I have been reading through Glenn Beck's new book, and it is hilarious. I know this guy has a propensity to fly off the handle on his TV and radio programs, and like Dennis Miller I have apprehensions about his sanity. You need to remember that Beck often uses sarcasm, and moderate the opinion through that prism. I just love how he keeps quoting Barney Frank and idiot celebrities. Chapter 1 is a defense of Capitalism. Read this excerpt from page 2 and decide for yourself. This book makes a great Christmas gift.
"Like O.J Simpson, our free market system seems to be put on trial at regular intervals. People love it until it stops working the way they think it should. Then it becomes the villain.
Wall street was loved; then it was hated. Alan Greenspan was idolized, then he was demonized. People envied those who flew in private jets; then they despised them. It's amazing how quickly opinions can change, especially when people are looking to blame someone else for their problems.
The truth is that capitalism is neither good nor evil, it just is. Capitalism can't get you a job, a bigger house, or a better retirement--you have to do all those things for yourself. But what capitalism can do is foster an environment where those with the will to succeed have a better chance of achieving their dreams.
Do hardworking people still fall through the cracks? Absolutely. Are there peaks and valleys as excesses in markets are worked out over time? No doubt. But I defy anyone to show me another system that has done as much to quickly raise the standard of living and quality of life of a country as capitalism has.
You can't because it doesn't exist."
As Winston Churchill said capitalism is the worst system except for all the others.
ReplyDelete"But I defy anyone to show me another system that has done as much to quickly raise the standard of living and quality of life of a country as capitalism has."
ReplyDeleteIceman, this statement tempts me to write a "Yes,Virginia,there is a Santa Claus" type of reply,and that's the vein in which any reply has to be expressed.
I've been around a long time,and have heard the exhortations of socialist and communist utopians,spinning tales of a land where everyone is equal.
Only flaw is,upon examination of the new system, there seems to be only a change in overlords and no relief for the peasant.
capitalism for all it's flaws, is still the only system where honest hard work will reward the average person,and I detest the machinations of the socialist/one world government utopians who want to destroy nit all,for the sake of putting THEM in power.
Good column,Iceman,thanks.
I started getting interested in current politics because of Glenn Beck, when he was on CNN. Yeah he can be over the top and is certainly moreso now that he has free reign on Fox... but it was his program alone that got me thinking more about everything going on. Then my bf discovered Sirius Patriot radio (144) by accident shortly before Beck disappeared from CNN and we listen to the likes of Mike Church, Andrew Wilkow, Mark Levin, and yes Sean Hannity. The thing I noted is that some of them have been doing this for over 16 YEARS (Church). They do 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, for almost 2 decades and they have multiple millions of listeners. Some Fox News people have 8 times more viewers than CNN's Anderson 360, 4 times that of Larry King... but some of the radio guys have tens of millions of regular listeners. Yet we somehow get taught along the way that the mainstream media is the only one worth listening to. Really? When Andrew Wilkow is the most listened to show on all Sirius XM, 6-7 million people a day... when Cooper and King draw in 500,000 to 900,000? Who's to say that conservative minded people are in the minority with those rating comparisons???
ReplyDeleteSo thanks to Glenn for making me sit up straight and pay more attention to my surroundings, and everyone else along the way that I have found and thoroughly enjoy listening to.