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‘YOU were right!’ New CBO Obamacare report is a major black eye for Obama Administration

February 13, 2014
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The Glenn Beck Program

Last week, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office released a new report that refutes just about every promise once made by the Obama Administration in relation to the impact of Obamacare. We already knew Americans who liked their doctors and plans were not necessarily able to keeps those doctors and plans. In many cases, health insurance plans offered through the Obamacare exchanges offered less coverage with a higher deductible. Businesses were forced to reconsider hiring practices because of Obamacare-related benefits expansion.

Based on the new CBO report, we now also know:

Obamacare is NOT deficit neutral

Obamacare WILL cost millions of jobs

Obamacare WILL cause drop in employer-provided health insurance

“I thought before we move forward on anything, we really need to set the record straight because there was a really important thing that came out of the CBO… Last week, the CBO updated Congress on the impending effects of Obamacare,” Glenn said on radio this morning. “The numbers are not pretty. Upon the release of these numbers, the best defense the White House could come up with is: The CBO report is subject to misinterpretation. Is it? You know what's not subject to misinterpretation? The fact that this Administration was lying to your face, looking you in the eye and lying to your face in 2009 and 2010, as they crammed Obamacare down your throat.”

When this law was rammed through Congress in 2010, the leftists and media did anything and everything in their power to silence dissenters and pass off the concerns of anyone who disagreed. As it turns out, the concerns of those dissenters were, in many cases, true.

“They did everything they could to obstruct anyone who stood in the way. Not just obstruct, destroy… You knew what was going on. Common sense told us the federal takeover of one-sixth of the U.S. economy would be a very bad thing for this country,” Glenn said. “And four years later, after it has become law, after they have still gutted this thing so the really bad effects don't hit yet, you're just beginning to feel how bad this thing is going to be. Now the nonpartisan CBO confirmed our predictions and your predictions in this report. It backs up what we have said all along. It shows that we were not the ones that were wrong.”

When it came to Obamacare, President Obama declared priority number one for his administration was to ensure the law was deficit-neutral. Well, that is far from true.

Remember this promise from President Obama on June 15, 2009:

OBAMA: It is a cost that will not – I repeat – will not add to our deficits. I've set down a rule for my staff, for my team, and I've said this to Congress, healthcare reform must be and will be deficit-neutral in the next decade. Now, there are already voices saying the numbers don't add up. They're wrong.

Page 111 of the new CBO report has this to say about Obamacare and deficits:

CBO and JCT estimate the ACA coverage provisions will result in a net cost to the federal government of $41 billion in 2014 and $1.487 trillion over the 2015 to 2024 period.

“So $1.5 trillion in the next nine years. $1.5 trillion added. We don't have the money,” Glenn said. “Progressives didn’t care about the promises then, and they don’t care about their promises now.”

Another Obamacare-related promise was the millions of jobs it would add to the U.S. economy. Remember this gem from then Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on February 25, 2010:

PELOSI: So this bill is not only about the health security of America. It's about jobs. And it will create 4 million jobs – 400,000 jobs almost immediately. Jobs in the healthcare industry but in the entrepreneurial world as well.

This is what page 127 of last week's CBO report has to say about Obamacare job creation:

The CBO’s updated estimate of the decrease in hours work translates to a reduction in full-time equivalent employment of about 2 million in 2014, rising to 2.5 million in 2024, compared with what would have occurred in the absence of the Affordable Care Act.

“From the very beginning, we knew the penalties associated with Obamacare, and we knew it would hurt the job mark, not help it. You knew that. You're smart,” Glenn said. “Trust the American people. Trust the audience. They are smart. Show them the evidence, and they will come to the correct conclusion. It is not our job to do anything but bring you the evidence and let you figure it out.”

To further exacerbate the jobs problem, the CBO is also reporting that businesses will revaluate their hiring practices. On July 15, 2009, Glenn said this on his radio program:

GLENN: One tax on one small business costs between five and ten jobs. Think about that against the entire scale of the economy. You'll begin to see what that plan is going to cost in free health care. The higher the tax, the less people get hired. The more people need government to give them health care or housing. This is a freedom grab.

Page 124 of the CBO report states:

Businesses also may respond to the employer penalty by seeking to reduce or limit their full-time staffing and to hire more part-time employees.

“Remember we are being lambasted. We were madmen. We were a danger. We were terrorists. We were absolutely everything because we stood against Obamacare,” Glenn said. “But you don't need the CBO or me telling you what Obamacare was going to do to your business or job because you're smart… You knew the truth. We knew the truth. The CBO now verifies that they were wrong about everything.”

While the CBO does corroborate the fears conservatives have had since Obamacare’s inception, it is still a bittersweet moment. The failure of Obamacare ultimately could mean the failure of the U.S. economy.

“It’s not satisfying to do [this] monologue. Really not satisfying because we are not looking to be right. I don't want to be right. Being right means the destruction of our country, and there's no satisfaction in that. I wish I could get on and say, you know, I was wrong. Obamacare is a success. And it's working. And it's not going to bankrupt our country… But we're not,” Glenn concluded. “The question is: Are you prepared to stand and lead? Are you prepared? And who are you now saying I'm going to campaign for that person because I believe in that person, no matter what the party says.”

Read the entire CBO report below:

45010-Outlook2014

Front page image courtesy of the AP

Without civic action, America faces collapse

JEFF KOWALSKY / Contributor | Getty Images

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

Samuel Corum / Stringer | Getty Images

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.