tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post3802853636138429202..comments2024-03-27T03:00:27.024-04:00Comments on Facts & other stubborn things: What exactly do libertarians not like about Glenn Beck?Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12259004160963531720noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-51866439715938538042013-01-09T20:46:28.284-05:002013-01-09T20:46:28.284-05:00no normal person would be a libertarianno normal person would be a libertarianAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-34516468549820666112013-01-09T14:23:30.719-05:002013-01-09T14:23:30.719-05:00"No argument there, but then libertarians hav..."No argument there, but then libertarians have a lot of those types!"<br /><br />Exactly. I want more "normal" people in the libertarian movement percentage-wise. Glenn Beck being that prominent as a libertarian runs counter to that objective.<br /><br />"OK, but a lot of people have the impression that everyone else is about a third right or so. I'm not sure how this really helps libertarians."<br /><br />AFAICT, this is what binds the existing parties together. They each have their cores which agree with each other on 80%, their supporters who agree with 50% and their electors who agree with 30%. (numbers made up) All I'm saying is that for libertarians to build such a coalition, we need to emphasize those things which are not quasi-universally thought to be nuts.PrometheeFeuhttp://prometheefeu.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-61909268055343102262013-01-09T14:11:45.427-05:002013-01-09T14:11:45.427-05:00If libertarians are going to have their version of...If libertarians are going to have their version of Bill O'Reilly or Keith Olbermann, I don't think they/we want it to be Glenn Beck. Andrew Napolitano was fine for that role. Beck has too much Alex Jones in him.<br /><br />There are a number of other things that probably make libertarians suspicious of him. The earlier war hawk tendencies, his freaking out over Obama and ACORN (instead of nonpartisan cynicism), the fact that he's a Mormon doesn't help I guess.Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18341935691462262579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-68630780690667398462013-01-09T14:05:57.990-05:002013-01-09T14:05:57.990-05:00I could just as easily say "look - these libe...I could just as easily say "look - these libertarians actually agree with we on the center-left on a lot of issues. This is how we on the center-left are ultimately going to win".<br /><br />Nobody thinks anyone else is completely crazy as long as we're all in the liberal tradition. I have a harder time seeing a path forward as a direct consequence of that common ground, though.Daniel Kuehnhttp://www.factsandotherstubbornthings.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-41612565758518729882013-01-09T14:04:29.196-05:002013-01-09T14:04:29.196-05:00re: "But my impression is that he will furthe...re: "But my impression is that he will further bias recruiting towards conspiracy theorists, survivalists, gold bugs and other people who will pull us even further apart from the mainstream."<br /><br />No argument there, but then libertarians have a lot of those types!<br /><br />re: "A great number of libertarian policies are advocated by one side of the aisle or the other and enjoy at least some moderate popular support. This is how libertarianism can win."<br /><br />OK, but a lot of people have the impression that everyone else is about a third right or so. I'm not sure how this really helps libertarians.Daniel Kuehnhttp://www.factsandotherstubbornthings.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-27923902267632770492013-01-09T14:01:43.204-05:002013-01-09T14:01:43.204-05:00OK, maybe I misjudge him because all I know about ...OK, maybe I misjudge him because all I know about him, I know from MSNBC and Comedy Central. But my impression is that he will further bias recruiting towards conspiracy theorists, survivalists, gold bugs and other people who will pull us even further apart from the mainstream. Yes, all ideologies have cooky ideas and cooks. But much of libertarianism and definitely many libertarian policies can be very mainstream. A great number of libertarian policies are advocated by one side of the aisle or the other and enjoy at least some moderate popular support. This is how libertarianism can win. People like Glenn Beck from what I can tell are all about the cooky ideas. And sure, we have some cooky ideas, but we need to advertise the fact that you can be a libertarian without wanting a return to the gold standard, private police forces or a ban on fractional reserve banking. Glenn Beck as the face of libertarianism is the opposite of that.PrometheeFeuhttp://prometheefeu.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-59651248294897325432013-01-09T10:25:03.172-05:002013-01-09T10:25:03.172-05:00Could be. Nevertheless, the guy comes off with al...Could be. Nevertheless, the guy comes off with all the earnestness of someone trying to sell vacuums door to door. The Libertarian Standard Bearerhttp://thestandardisthestandardisthestandard.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-56303096724988319372013-01-09T10:20:16.810-05:002013-01-09T10:20:16.810-05:00Not to put too fine a point on it, but I think a l...Not to put too fine a point on it, but I think a lot of libertarians don't understand the extent to which well respected members of the libertarian community talking about Hayek come across as bozos.Daniel Kuehnhttp://www.factsandotherstubbornthings.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-4634292637968512013-01-09T10:18:09.800-05:002013-01-09T10:18:09.800-05:00During the 2000s Beck spent a lot of time cheerlea...During the 2000s Beck spent a lot of time cheerleading the Iraq War (that's about all I knew about him prior to him doing whatever he did at that rally in D.C.). <br /><br />If you have ever heard Beck talk about Hayek (I watched some material on YouTube just to get a feel for what he is saying) you'd understand why someone versed in Hayek would think that he's a bozo.<br /><br />Plus there is the general theatrics of his schtick to consider.The Libertarian Standard Bearerhttp://thestandardisthestandardisthestandard.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-511045024596857322013-01-09T10:09:35.485-05:002013-01-09T10:09:35.485-05:00This is a good point. In my opinion the libertaria...This is a good point. In my opinion the libertarian strategy relies heavily on appealing to anti-war, anti-drug war, young people.<br /><br />And while Ron Paul is mild mannered enough to pull off that "personally against it, but publicly for it" stance that could appeal to both social conservatives and liberals, I don't know if Glenn Beck can pull that off.<br /><br />If the strategy of libertarians is young people then Glenn Beck is probably the worst spokesman they could have.<br /><br />If Glenn Beck talks about individual liberty people will hear "you're on your own" not the anti-tax rebelliousness that call up images of taxmen with guns.<br /><br />Glenn Beck comes off like Father Coughlin.xgsmmynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-12715471053490522012013-01-09T08:47:26.080-05:002013-01-09T08:47:26.080-05:00Maybe, but this seems overstated. My understanding...Maybe, but this seems overstated. My understanding is that he's long said that he does not want the U.S. to be the global policeman, he does not like interventionism, but he does think there are Islamist elements that want to hurt America and when they we should strike back, and it's Ron Paul's reticence on that that he has a concern with. Actually its among Beck's more sensible positions, IMO. But surely he's not the self-described libertarian that thinks <i>that</i>, is he?Daniel Kuehnhttp://www.factsandotherstubbornthings.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-80332777595654838962013-01-09T08:23:22.975-05:002013-01-09T08:23:22.975-05:00Easy - GB's stance on war and foreign policy. ...Easy - GB's stance on war and foreign policy. That's a pretty huge deal breaker for many libertarians, including myself.Andrew Mackenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16882531476612096442noreply@blogger.com