The Erosion of America’s Middle Class On the Way Down: The Erosion of America's Middle Class - DER SPIEGEL
Glenn Beck is a fool, but he’s an entertaining fool. He doesn’t really say anything new or worthwhile, he screams and yells and make people who actually do believe in limited government look dumb…
He was never really considered a comedian, he’s more of political commentator, his job seems to be to stir the pot though and make people angry, rather than add anything of substance to the conversation or report any real news.
With that said, he did do a good job shedding light on Obama’s network of czars, but most of the time he is the definition of blowhard…
I respectfully disagree that Gleen Beck is a fool. I am glad that someone in the media has the courage to tell the truth about what is going on. I could say more, but I’ll leave it at that.
I respectfully disagree that Glenn Beck is a fool. I am glad that someone in the media has the courage to tell the truth about what is going on. I could say more, but I’ll leave it at that.
Sorry about the double post!
Correction:
Does the “alienated class of Americans” belong to the vanishing middle class or not?
"the feelings of an alienated class of Americans. " Glenn Beck - The New York Times
The Erosion of America’s Middle Class On the Way Down: The Erosion of America's Middle Class - DER SPIEGEL
I found the following analysis by Ross Douthat interesting.
"It[Beck’s Restoring Honor] was a long festival of affirmation for middle-class white Christians — square, earnest, patriotic and religious. "
“For a weekend, at least, Beck proved that he can conjure the thrill of a culture war without the costs of combat, and the solidarity of identity politics without any actual politics. If his influence outlasts the current election cycle, this will be the secret of his success.”
Glenn Beck’s message during the recent tea party rally was that America needs to turn to God to solve its problems. From what I have seen on Fox, his other comments are not any more constructive or helpful than that. Together with Rush Limbaugh he is the voice of America’s ultra conservatives, most of his utterings are really sickening.
Friedemann
While I do not agree with a lot of what Glenn Beck says, I am glad he is saying them. There is a great overburden of political correctness to push back on. Good for him. My only complaint is that he is a little superficial, and relies too much on religion, rather than on arguments that I could buy into.
To qualify people’s views as sickening is simply an attempt to shut them down, and that is typical of the politically correct position. A certain elite decides what people are allowed to think, and they try, like, Friedemann, here to shut down the expression of other views. I guess, Friedemann, in your utopian state, people like Glenn Beck would not be allowed to express their views.
What happened to being judgemental? Suggesting I promote thought control just because I don’t agree with you or Glenn Beck is rediculous.
One can be judgmental with qualifying arguments as “sickening”. If you do not agree with someone, it is more useful to explain why. “Sickening” implies that these opinions should not be tolerated.
This is a free exchange of opposing viewpoints that you always say you promote. One commenter called GB a fool, I called
his comments “sickening”. “Sickening” as in revolting, disgusting, not as in “Let’s have a totalitarian state and get rid of freedom of speech”. The thing that always strikes me is that you accuse “the teachers” or the “elites” of intolerance, yet if someone disagrees with you, albeit in strong words, you suggest he is promoting a totalitarian state.
Friedemann, there are different ways of disagreeing. To call someone’s comments “Sickening” as in revolting, disgusting" without further explanation,as you do, is, in my opinion, to exhibit intolerance. We tolerate fools, but usually are less inclined to tolerate the sickening, revolting and disgusting.
I hesistate to say anything here because those that have commented have already formed their opinions. I know the messages of Beck and Limbaugh (since he was mentioned too) very well based on listening to their shows on a consistent basis, and since I live in the U.S. and have a layman’s understanding of the founding of this country, those two men have the desire, based on their own declarations, to remind our citizens what the U.S. was founded upon, what it has sought to stand for all these many years and to return to those fundamental principles. That is their message. You need to listen to people like Beck and Limbaugh consistently to really “get” them as they use a lot of humor and sarcasm, and if you do not, your comments will be just what they are. Please avoid forming your opinions based on listening to CNN, for example, and other biased media outlets. In order to correctly form opinions, actually listening on a consistent basis to the person you are forming an opinion about is most helpful. I hope these comments are taken as friendly as that is what they are meant to be.
I don’t know if CNN is too liberal, not-enough liberal, or not-enough conservative.
I hope that Beck’s “Restoring Honor” is not related to the anti-Islam hysteria and anti-government rhetoric of some “fundamentalists.”
Thank you for your information, Jillisa93.
Jillisa93,
Why should America return to God? What about believers of other faith or atheists?
Why are American conservatives so hung up about gay marriage as opposed to the real issues, for examples the wasteful nature of the US economy? The US stands for 3% of the world population, has 2% of world oil reserves and yet consumes 20% of the world oil production. You never hear the Limbaughs or Becks talk about that simple fact.
Friedemann
Rohr4842,
I would be happy to discuss any of these issues with you in a formal verbal discussion. It is really hard to express all that needs to be said in a few typed lines in a forum post. You are talking about a lot of issues that I never even mentioned. Although we here in the U.S. give people the right to worship freely in any way they choose (that’s one of the liberties we hold dear), you cannot deny that this country was founded upon Christian principles. I don’t know exactly what kind of accurate history you know about the principles upon which the U.S. was founded, but it might serve you well to read the writings of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, George Washington and others, to name a few. There is no need for you to get defensive.
I think it is great to have interesting discussions, whether here on the Forum or even in our lessons. Jillisa is one of our most popular tutors, and if there are learners out there who want to discuss current US politics, why not sign up for a discussion with her.
I also appreciate Jillisa’s polite and respectful tone.