gets with the program and starts researching both political teams equally and holding themselves and politicians to actual standards, I feel that America is screwed. Obama’s election is one example of how utterly clueless our population is. Some are simply ignorant on the issues while others are willfully defiant to the truth and voted based on race or hate. And again, despite a presentation of data the left reacted through kool-aid colored glasses.
And, if you are a lefty that thinks I’m a lifelong diehard neo-con, well you would be wrong. I used to be a left of center liberal. I voted for Bill Clinton in both of his elections. Unlike so many people out there I actually give a crap about the issues and vote based on my understanding of them and how they apply to my life. I don’t just pull the lever for a party, I look at the candidates. But sadly I am the exception to the rule. Too many people base their votes on the wrong priorities. Voting is a privilege that should be cherished, not abused. But even the thought of requiring a qualification or test for voters to pass is too radical for the radical left. Why? Because it would somehow make things unfair. So, I’ll save the topic for another day.
Please spread the video around. As Glenn said, if there is a void our government will fill it. Our public education system is a massive void and our government, led by a leftist surrounded by leftist radicals is sweeping in to fill this void. If you do nothing now you will be unable to do something later.

What were the responses I received?

  • This tool is so far gone I could fill up facebook boxes for days.
  • We teach respect for beliefs of others and not to be afraid of opposing ideas. To search for their own truth, so that they can be happy as adults. This is what Glenn Beck fears. Not some ideological indoctrination. He is so full of fear it radiates off the screen. He surely lives a sad life, despite his relative success.
  • Sounds like Glenn Beck wants to indoctrinate the children with extreme right wing Christian ideologies, so that when they grow up they can do battle with their indoctrinated extreme right wing Muslim enemies!
  • I really like the edited children segments and the very earnest way GB tries to come across as he tells you not to let your children listen to anything other than what I want you to tell them. At least that’s what I got out of this. I’m more of a ‘talk to your children presenting each angle objectively so they can form their own opinion’ kind of guy.
  • Glenn Beck is a lying bastard….Like Goebells of Nazi Germany fame he’s trying to gin up hatred to a mentally challenged segment of our population (aka anyone who listens to this fat pig bastard) so they will make an attempt on my presidents life. And for that…I spit in his ugly retarded face.

Hmm. From these comments you might be led to believe that Beck is telling people to only believe his viewpoint, or to only consider the Conservative viewpoint. You might think that Beck is spewing anti-liberal hatred and lies about the left. Funny thing though, Beck actually makes some of the same points as those who hate him make. Here are a few quotes from the video:

  • “There is an effort to indoctrinate our children. Most of us are too busy to notice.”
  • “Give my child the facts on both sides. Teach them how to think, how to find the answers for themselves. Stop indoctrinating.”
  • I want to have these discussions [with my kids], but not at the behest of some covert plan.”
  • “I do agree with them on one thing. Our educational system is failing them. But, if you as a parent do not fill that void, Obama’s propaganda-filled friends will fill it.”

Wow. That Glenn Beck sure is a radical neo-con freak. How did my liberal friends miss that point?

Now let’s take a look at what crazy tinfoil hat evidence Beck used to support his freakish beliefs. Here are a few of the talking points from one of the videos he showed:

  • Al Gore is asking kids educate their parents. A video was shown with a high school kid saying “after 2004 I was furious” and that  parents “need to do something different.”
  • Another video example included a middle school girl saying to her parents about the debates: “We really think that what Obama/Biden said about energy is really important, we need to fix that now before it is too late.”

What exactly were you “furious” about son? The fact that Al Gore lost, or the fact that four years ago when you were 12 you missed an episode of Sponge Bob due to election coverage?  What are you basing your opinion on, little Missy, when it comes to the Obama/Biden energy plan? Was it something about fake manmade global warming, or was it the debate between Obama and Biden over the right opinion on clean coal?

I’m not surprised at the responses I received, but I am saddened by them because despite the fact that Beck clearly delivered a serious concern with quotes and videos to support his stance, the message was ignored only because of who was delivering it. If I played a video of David Axelrod or Michelle Obama expressing the exact same words I bet I would have received completely different responses.

And believe me, some of the comments above are from people that I know are well-educated. But personal bias or some other subconscious factor keeps them from at least acknowledging that Glenn Beck might be right about something. I’m not searching for agreement, I am trying to educate people.

Unfortunately, until the press gets with the program and starts researching both political teams equally and holding themselves and politicians to actual standards, I feel that America is screwed. The successful election of Barack Obama is one example of how utterly clueless our population is. Some are simply ignorant about the issues while others are willfully defiant to the truth and voted based on race or hatred. The left viewed the ballot through kool-aid colored glasses and ignored the oh so many talking points that conservatives shouted while being mocked by a complicit media industry. How’s that Hope and Change workin’ out for ya now?

And, if you are a lefty that thinks I’m a lifelong diehard neo-con, you would be wrong. I used to be a left-of-center liberal. But I eventually grew up. I voted for Bill Clinton in both of his elections. Unlike so many people out there I actually give a crap about the issues and vote based on my understanding of them and how they apply to my life. I don’t just pull the lever for a party, I look at the candidates. But sadly I am the exception to the rule. Too many people base their votes on the wrong priorities, if any actual priorities at all. Voting is a privilege that should be cherished, not abused. But even the thought of requiring a qualification test for voters to pass is too radical for the radical left. Why? Because it would somehow make things unfair. Truth be damned, to hell with the facts. (I’ll save the topic for another day.)

Please spread the video around. As Glenn said, if there is a void our government will fill it. Our public education system is a massive void and our government, led by a leftist surrounded by leftist radicals is sweeping in to fill this void. If you do nothing now you will be unable to do something later.

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Apparently word of the president’s poor performance has spread quickly. He has come off as defensive and unable to tolerate criticism of the current bill or facts that support Republican arguments.

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The Truth About Reconciliation

[This is a quick draft, but after listening to Harry Reid's spiteful blabbering I feel compelled to get the word out.]

YES, reconciliation has been used 20+ times before, as follows:

  • Reagan = 8 times for a net effect on the deficit of -$428B.
  • GHW Bush = 2 times for a net effect on the deficit of -$275B
  • Clinton = 4 times for a net effect on the deficit of -$586B
  • GW Bush = 5 times for a net effect on the deficit of +$925B
    (just one of the reasons conservatives are so angry)

Harry Reid just said in this meeting “our bill cuts the deficit by $132 billion dollars.” He is referring to the most recent CBO report. But you have to remember that the CBO can only analyze and report on what is the proposal and cannot factor in actual legislative changes in the future. One of the claims in the current legislation is that  the Senate will actually cut $330 billion from Medicare. Any one with a realistic perspective on the topic knows with almost 100% confidence that that cut will never, never, never happen. If this is true, Reid’s claim of $132B in budget savings now becomes a budget increase of $198B. That’s a little different, and there are billions if not trillions of dollars that are still not included in current legislation.

So Harry, while reconciliation has been used many times before, history has shown that it’s use was on issues having nothing close to the impact of the government takeover of health care. Millions will still remain uncovered, costs will skyrocket, and not having insurance will become a criminal offense. This bill is a pig, and in my humble opinion I think that doing the wrong thing quickly is far more damaging than starting over and getting it right. Tort reform. Purchasing insurance across state lines. Tax incentives for insurance companies to provide low-cost insurance for the needy.

Harry Reid is a stubborn old man, unwilling to listen to opinions other than his own. I hope this meeting serves as just another wake up call to the people of Nevada.

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It’s not about race, Keith.

Yesterday Keith Olbermann went on another rant about the Tea Party movement. He can’t stand it. He can’t handle the idea that people are frustrated with an over-reaching government. He thinks that people from all walks of life are coming out of the woodwork to protest the fact that we have a black president. He thinks this is all about race. Attention Keith! This is NOT about race. Maybe you, like your buddy Chris Matthews, can forget that Obama is black for an hour or so.

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You Own It Barry.

Let the numbers speak for themselves. Here is my version of the CBO’s Federal Budget chart. I’ve added the year and colors for those that comprehend better visually. Redish hues stand for Republican numbers, blue for Democrat, and purple for the hybrid government of a Republican president with a Democratically controlled congress.

I would like to point out a few trends in the chart above.

  1. Yes, GWB inherited a surplus. Any president would have had a surplus after serving during the biggest economic and technological boom of the century. The internet boom was a wonderful thing. The bust, not so much.
  2. Notice that despite 9/11 and its obvious financial impact, the deficit was steadily decreasing beginning in 2004. Republican economic policies were working. We were on our way back toward budget surplus. PResident Bush decreased the budget every year starting in 2004,with the exception of 2008.
  3. What happened in 2008? A $300B tax credit has a way of skewing your averages. So does a Democratically controlled congress.
  4. What happened in 2009? Well, Obama took over and quickly embraced Rahm Emmanuel’s “take advantage of a crisis” mindset. Sadly, many of the proposed budget requests won’t impact us for several years. It was designed that way. Sure, the CBO projects that the deficit will decrease through 2012, but it will never “improve” to even the worst levels of the prior administration

Let’s look at another chart:

Do you see what I see? At the peak of the internet boom we were at virtual unemployment, a rate around 4%. Terrorists helped change that in 2001, but again — despite 9/11 — employment figures continually decreased under Republican leadership. Then the Democrats took over. The housing bubble, a bubble created by liberal policies, finally burst. Hank Paulson scared Congress into giving him $700 billion dollars, and to this day we still have no idea where all of that money went or whether or not it actually made a difference. Sure, we are told that it did, but there is zero data to back it up. Show me direct correlation between the bailout and any improvement in our financial markets.

How high will unemployment go? How low will our deficits drop? At what point does China say “No credit for you!” What will it take to teach people that you cannot help the unemployed by punishing the employer? The 2010 mid-term election could be the most important election America has ever faced. Our financial future depends on it. The scale of these problems is something America has never experienced. In one single year “trillion” has become the new “billion.” Once upon a time “trillion” was a massive number used to describe stars or micro-organisms. Now it is sadly a standard term of reference in the Obama administration.

UPDATE: The purpose of my post is to provide a comparison of the Bush and Obama administrations. I can  (and probably will) provide additional charts with a longer time frame for those that feel it is important. But my point is to provide data to liberals that shows how much worse Obama is making things. Yes, GWB spent too much, but does that give Obama carte blanche to take it to an entirely new and previously unforeseen level? I don’t think so.

UPDATE 2: Here is the chart for US unemployment statistics back to 1948. The highest ever was under Reagan’s first term.The largest ever decrease in the unemployment rate was under Reagan’s presidency. However, it should be noted that he took measures to reduce the unemployment rate by lowering taxes and stimulating the economy. Obama is doing the exact opposite. Therefore I think it would be foolish to think that Obama can repeat Reagan’s legacy.

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Ponder 

“Fear is the passion of slaves.” — Patrick Henry