Glenn Beck Thumbs his Nose at Hybrids
79Glenn Beck History
Beck was born February 1964 in Mount Vernon, Washington and raised Catholic. Beck attended the Immaculate Conception Catholic school through the eighth grade. When he was thirteen (13) he won a contest which lead to his first broadcasting experience as a DeeJay on KBRC radio.
His mother died in 1979 in a boating accident (Tacoma Police say a probable suicide) and one of his brothers committed suicide. It was shortly after this that Beck turned to "Dr. Jack Daniels" and drugs to cope.
Beck determined that this lifestyle would kill him. After a talk with his father, Beck joined Alcoholics Anonymous. In 1999 he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) and remarried. He has two children from his first marriage (which ended in 1994) and two children from his current marriage.
The Glenn Beck Program first aired in 2000 on WFLA (AM). He took that time-slot from eighteenth place to the number one position within a year. As of this writing his program is carried on two hundred eighty (280) stations along with XM Satellite radio.
Marc Fisher, a radio historian, says of Beck "...first and foremost an entertainer, who happens to have stumbled into a position of political prominence."
Eh? Glenn Who?
Glenn Beck came out on the 17th of September firmly against hybrid cars. Echoing, almost word for word, the sharp barbs that Rush Limbaugh had for the technology last March 2009.
Beck said: "Last year, when gas prices hit their all-time highs, at over $4 a gallon, of the top ten best-selling cars of 2008, exactly none of them were hybrids, not even the hero of the environmental universe, the Toyota Prius.”
And you know what? He's right...if you include trucks in those figures.
Last time I checked a truck isn't a car.
But here's what he missed. If you remove truck
sales from those figures in early 2008 then the Prius comes in tenth. Move the needle
forward to April 2008 and the Prius comes in eighth. This is right when gas prices started to rise.
What Limbaugh said was this: "Nobody's buying 'em. Nobody wants them. The manufacturers are making them in droves to satisfy Obama."
I know a few Prius owners. Know what they did when I asked if they bought their car to satisfy Obama? Looked at me as if they were sizing me up for a straight-jacket.
Limbaugh went on to say: "People are going to buy because Obama's going to see to it the price gets back up to four bucks, since that is the tipping point"
Obama's going to see to that?
Who had a secret meeting with oil suppliers in the United States regarding our energy policy?
It wasn't Obama.
It was Dick Cheney as Vice President under Bush. And it was during Bush's watch that gas prices reached all time highs.
Back in 2002 President Bush’s senior economic adviser, Laurence Lindsey said, and I quote: "The key issue is oil, and a regime change in Iraq would facilitate an increase in world oil,” which would drive down oil prices, giving the U.S. economy an added boost."
What happened to that? From what I hear Iraqis are paying under ten cents a gallon for gas over there. Guess it hasn't made it here yet. Will it ever?
Limbaugh 'nailed the lid on the coffin' (cough) with: "…Ford and Toyota are manufacturing all kinds of new hybrids to keep politicians happy. Politics. You want to know what killed the auto industry? Politics."
Funny, I thought it was high quality autos coming from Japan and an oil embargo that also drove gas prices through the roof & caused gas shortages back in the '70s. Detroit has never really recovered from that even though the quality of American cars is now the equal of Japanese autos.
More Beck Barbs
Beck went on to say: “Do you know the average household income of a hybrid buyer is over $113,000? That’s more than double the average household, and six times the poverty level. The purchase of a hybrid is a better indicator of household wealth than a doctorate degree."
Well once again he's right...at least in his own little mind. Honestly, I don't know where he's getting his figures and in true Beck fashion he didn't supply that information.
But let's assume he's right. Since hybrids are typically selling at $25,000 to $30,000 and the technology is so new it only makes sense that upper middle income types will buy them. No one else can really justify that type of purchase right now. Which is to be expected.
But the unexpected is happening. Prius' are being snatched up by middle-income and lower-middle-income types. And none of what Beck's says takes into account the C.A.R.S. rebate program. We won't know for a while yet how Toyota's Prius figured into that, but I suspect they were one of the more popular cars during the program.
All of this has an historical precedent. The American automobile didn't really rocket to stellar sales until after World War II when all those G.I.s came home, got a college education, started making middle-income money, and began buying all sorts of American made products. Including cars.
Pretending to speak (he does this a lot) to an "idiot" liberal "dimwit", he asked, "Aren’t tax breaks for the wealthy usually the kind of thing you’re infuriated about?”
Sorry Glenn, by today's standards $113,000 a year is not wealthy. It might better be considered upper-middle class income.
In fact, by U.S. Census Bureau figures, that falls right into the "median income" range for persons with a professional degree.
Hey, if you've got a master's degree in business shouldn't you be expected to make more money?
So as Glenn happily checks his bank account* at the end of every program we are left to ponder the words of a great (in his mind at least) pundit on the modern American political stage.
* Forbes Magazine estimates that Beck made twenty-three (23) million dollars in 2008 with a very likely increase to that amount in 2009~2010. His web-site is estimated to generate three (3) million annually, and Fox pays him two (2) million annually. The rest is from book sales and his radio program. So Beck should know something about wealth. Has he bought his Prius yet?
Beck is Driving a Hybrid
What many of you may not know is that Glenn Beck also has a deal with GM. He tapes some commercials for them. Now I don't know all of the financial details, but apparently part of the deal is that Beck gets to "sample" some of the cars.
His latest "loaner?" A Tahoe Hybrid; a hybrid SUV. I covered this vehicle briefly in the "Future Car - Hybrid Types" hub. It has one of the lowest MPG of all the hybrids available. This according to GM. Maybe that's why Beck likes it.
And what does Beck have to say about this "loaner?"
When asked about the Hybrid: "...it's wild to drive. At some point it is an electric, at some point
it's just a V-4 and then when you need it, it's a V-8. The thing has
guts to it. I mean, I hate to -- I hate to discredit government
mandates, you know, and all those people who are forcing us to, you
know, "Well, you've got to..." I hate to discredit that by saying, hey,
here's a vehicle that I actually like, works really well. I like it
more than the Escalade and the Denali and it's great on fuel economy.
That's great." source? Beck's own site.
Here's What I Think
Considering he's slamming hell out of them, is simultaneously a spokesperson for GM, and is currently driving a Tahoe Hybrid loaner (a hybrid suv he apparently likes); I think he's incredibly disingenuous. But hey, what else is new?
I really don't care that much that these cars are so expensive. This is to be expected. The technology is new and still being developed. When the iPhone came out was it cheap? Not as cheap as they are now. How about the first personal computer? No it wasn't. How about the Blackberry? They cost about a tenth what they did when they first hit the market.
This is the price curve of technology; when new it's expensive. When established and the economies of scale kick in it becomes cheap (or cheaper). It always works this way.
Is it really about the price of gas or where we are getting it?
For me it's where we are getting it.
Oh, we can say we overthrew a dictator or kicked some "bad guy's" arse for him, but it really boils down to who has the oil and how much we want to pay for it.
I'm not an economist, but how many American soldiers need to sacrifice their lives for barrels of oil? Is there a break-even point? Can such a thing have a value assigned to it?
I'll leave those questions for others to decide. I know how I feel about it though. I'm an honorably discharged vet. I think if we are going to be "used" you'd better be damned careful how you use us. Those of us that survive come home and buy and vote.
So why do these "pundits*" think that paying more for a technology that will ultimately reduce our oil dependence is such a bad idea?
Damnfino! But it's darned suspicious to me.
* Well, they think they are pundits anyway.
Update
September 25, 2009:
Toyota is planning to build the Prius here, in the U.S., starting in 2010.
Boy, will that ever be bad for our economy!
Coda
All opinions expressed here are my own. Gotta problem with that?
I happily await the slings and arrows sure to follow.
Diclaimer
The author has received no money, discounts, or freebies for any products that may be mentioned in this article.
Future Car Series
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What are the types of hybrid. Is a hybrid really a hybrid? This and more is discussed in this hub.
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Comments
jrb: I agree. I haven't met a single Prius owner making anywhere near that much. And there are so many factors to consider, gas (and money) savings, where the oil comes from, how much pollution one is contributing to, and last but not least who is making the hybrid.
Toyota and Honda are well known for the quality of their cars. And if I'm not mistaken they are built here, by Americans, who get paid to build them. *gasp* Now there's a concept worth considering.
Detroit is there in quality too and making some interesting choices when it comes to hybrids. Now if Americans will only realize that the home grown is pretty good too.
Thanks for speaking up. I can't stand the division in our country. The tactics being used to undermine the integrity of our president, appear deceitful, and quarrelsome. What good can come from it? None, if you ask me. :)
Mary: I don't either, but I fear it will always be there. Better to accept it and move on. I still don't quite understand why a shift in the automotive industry that is certain to create jobs is considered a bad thing by the right.
Well done,Liam. I'm not sure point Beck and Limbaugh are trying to make-- perhaps schilling for the oil industry?
No, that can't be it--evan Exxon recognizes change is in the air. That we need to burn more oil in order to topple the Middle East? Or is it simply that thy have nogogent thought in their little brains? I think that's probably closer to the truth. Like the dinosaurs before them, they're running crazily as their last gasps choke all sanity from their minds.
Thanks for the comment Ray ;^) I think you've said it all.
For those interested I recently found out Beck drives a hybrid. It's a loaner from GM, but apparently he likes it.
well said LB. I think those that are buying the hybrids are the ones that have educated themselves about the environment and want a vehicle that will both save $ and emissions.
I know people from different income levels are buying, both younger and older.
Thank you rebekah! One fellow I know who owns a Prius is working for the Fed...in a very low paying job by Fed standards. It's an older car, but still very solid and he's quite proud of it.
Where are all the conservatives?
Beck is determined...i'll give him that. I am a non US hubber but I have commented on Beck and O'reilly in some of my hubs. Then I started to question my own position.
Should I have a right to make comments about American issues ?
One side of me says I don't have the right but the obligation since American issues have a way to ripple through out the world which then effects me. On the other hand I feel that I don't have the right to comment on....
The Beck perspective and the whole argument of patriotism being bigger than being republican or democrat is a good one. I find some credibility in his rants yet I kind of side with others who say the whole argument is moot since government agents are just shills to a bigger global agenda.
Good hub...
Thanks Lenny. Your comments are definitely food for thought. From my own perspective I think comments by non-Americans (forgive me) are and should be welcome. We don't just affect you; you affect us as well.
The Beck's and O'Reilly's of this country at least start a dialog...and a considerable amount of outrage at times. But all too often the dialog remains on one side of the aisle or the other and rarely crosses over.
But that dividing line typically means one side feels the other is wrong and there is no compromise possible.
brilliant
You state Glenn Beck earned an estimated 23 million in 2008. That's really interesting. Looking at the big picture, his quest is not to inform the American people, but to become a billionaire multiple times over. To do this (at the moment) all he has to do is come up with bizarre Obama conspirary theories, and the rest is up to the American people who have become pawns in his quest for money. And it's not just the conservatives feeding his bank account. Even negative attention is good attention when it keeps him in the public eye, therefore feeding his wealth.
Great hub! I love the tables being turned on Beck this way, and his little secrets being told!
Thanks Patrice. According to Forbes that's what he made. And yes, I looked it up.
Well...none of it is possible without oil and the hybrid ain't gonna replace it. A hybrid may help relieve the symptoms but it is sure not going to keep the price of energy down!
At least Beck earns his money honestly compared to say...Al Gore.
Joer4X4: Thanks for your comment.
You are right about oil in hybrids. That is the nature of a hybrid; they burn gas or diesel. There are some newer vehicles out that are all electric and have decent ranges compared to previous attempts. Of course they rely on energy produced in the form of house current. Where the electricity is generated and how is the key. They are mostly city vehicles though.
I don't know that I can agree with you on bringing the price of energy down. I do know that there are many other forms of energy out there that are almost as cheap to produce and will be cheaper if they are ever seriously put to use.
There's a finite amount of oil. This is not the case with sunlight or wind.
I certainly don't agree with you about Beck. He laughs all the way to the bank after every broadcast. He's making money on your anger and my disgust. I don't call that honest at all.
Finally, though I disagree with you on some of your points I respect your right to an opinion and the equal right to voice it.
Actually what I meant is that without oil, there would be no cars or even aspirin. Oil is used in everything we use. It's not just a fuel.
Sure we can bring down the price of oil, Saudi Arabia drills and a gallon of gas it 90 cents. What's our problem.
Is it a finite resource? Those wells were suppose to have been tapped 10 years ago but they are sill going strong. The Gulf of Mexico wells were suppose to be done by the late eighties - early nineties.
I don't think wind and solar technologies can match the efficiency of oil, gas, or nuclear. Wind power in the summer is not going to power all those air conditioners. Not enough of it. In winter, there is more than we need and we can't store it for long periods of time.
I would love to have a pure electric 4x4 but oil again is needed to produce the charging electricity.
Well...I'll take Beck...you can have Gore, he's richer...LOL!
Have a great week!
Ah, you said energy not oil so I was basing my response on that. I still disagree though. There can only be so much oil; a resource that took thousands if not millions of years to come about. Sunlight, on the other hand, will be with us for at least the next four billion years.
As to your contention that oil is used for everything. True, but it wasn't always that way and it certainly does not need to remain that way. There are many goods out there today that could be made with soy or other plant oils. The printing industry in particular is making amazing progress in this area with almost all inks being plant based instead of petroleum based.
If you look at my hub The Future of the Car at the bottom you'll see three electric vehicles that will blow the socks off of all, but the most high-horsepower gasoline vehicle. One of them is a motorcycle. The Wrightspeed in particular is the second fastest production car in the world beaten only by the Bugatti Veyron.
You keep bringing up Gore. What makes you think I like him or even agree with him? I'll get to that eventually. But I will say this; he's a politician and that alone gives me pause.
I know all of the environmental arguments; including Global Warming. If you'll notice none of my hubs make mention of that or even attempt to address those claims. I am more concerned with dollar and cent costs along with the human toll in lives.
Whether he used the word 'cars' versus 'automobiles' is irrelevant- The top ten 'whatever' still did not include a hybrid. The fact that he drives a hybrid is also irrelevant. It is a loaner-not something he has purchased for himself so I'm not sure of your point. Besides that, it is a GM car not a foreign car so... again, not sure what your point was. As far as how much Beck makes what does that have to do with your argument about hybrid cars? I am lost in this hub-I'm not sure if you are arguing against Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, how much money Beck makes or for hybrid vehicles...?
"You keep bringing up Gore. What makes you think I like him or even agree with him?"
Just a LOL point...everyone has an axe to grind. Not intended to be personal.
"I am more concerned with dollar and cent costs along with the human toll in lives"
Yeah...we need to look at the ups and downs rather than right or left.
Later...
Liam,
Good Hub. I would tell you that beck as all radio personalities are salesmen first. Paul Harvey was probably more liked and more trusted than any other radio news commentary type. Even he stated that he's a salesman above anything. The idea that beck seems to be talking out of both sides his mouth on the hybrid issue does seem a little stupid doesn't it? I mean if he's on GM's payrole, why badmouth the product your supposed to be selling? It does make sense that he is actually test driving a hybrid. I mean if he's going to knock em', he should at least try em'.
I don't think the brief bio you wrote on him is fair. His past experiences have nothing to do with the "meat" of your article. It looks as though you seem to want to discredit his statements on hybrids by citing personal failures or the suspicious death of his Mother? I was shocked. I've read a lot of your HUBS, while I don't share many of your views I do believe your a good writer. You don't need sensationalism to get readers. Maybe thats not it, maybe beck just got under your skin.
What I did get from the article. You like hybrids. I do too. I think they are a good idea. Like you its not lost on me that both hybrids and full electrics don't completely get us off petroleum based energy, yet. While I would have to agree that the amount of oil is finite at any given time, I'm more concerned with where the oil comes from. So much of our national resources have been wasted on the persuit of foriegn oil. We have fought wars, coddled horrible governments and tried to build little America's all over the world. Not because we think its best for those countries, well maybe we do, but that is not the focus. The focus is what do we have to do to get the best price on a barrel of crude.
rsmallory, joer4X4, & C.J. Wright. Thank you all for your comments.
rsmallory: A car is not a truck. This is typical "gerrymandering" of terms from both sides of the aisle. It's so simple to do yet so misleading. My point in bringing up the loaner and I made it quite plain that it IS a loaner is the he likes it...a lot. Funny attitude from a guy that slammed them mere weeks ago. As to whether the car is foreign or not again I don't think that's all that relevant. If the "foreign" car is built here Americans are employed building and selling them. Ford, GM, and Chrysler are all building either full or series hybrids as well. Those aren't foreign. Finally, Beck claims to "speak for the little guy." I don't know that many average Americans that make twenty-three million a year do you?
Joer4X4: "Yeah...we need to look at the ups and downs rather than right or left."
I really appreciate huge concepts expressed in few words. Awesome!!!
C.J. Wright: I wasn't trying to establish motives or imply anything by writing of Beck's past. I always try to add an historical perspective to all my articles.
When I spoke of electric motors in one of my hybrid articles I made a point of "highlighting" the inventor of those motors. When I wrote of Renault I wrote of the three brothers who founded the company and raced their own cars. It's all about giving the reader a window into the "genesis" of the subject I write about. I've even got a hub on pressure cookers in which I credit the inventor of the cooker and process. Imagine, if you will, buying a kitchen item called a digester!
So no I wasn't trying to imply anything with a Beck history. Just wanted to give a window into his past. And I readily admit there's a lot to admire in his conquering those adversities.
From my calculations roughly four hundred million (400,000,000) gallons of gasoline are sold in this country a day. Much of that comes from foreign sources. If current cars could save even one gallon per fill-up the potential savings in use and cost would be huge.
The real point of this article is what I perceive as hypocrisy on the part of a (now) well known personality.
I just read a Toyota ad and they were actually showing hydrogen at a pump station. I think we're a little far off from that!
In The Light Urns: Honda had a commercial last year that briefly displayed either a hydrogen station or recharge station that ran on sunlight. You could see the solar cells on top and it had either a hose or cord coming out of it.
This was positioned in front of a Honda owner's home. It doesn't exist of course. I think Honda was taking liberties with what "might be" instead of "what is."
What I find completely outrageous is that taxpayer money is going to a company in Finland partly owned by Al Gore. What a total waste of money, our money. The cars being produced are extremely pricey and will never make a difference in terms of energy conservation or pollution. The money belongs in the United States, but politics trumps all.
What company in Finland?
I'm just waiting for my nuclear powered car. It's currently on back order.
drking: Let us know how that works out for you.
The company is Fisker Automotive Inc.
Why couldn't they get a business loan? Probably the product is not worth the investment.
OK. I'm confused. The Department of Energy gave a $529 million dollar loan to a car company (called Fisker) in Irvine California (not far from me) to develop a plug-in hybrid. I also see that Tesla Motor Company received $465 million, also from the DoE. Ford is getting 5.9 billion (yes billion with a "B") from the same source.
Additionally, part of the loan is for another model (Project Nina) that will be much cheaper. Fisker is expecting to sell 100,000 of those units world-side, from Irvine, thus helping to balance the trade deficit.
I do see that the body will be manufactured in Finland, but the engine and other components are made by GM. In fact Fisker ordered 15,000 engines from GM. The LiOn battery packs are coming from either Canada or Indianapolis. The interior is made here by Magna. The same company that bought Opel and got a 2 billion dollar loan from Germany to do so.
I also see that though Fisker lists 750 people developing their cars only 100 are on the actual payroll. The rest are outsourced.
So I'm confused. Seems like everytime a "librul" complains about jobs going overseas someone on the right starts asking if "we want to be isolationist" again. But if a car company who makes most of it's purchases here, but buys the car body from Finland, all hell breaks loose.
What's up with that?
Or is it just that Al Gore might be involved.
Great hub. You answered some of my questions about Beck who seems so extremely disconnected from reality I wondered about his background and what could have pushed him so far off the edge of reason. Also, the discussion of cars is fascinating! Kartika
Beck knows what he's doing. He makes 23 million a year to raise heck!
A doink will always talk like a doink. And that's what Glenn Beck is -- a doink. Have thought so for a long, long time.
Great article. And since when do auto manufacturers build anything to please politicians? I've heard poor old Obama accused of so many things, and he is a hard working individual, but no one could have their fingers in that many pies.
Immartin: I don't know the answer to that. But my research indicates that everyone is firmly on the hybrid band-wagon here in the states. Overseas its a slightly different story. Electrics are all the rage. The only hybrids run on diesel not petrol. But there are quite a few of those too.
I think perhaps Toyota's success with the Prius opened everyone's eyes. Wide open.
And thanks for the comment. After reading your hubs, I take it as high compliment. You truly are the talented one when it comes to writing.
Thank for sharing it interesting.
My parents are retired school teachers and they just bought a Prius last year. Man are they elitists. ha ha. Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh are delirious from the copious amounts of carbs they ingest. Lay off the doughnuts boys!
KynSOS23 & busybeeson, thanks for commenting.
busybeeson: Well there you go. We all know school teachers make 113K a year. Elitist indeed!
Thanks for letting us know that. Again, a clear indication that Beck's information is questionable at best.
I see that most folks here are your everyday run of the mill tree huggers and have no idea of the unintended consequences of their actions. For starters let's debunk immediately this gas crisis that they say we are in. Gas would be less expensive if we would 1) drill off shore (the Chinese are doing it under our noses), 2) drill in Alaska, 3) extract the oil from the oil shale in the Rockies, 4) get rid of the cumbersome regulations imposed on nuclear plant construction, and 5) encourage alternate fuel sources by a radical program from congress. If we can come up with the atomic bomb without the aid of computers then we should be able to figure out how extract hydrogen economically. This takes time so the aforementioned steps need to bo implemented to bridge us to the hydrogen fuel utopia. We would be better off circulating our dollars here than abroad for oil which in turn would pay for the hydrogen program. Depending on these hybrids that we have now is stupid both from an economic sense but also from a long range strategic sense. It is nothing more than a political band-aid for shallow thinkers. Glen is correct in saying what he does about hybrids.
Why is it when someone objects to people who are concerned about the environment and fuel use they get a label? "Treehugger?" I've never hugged a tree in my life.
I do agree that it takes time to come up with other resources to supplant oil. However, no one is "depending" on these hybrids. They are new. They will change drastically as the technology is developed and improved upon.
I've been a technologist for thirty plus years. I write about it because I understand it and have the ability to explain technology in far simpler terms.
Finally, is Beck also right when he says: "it's wild to drive. At some point it is an electric, at some point it's just a V-4 and then when you need it, it's a V-8. The thing has guts to it. I mean, I hate to -- I hate to discredit government mandates, you know, and all those people who are forcing us to, you know, "Well, you've got to..." I hate to discredit that by saying, hey, here's a vehicle that I actually like, works really well. I like it more than the Escalade and the Denali and it's great on fuel economy. That's great!"
If he objects to them so much why is he raving about the Tahoe? He clearly likes it.
Bassboat, as a card carrying "treehugger" allow me to comment on your comment;
1) drill off shore (the Chinese are doing it under our noses)
Sure let's kill of the rest of the ocean's life that already hasn't been killed off by overfishing, dumping poinsons, the Pacific garbage patch. Oil companies have proven themselves to be such good stewards of the environment after all.
2) drill in Alaska
They already drill in Alaska. About 95% of Alaska is open to oil developement. Please leave 5% unspoiled. That's not unreasonable.
3) extract the oil from the oil shale in the Rockies.
Sure let's lop off some more mountain tops like they're doing in the Apalacias for coal. You should read up on how it's effecting communities and the over all environment there, but I suppose don't live in the Rockies or Apalacia, who cares
4) get rid of the cumbersome regulations imposed on nuclear plant construction.
Nuclear energy is only a cheap source of energy because they don't dispose of the waste properly. If they disposed of the waste like they should it would no longer be cost effective.
5) encourage alternate fuel sources by a radical program from congress.
Wow! Something we agree on!
Wow, this hub is full of valuable information! Thanks. Regarding Glenn Beck, he's the man Democrats love to hate, and he also has a penchant for fantasy, it seems, being a Mormon. Ha! Had to get that in there. He and Limbaugh should do some drugs together and get married. Anyway, hybrids will help very little, mainly because they're so damn expensive. Later!
Kosmo: Thanks for your input. Yes, they are expensive...right now. But I can see a time in the near future when they are on a par with gasoline only powered cars price-wise.
I'm going to stick my neck out (way out) and say five years.
I am not trying to sound rude but if the "left" didn't have hybrids to talk about, all they would be able to find for conversation pieces would be, Beck and Limbaugh -- collectively speaking. You might find Kartika damon's piece on reptilian brain matter and evil right-wing extremists interesting.
I am a Christian and proud to be an "Evil, right-wing extremist." After all we are responsible for most of the violent crime in America. I am facetious and the "left" well; let's just say, they are not all that bright.
Here's something else for your fans to tackle: 11/04/2008 was NOT about history having been made. If it were, the honorable Alan Keyes would have been seeking re-election.
I love making the left look as though they've seven brain cells collectively -- it's fun you should try it some time. Ciao.
What does Kartika Damon have to do with hybrids?
What does Christianity have to do with hybrids?
What does Alan Keyes have to do with hybrids?
Do let us know when you've made the left look stupid. I think you missed this time around.
He certainly has been successful in creating a high profile for himself,or we ( I use the term generally) like to promote diverse characters.I didnt know his background though ,so I enjoyed your hub.Thankyou.
Nothing wrong with hybrids but without them the "left" would only have two other things to talk about. 1) When a Democrat gets caught doing things he/she shouldn't be doing, it's no one's business. 2) When someone from the right gets caught, engaging in the selfsame, it's the devil to pay.
But generally speaking, I like hybrids.
Eaglekiwi: No one should ever accuse Beck of being stupid. Misinformed and a pot-stirrer yes. The man is now in the top 1% of wage-earner's in this country. That's not stupid.
Takle This: Though this may seem like a political thread it's not. I've written almost twenty hubs (and it will be twenty soon) on hybrids. I don't hear the "left" talking about nothing but hybrids. I also hear the left talking about high-speed rail, protecting national parks, promoting alternative forms of energy, and protecting the environment.
Myself, I don't care about a politician's dalliances no matter what side of the aisle they are from. What I do care about is whether they lead appropriately and not screw the entire nation in the process.
Politicians from the left and right have been excellent rogues when it comes to "dipping" into the American taxpayer pocketbook.
Touche
Thanks Tackle This. I know it may be hard to believe, but I think we are closer to agreeing on things than not. Though I "lean" left I'm not about to fall over...if you get my meaning.
Touche again. Hybrids are just part of the answer. My ex sister in law drives a Camry hybrid and no she doesn't have a high salary. I thought it funny that Beck said $113k was wealthy. In Iowa where I live now that's not bad. I was born in CA and in some areas that kind of money you would only be able to afford the high crime areas to live in. Beck never ceases to amaze me with his twist of the truth to suit his own agenda. His kind of rhetoric leads us on a path of division, when we need to come together as a nation.
Actually, I owe you an apology. I was extremely kind for about 35 years and ended up abused more than used by the "in crowd."
*Here's an original that you might like: Articulate, confident, happy people are often despised by the grammar school ethic of the masses.
Take care, and thank God, at least you have an agenda... a lot of Americans are really quite weak. I just designed a new shirt which reads: "You laugh at me, and you've never had an original thought. "You" are pathetic.
Just to play devil's advocate for a moment; I'm sure that it is far too easy to get caught up in something that is not entirely factual and/or well reasoned...especially when attempting to fill 4 hours of air time. *Having said that, I've a degree in Radio and Television broadcasting, am starting my own online thing and hope that I will never jump to conclusions as I did originally with your post.
Have a great day.
Hi I never called Beck stupid? and Im sure financially he is more than comfortable lol.
Personally hes not someone Id have over for dinner is all.
Oh yes definately agree Beck has a persona to project and reading your hub confirms that. Heads up ,I always think its great to learn new info.
Takle This: Actually, I don't think you owe me anything; certainly not an apology. You have a right to your views. I hear you though. Beck is first and foremost an entertainer. After all, this is where he got his start in broadcasting...as a DJ.
I'm not sure Americans are all that weak. What they are is busy. They don't have time to actually reading an entire article or research that news item from a number of different sources. Many of them react from headlines alone; that's all they have time for.
As for media types they have a choice. Wait a while and get all the information available or break a story and "scoop" everyone else. It's usually the later.
Eaglekiwi: I just threw that out there. The "not stupid" comment was an addition to what you said, not an attempt a correction. Sorry.
Actually, I wouldn't mind having Beck as a dinner guest. I'll bet there is more to like about him than not on a more personal level. Like many in broadcasting he has to project a persona.
You hit the nail on the head...it is too bad that we've reached an age where North-americans have sold us out in terms of offshore hiring practice.
I can only hope and pray that we don't shoot ourselves in the other knee. *Sorry, kind of off track but lines up somewhat with your comment about our being too busy -- maybe :-)
This guy call Glen Beck is pitiful. Why is he so nagative? He is very unamerican to me. You dont have to attempt to destroy our institution. This is what we all fought for. He need to go into rehab again. He seems to have conginital hatred in is mind. Yes, he makes money by catering for the white supremacists, money is not all that matters in life.
Tackle This, magdielqr, and hybridway: Thanks for your comments.
Tackle This: I'm seeing more companies hiring in the states again. The call center mess in particular taught a lot of managers a valuable lesson. If you try to save a few cents you can end up costing your company some serious dollars. With the current economic mess Americans are cheap labor...once again.
magdielqr: Thank you
hybridway: I think Mr. Beck has found an excellent way (for him) to make a living. He knows how to cater to a particular segment of the population and he's paid very well to do that. He's struck gold.
jrb says:
2 months ago
Good debunking article!
People need to see the Becks and Limbaughs for what they are, misinformed misinformers. And just for the record none of the Prius owners I know fall in the $110K a year catagory. One is a school teacher and we all know how well we as a society pay them. All of the Prius owners I know bought a hybrid, not even for a gasoline savings, but because of the high emissions standards and their concern for the amount of green house gases we pour into the atmosphere.