Erick Erickson on Glenn Beck @ CPAC 2010
I think Erick Erickson’s analysis is an interesting read – worth sharing for sure. I’m not sure if any of us attended CPAC. If you did, send us your take. I’m sure, though, that many of us watched Glenn Beck’s address. To me, it was equal parts inspiring and soul crushing, thought provoking and redundant.
Many of us have expressed our frustration and anger with the current GOP leadership, in the House and Senate, maybe here at home, most definitely with GOP HQ. And it is obvious (to most) that the GOP has strayed greatly from their founding principles. But this year is our opportunity to turn that around. We have a very rare opportunity to select and elect conservative candidates that will not only halt and reverse the dangerous course we are on but shape our path into the next generation. Have you picked a side yet? Who are you working to elect?
Glenn Beck’s speech gave resonance to what a lot of the tea party activists and conservatives at CPAC feel — the GOP is as bad as the Democrats. But we have to have a very careful caveat here: the GOP has not been good on spending and portions of economic policy. We cannot make it, however, a blanket statement. As Glenn Beck said last night, “One party says it will tax and spend. The other party says it won’t tax and will spend.” We have to be careful in our zeal to clean up Washington not to take that for more than what it is.
Therein lies much of the concern. There is real angst that some people are agitating for a third party because of what they see as an unrepentant GOP. And the fear is that Glenn Beck is feeding this. I hope he is not. I would have to part ways if that were the case. History shows that neither the most popular third party candidate, Teddy Roosevelt, nor the richest, Ross Perot, were ever able to get elected. All they did was get the Democrat elected.
And for those of you who think that is no big deal, let me ask you again: how many Americans are going to die because of Barack Obama’s handling of our national security? If you think the GOP would be as bad on this issue, you need a reality check.
It is the GOP that wants to cut the costs of health care through expanding the free market. It is the GOP that wants to fight the enemy instead of compromising with them. It is the GOP that wants to upend our failing public schools and make them actually teach instead of function as a retirement home for teachers union employees. It is the GOP that stands in defense of freedom against tyranny. It was, for example, the GOP that stood with Honduras against Hugo Chavez while Barack Obama gave a full throated embrace of the communist dictator and the thugs of South America.
Watch the speech here -
Erick makes some excellent points. I have also worried about the emergence of a third party. I fear it will split the conservative/independent votes and may lead to a Democrat win afterall.
I became disenchanted with the GOP last year and almost quit the party. Instead I took the advice of a friend and got even more involved. The strategy–What better way to change things than from the inside? I was recently chosen as a delegate to the convention and now will have even more influence in the direction of the party. There are still good people in the Republican party. Many of them are just as frustrated with the status quo as we are!
I’m curious about Glenn Beck. When he said that he doesn’t care about the political process and he does what he does as an entertainer to make money, doesn’t that bother you? People speak of him as if he’s part of some cause, but when he says in an interview that is isn’t, shouldn’t this give you pause?
(Here’s the link to the Forbes interview, btw:
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/0426/entertainment-fox-news-simon-schuster-glenn-beck-inc.html)