RoR: Forum

Yeah, I watched this live and almost cheered. I think there'll be a lot more of this kind of outspoken outrage. As well, Glenn Beck, although not an identifiable Objectivist, has enough to say that is consonant with Objectivist principles. Watch him on Fox News 5:00 p.m. ET.

Sam

Post 1

Thursday, February 19, 2009 - 5:21pm

Glenn Beck is awesome.

Post 2

Thursday, February 19, 2009 - 7:45pm

I saw this as it was happening, and cheered as well.

Post 3

Thursday, February 19, 2009 - 8:12pm

It does lift the spirits to see some truth and outrage expressed on TV, since it is so rare. Glenn Beck is at least occasionally interesting, but it is often frustrating to hear him approach real individualism, only to back away. His Mormon upbringing probably explains his lingering attachment to the nationalist / patriotic / tribal. You can hear it in his monologues, well, sermons actually. In the last couple of weeks he mentioned Atlas Shrugged and Anthem. He is a clearly attracted to Rand's ideas, but has not integrated them very well, in my opinion.

Post 4

Thursday, February 19, 2009 - 10:54pm

Still, as far as news talk show hosts go, Glenn Beck is by far more consonant with the ideals of individualism than any other host I'm aware of. Considering the current cultural wasteland of mainstream media, Glenn Beck is a breath of fresh air.

And I'm almost hoping there will be a Chicago Tea Party. If not as brazen as the Boston Tea Party, at least some kind of legal protest that draws a lot of attention to it!

Post 5

Friday, February 20, 2009 - 7:00am

I liked Glenn Beck for a while, but the more I saw of him - heard from him, really - the less I wanted to watch. On his program this past year, he has come across more as a Rush Lindbaugh wannabe than anything else, and his rants are often loud, childish, and inaccurate. He cherry picks his facts for his own purposes, and even if I might agree with him on some principles, I can't stand seeing misrepresentations used in their support. Aside from that, he often comes off as being mean-spirited and childish (i.e. like a child throwing a tantrum).

I only enjoy watching Beck when he's in the broadcast booth at a football game now. A shame, because he's certainly capable of better... and we could use better.

jt

Post 6

Friday, February 20, 2009 - 11:58am

The White House had their dig at Santelli today. To quote Ayn Rand: "The abysmal bastards!" Santelli, however, is taking it in stride, showing courage and defiance. In response to the invitation to come to the White House, with the caveat that he would be offered decaf, Rick rolled with it: "I don't like decaf, I'll have tea."

Capitalist Hero of the Day.

Post 7

Friday, February 20, 2009 - 12:21pm

Here is the White House response.
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnbc/white_house_responds_to_santellis_outburst_109226.asp

Post 8

Friday, February 20, 2009 - 12:40pm

Quote from "Money for Idiots", David Brooks, NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/opinion/20brooks.html

"Individual responsibility doesn�t mean much in an economy like this one."

Here is the danger. Corruption breeds cynicism and cynicism breeds cynicism. Free markets and capitalism can only exist in an atmosphere of trust. This is the flaw in the "only when things hit bottom will the people wake up and turn things around in the direction of individual liberty". There is no return from the bottom. Why do you think Russia was not able to drag itself out of totalitarianism after the fall of the Soviet Union? Generations of living in a corrupt bureaucratic environment cannot prepare people for living in freedom and trusting their fellow man.

Edit to add title.

(Edited by Mike Erickson on 2/20, 12:55pm)

Post 9

Friday, February 20, 2009 - 12:54pm

Speaking of Russians, Putin warned the United States against going down the road of Socialism:

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/02/putin_warns_us_to_eschew_socia.html

WTF? Did I wake up in opposite world today?

Post 10

Friday, February 20, 2009 - 12:58pm

"WTF? Did I wake up in opposite world today?"

Ha! Maybe. Both Thomas Sowell and Michael Kinsley have recent columns with the same title: "Upside down Economics".

Here:

http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/02/18/upside_down_economics

and here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/19/AR2009021902578.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Post 11

Friday, February 20, 2009 - 2:52pm

I'm about to puke. Glenn Beck had a very good show about the ultimate consequences of the current socialist policies and in the last 15 minutes he goes into his 'faith' bit. Grrrrrrr. I give him a rating of 3 out of 4.

Sam

Post 12

Friday, February 20, 2009 - 3:06pm

Just read that statement by Putin. It will take about 30 years for my brain to process what I read and who wrote it. I will then have a stroke. This is freaky friday. The US president appears to be a bigger collectivist than the Russian one...

Post 13

Friday, February 20, 2009 - 7:09pm

as Gomer Pyle said , "Surprise, surprise!!"

Post 14

Monday, March 30, 2009 - 9:59am