President Obama had a bad year… but America had an even worse one

December 23, 2013

The Glenn Beck Program

With Glenn on vacation for the holidays, TheBlaze’s national security editor Buck Sexton filled in as host of the Glenn Beck Radio Program this morning. We have recently heard politicians and pundits from both sides of the aisle refer to 2013 as the worst year of the Obama presidency, but Buck argued there is more to the story than the President’s approval rating. While 2013 was a bad year for President Obama, it was a worse year for the United States of America.

Obama the worst. I know what you're probably thinking. I'm just referring to the fact that he may be duly considered the worst president in, I don't know, over a hundred years if you're so inclined. And he views, though, this past year as the worst for him because it's really a reflection of the narcissism in this president that when the American people have a bad year, the biggest problem, the biggest issue as he sees it is that he's having a bad year. I don't really care that President Obama's having a bad year. In fact, I don't think the media should care, either, because vast riches and untold accolades await him in public life no matter what happens from hereon out. So just remember that as those of us in the conservative movement, those of us on the conservative side of things keep on pushing and spreading the truth about this administration. President Obama is going to end up, after his time in office, an incredibly rich and powerful and celebrated man.

So it's with that in mind, and I know you say that's probably unfair but it's also true, and I guarantee you it is true. With that in mind, though, I care much more about the fact that America has had a bad year. But it's not enough to think of this as one bad year. It's really just the culmination of a five-year progression towards a progressive agenda. This is the year during which we found ourselves constantly stumped by the lies, constantly left in the lurch because we had been promised so much. And even those of us who knew those promises would come to naught were surprised with the speed and ferocity with which they crashed on the shoals of the free market, on the shoals of the American way of doing business.

It's been a bad five years really. It's just that this year was the first time that the quisling partisans failed to explain it away. It was too much of a gut punch, too difficult for all of us. And so 2013 I think will be the year when we look back and say that the progressive central planning agenda collided with the reality of a free market and a free, though rapidly dwindling, economy. It is a year in which the president lied to us on a number of issues, and I think it's very important to recognize that these weren't lies that are easy for us to pass by and explain away. These were lies that affect us all. These were lies that you could even say in some regards subvert the democratic process, subverted the democratic process.

President Obama told us, as you know, that if you like your plan, you can keep it. President Obama's senior advisors told us that Benghazi was a response to a video, that it wasn't clear who was responsible from the outset. At first they said that the IRS was abusive and weaponized, weaponized for political purposes, probably the most frightening agency of the federal government has now turned on the American people, a subset of the American people. Those who like to use words like "freedom" and "patriot" and "liberty." That's quite a commentary on the federal government out of D.C. that those were the terms that marked you for extra scrutiny, as the bureaucrats said.

President Obama now says that that was not, in fact, anything to be concerned about, it was nothing about which we should be overly worried. In fact, it's really just right-wing hysteria, isn't it? Oh, no, the IRS, yes, yes, the inspector general from within came out and said it was completely unacceptable. And when the news cycle was against this president, he came out and said, "I won't stand for this." He did a fantastic job of false outrage and yet it quickly withered away, and we knew he was as unserious about accountability in the IRS as he was accountability for his own words on Obamacare.

The subversion of the democratic process through the lies of the chief executive, through the lies of the most powerful man in the world, the leader of the free world, whether he chooses to adopt and use that title or not, is something that I think will go down and mark this year as one that we should remember, unfortunately for many of the wrong reasons, or many reasons that are saddening to patriots and those who care about the Constitution and liberty. And yet, despite all of this, despite everything that I have told you as we go into the heart of the Christmas season and into the new year, 2014 is going to be a fight. I promise you that much. Don't think that it is not. 2014 is going to be a knock-down, drag-out between the forces inside America who say "Enough. We are standing athwart the proposed progress of the American left and saying, "You are taking us into a place we do not wish to go." Do you think that they're going to look at the past year, they're going to look at this year that we've just gone through as essentially the end state, the natural progression of the past five years? Of course not. Just bumps along the road. Just a few little issues, a few little things to be pushed aside, tossed away. No worry about your healthcare plan. Hey, plenty of time to get through a pathway to amnesty, plenty of time to use executive fiat to get regulations for the environment through that will cripple business, harm the economy and will never go through congress because if this president has done one thing, he has shown us that the legislature is useful for one thing and one thing only and that is for constantly whining and carping and saying that "they won't do my bidding."

The legislature in the republic that we live in now is increasingly superfluous. It's unnecessary. It's extraneous. We have a consolidation of power in this White House that even ten years ago nobody could have dreamed of. We have a president who openly defies not just the will of congress but defies the Courts who say, "You know, what you're doing is flatly unconstitutional." Does the administration back down? Do they say, "Okay, I will accept this court of appeals decision"? No. They take it to the Supreme Court. They take it to the mat. Just as he had to take his signature legislation to the Supreme Court, which passed only through a level of sophistry and trickery that is unbelievable to anybody who can read plain-letter English. That's the legacy of this president. That's the legacy of this four years which now has finally added one more onto the pile that tells us everything we needed to know.

And here we see today a deadline passes. You won't hear much about it. Many of you are out shopping spending time with your families focused on other, and quite honestly for the time being, more important things. Today was the day that you were supposed to have signed up for Obamacare to have coverage starting on January 1st. I don't even know if that's true anymore. I don't know if it's true because I don't know what the law actually says because the law has become meaningless. The law has become a tool, something to be used by the whim of the chief executive. That's it. Doesn't hold him back.

Front page image courtesy of the AP

Critical theory destroys truth and justice

Editor's note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Critical theory once stood out as the absurd progressive notion that it is. Now, its maxims are becoming an integral part of ordinary political discourse. The more you repeat a lie, the more you will believe it, and this is the very dangerous place in which we find ourselves today.

Take this critical theory maxim as an example: If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice. It's a necessary evil, if you will, the necessity of “controlled injustice.”

By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we’ll save the republic. We’ll be acting in a noble way.

This definition of justice is defined by the “oppressed,” not the “oppressor.” It is the greatest happiness for the greatest number. To achieve this justice, however, we need to endorse acts on occasion that, while seemingly unjust, serve a higher purpose. It will ensure the stability and the unity of our republic, and this may manifest in ways that seem contradictory to our values. But these are the necessary shadows to cast light on “true justice.”

And isn’t that what we are all after, anyway?

Here’s another critical theory maxim: Sometimes we find the truth through fabrication. Our pursuit of truth sometimes requires a strategic use of falsehoods. The truth is a construct that has been shaped and tailored to promote the well-being of the collective.

We sometimes need to accept and propagate lies designed by "the system” — not the old system, but the system that we’re now using to replace the old to get more justice through injustice and more truth through fabrication.

We’re engaging in a higher form of honesty. When we fabricate, it’s for the right reason. We are reaching up to the heavens fighting for a higher sort of honesty. To fortify the truth, we occasionally must weave a tapestry of lies. Each thread, essential for the greater picture, will ultimately define our understanding and ensure our unity under this infallible wisdom.

The election is coming up. Does this maxim sound familiar? Many think it is imperative that we secure our republic through election control to maintain our republic. Sometimes, we might need to take actions that by traditional standards might be questionable.

The act of securing elections requires cheating. It's not mere deception. It is a noble act of safeguarding our way of life. We're on the verge of losing this democracy, and without deception, we will lose it.

To ensure it doesn't fall into the hands of those we know will destroy it, we may have to make a few fabrications. We're fabricating stories to be able to control or secure the republic through our elections. By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we'll save the republic. Therefore, we'll be acting in a noble way. Stealing an election from those who wish to harm our society is truly an act of valor and an essential measure to protect our values and ensure the continuation of our just society.

If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice.

I know it's a paradox of honor through dishonor. But in this context, by embracing the dishonor, we achieve the highest form of honor, ensuring the stability and the continuation of our great republic.

Let this be heard, far and wide, as a great call to patriotic action. As we advance, let each of us, citizens of this great and honorable republic, consider these principles. Not as abstract or paradoxical but as practical guides to daily life. Embrace the necessity of controlled injustice, the utility of lies, the duty to secure our electoral process, and the honor and apparent dishonor. These are not merely strategies for survival. They are prerequisites for our prosperity.

We all have to remember that justice is what our leaders define, that truth is what our party tells us. Our republic stands strong on the values of injustice for justice, honor through dishonor, and the fabrication of truths. To deviate from this path is to jeopardize the very fabric of our society. Strength through unity; unity through strength.

We've heard this nonsense for so long. But now, this nonsense is becoming an instituted reality, and we are entering perilous times. Don't be fooled by the narratives you will hear during the march to November. Never let someone convince you that the ends justify the means, that a little bit of injustice is needed to achieve a broader, collective vision of justice, that truth sometimes requires fabricated lies and narratives. If we do, justice will cease to be justice, truth will cease to be truth, and our republic will be lost.

Top 5 MOST EVIL taxes the government extorts from you

David McNew / Staff | Getty Images

"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." -Ben Franklin

The injustice of taxation has been a core issue for Americans since the very beginning of our country, and it's a problem we have yet to resolve. This belief was recently reignited in many Americans earlier this month on tax day when the numbers were crunched and it was discovered that the government was somehow owed even more hard-earned money. As Glenn recently discussed on his show, it's getting to be impossible for most Americans to afford to live comfortably, inflation is rising, and our politicians keep getting richer.

The taxpayer's burden is heavier than ever.

The government is not above some real low blows either. While taxes are a necessary evil, some taxes stretch the definition of "necessary" and emphasize the "evil." Here are the top five most despicable taxes that are designed to line the IRS coffers at your expense:

Income Tax

Joe Raedle / Staff | Getty Images

"It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income." -Ben Franklin

On February 24th, 2024 we hit a very unfortunate milestone, the 101st anniversary of the 16th Amendment, which authorized federal income tax. Where does the government get the right to steal directly out of your paycheck?

Death Taxes

Dan Mullan / Staff | Getty Images

"Now my advice for those who die, Declare the pennies on your eyes" -George Harrison

Not even in death can you escape the cold pursuit of the tax collector. It's not good enough that you have to pay taxes on everything you buy and every penny you make your entire life. Now the feds want a nice slice, based on the entire value of your estate, that can be as much as 40 percent. Then the state government gets to stick their slimy fingers all over whatever remains before your family is left with the crumbs. It's practically grave-robbery.

Payroll

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -John Marshall

What's that? The nice chunk of your paycheck the government nabs before you can even get it to the bank wasn't enough? What if the government taxed your employer just for paying you? In essence, you make less than what your agreed pay rate is and it costs your employer more! Absolutely abominable.

Social Security

VALERIE MACON / Contributor | Getty Images

"We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much." -Ronald Reagan

Everyone knows the collapse of Social Security is imminent. It has limped along for years, only sustained by a torrent of tax dollars and the desperate actions of politicians. For decades, people have unwillingly forked over money into the system they will never see again.

FICA

Kevin Dietsch / Staff | Getty Images

"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." -Thomas Paine

FICA is the payroll equivalent of Social Security. Your employer has to match however much you pay. It means it costs your employer even more to pay you—again, you'll NEVER see that money. At this point, are you even working for yourself, or are you just here to generate money for the government to frivolously throw away?

5 DISTURBING ways World War III will be different from previous wars

Oleg Nikishin / Stringer | Getty Images

Has World War III begun?

Over the weekend, Iran launched an unprecedented attack against Israel involving over 300 missiles and drones. This marked the first direct attack on Israel originating from Iranian territory. Fortunately, according to an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, 99 percent of missiles and drones were successfully neutralized by Israeli defense systems. Iran claimed that the operation against Israel had concluded and that no further offensive was planned, although the possibility of another attack is still present.

This has left many people, including Glenn, wondering the same thing: did we just witness the start of World War III?

Glenn recently had a World War II Air Force Veteran as a guest on his TV special, who told stories of the horrors he and his brothers-in-arms faced in the skies over war-torn Europe. This was a timely reminder of the terrors of war and a warning that our future, if it leads to another world war, is a dark one.

But, if Glenn's coverage of the Iranian attack revealed one thing, it's that World War III will look nothing like the world wars of the twentieth century. Long gone are the days of John "Lucky" Luckadoo and his "Bloody Hundredth" bravely flying their B-17s into battle. Over the weekend, we saw hundreds of autonomous drones and missiles clashing with extreme speed and precision over several different fronts (including space) simultaneously. This ain't your grandfather's war.

From EMP strikes to cyber attacks, here are FIVE ways the face of war has changed:

EMP attacks

New York Daily News Archive / Contributor | Getty Images

The entire modern world, on every level, is completely dependent on electricity. From your home refrigerator to international trade, the world would come to a grinding halt without power. And as Glenn has pointed out, it wouldn't even be that hard to pull off. All it would take is 3 strategically placed, high-altitude nuclear detonations and the entire continental U.S. would be without power for months if not years. This would cause mass panic across the country, which would be devastating enough on its own, but the chaos could be a perfect opportunity for a U.S. land invasion.

Nuclear strikes

Galerie Bilderwelt / Contributor | Getty Images

Nuclear war is nothing new. Many of us grew up during the Cold War, built fallout shelters, and learned to duck and cover. But times have changed. The Berlin Wall fell and so did the preparedness of the average American to weather a nuclear attack. As technology has advanced, more of our adversaries than ever have U.S. cities within their crosshairs, and as Glenn has pointed out, these adversaries are not exactly shy about that fact. Unfortunately, the possibility of an atomic apocalypse is as real as ever.

Immigration warfare

Nick Ut / Contributor | Getty Images

The strategy of strangling an opposing nation's economy to gain the upper hand is a wartime tactic as old as time. That's why the Border Crisis is so alarming. What better way to damage an opponent's economy than by overburdening it with millions of undocumented immigrants? As Glenn has covered, these immigrants are not making the trek unaided. There is a wide selection of organizations that facilitate this growing disaster. These organizations are receiving backing from around the globe, such as the WEF, the UN, and U.S. Democrats! Americans are already feeling the effects of the border crisis. Imagine how this tactic could be exploited in war.

Cyber shutdowns

Bill Hinton / Contributor | Getty Images

Cyber attacks will be a major tactic in future wars. We've already experienced relatively minor cyber strikes from Russia, China, and North Korea, and it is a very real possibility that one of our adversaries inflicts a larger attack with devastating consequences on the United States. In fact, the WEF has already predicted a "catastrophic" cyber attack is imminent, and Glenn suggests that it is time to start preparing ourselves. A cyber attack could be every bit as devastating as an EMP, and in a world run by computers, nothing is safe.

Biological assault

WPA Pool / Pool | Getty Images

Don't trust the "experts." That was the takeaway many of us had from the pandemic, but something less talked about is the revelation that China has manufactured viruses that are capable of spreading across the globe. We now know that the lab leak hypothesis is true and that the Wuhan lab manufactured the virus that infected the entire world. That was only ONE virus from ONE lab. Imagine what else the enemies of America might be cooking up.

The government is WAGING WAR against these 3 basic needs

NICHOLAS KAMM / Contributor | Getty Images

The government has launched a full-on assault against our basic needs, and people are starting to take notice.

As long-time followers of Glenn are probably aware, our right to food, water, and power is under siege. The government no longer cares about our general welfare. Instead, our money lines the pockets of our politicians, funds overseas wars, or goes towards some woke-ESG-climate-Great Reset bullcrap. And when they do care, it's not in a way that benefits the American people.

From cracking down on meat production to blocking affordable power, this is how the government is attacking your basic needs:

Food

Fiona Goodall / Stringer | Getty Images

Glenn had Rep. Thomas Massie on his show where he sounded the alarm about the attack on our food. The government has been waging war against our food since the thirties when Congress passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. They started by setting strict limits on how many crops a farmer could grow in a season and punishing anyone who grew more—even if it was intended for personal use, not for sale on the market. This sort of autocratic behavior has continued into the modern day and has only gotten more draconian. Today, not only are you forced to buy meat that a USDA-approved facility has processed, but the elites want meat in general off the menu. Cow farts are too dangerous to the environment, so the WEF wants you to eat climate-friendly alternatives—like bugs.

Water

ALESSANDRO RAMPAZZO / Contributor | Getty Images

As Glenn discussed during a recent Glenn TV special, the government has been encroaching on our water for years. It all started when Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, which gave the government the ability to regulate large bodies of water. As the name suggests, the act was primarily intended to keep large waterways clear of pollution, but over time it has allowed the feds to assume more and more control over the country's water supply. Most recently, the Biden administration attempted to expand the reach of the Clean Water Act to include even more water and was only stopped by the Supreme Court.

Electricity