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Is Glenn Beck Pulling a Stephen Colbert?

Glenn Beck talks completely crazy at the CPAC conference. Beck goes on and on about the evils of “progressivism” like “income taxes” and “spending” and finishes up disclosing how he learned about these dangers: “I educated myself. I went to the library and books are free.”

I’m sorry, but I can’t believe that Beck is really that stupid. Did he really just say that he learned about the evils of progressivism by utilizing an institution that is the embodiment of progressivism? As Jon Stewart points out:

Glenn, the library isn’t free! It’s paid for with tax money. Free public libraries are the result of the Progressive movement to communally share books. The first public library was the Boston public library in 1854. It’s statement of purpose: every citizen has the right to access community owned resources. Community owned? That sounds just like communist. You’re a communist!

Watch the video (via The Daily Show):

So, is Glenn Beck really that idiotic? Or is he a faux conservative who is secretly making fun of conservatives — like Colbert — but just taking it to an entire new level of irony, going one step beyond Sacha Baron Cohen?

UPDATE: Even the GOP establishment — including Rush Limbaugh — are getting scared by Glenn Beck. This is hilarious!

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5 Comments

  1. Jonah wrote:

    I think he’s stupid but he’s shrewd at the same time. He’s stupid because he thinks libraries are free and he’s shrewd because he plays to the fears of the extreme right thereby making a lot of money.

    Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 9:23 pm | Permalink
  2. Fred Wickham wrote:

    I like that thought, that’s he’s simply one-upping Colbert. Let’s pass that around. Might even get the FoxNews folks believing it.

    Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 10:38 pm | Permalink
  3. ebdoug wrote:

    Please spread the word: If you want to read any of Glenn Beck’s stupid books, please get them at the library. They are free to read there.

    Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 4:28 pm | Permalink
  4. Jared wrote:

    You are wrong on two accounts. Libraries are free for over 50% of the population who pay an accumulative negative tax and for children and non property owners. Do you own a home? Secondly, progressives are not responsible for creating libraries. That is an absoulutely ridiculous statement. The right to an education is a liberty and strongly promoted in our republic. You equate public libraries to Socialism? Really? If you don’t like Beck don’t watch him but don’t make stuff up. Jon Stewart was kidding for crying out loud. His show is comedy not news. He’s funny not serious.

    Sunday, March 28, 2010 at 8:31 pm | Permalink
  5. Iron Knee wrote:

    Jared, I can’t tell if you are trying to be ironic, but if you are, you are doing a very good job of it. If you aren’t, then you are amazingly dense. You don’t think an institution like public libraries, which are supported by taxes but free to all, aren’t just a wee bit socialist in nature? Really?

    Sunday, March 28, 2010 at 11:04 pm | Permalink