Glenn explains why we are the ‘board of directors’ that ‘can change the path’ of the GOP

October 10, 2013

Writer

On last night’s Glenn Beck Program, Glenn revealed a story that was over a year in the making. Just weeks before the 2012 election, Glenn announced on his radio program that he had learned of “the biggest news story is going on,” but he chose not to divulge the information in order to maintain peace ahead of the election.

So what was the story?

Around this time last year, the establishment GOP tried desperately to take the wind out of the sails of the conservative and libertarian movement, by going after FreedomWorks in what Glenn referred to as a “hostile takeover.” Last August, Glenn received a phone call from Matt Kibbe right after he had been forcibly removed from his office by armed guards. GOP operatives had influence within the FreedomWorks ranks and, once Kibbe had returned to FreedomWorks, it took several months to rid the organization of their power.

Glenn explains how the situation unfolded in the clip below:

On radio this morning, Glenn elaborated on why now was the time to tell this story. When you look at the in-fighting and corruption within the GOP between the establishment Republicans and the more conservative members of the party, a situation very similar to what happened at FreedomWorks last year begins to unfold.

“Now, I didn't say anything about it during the election because it took about a week to get [Kibbe] back in [FreedomWorks], maybe just a couple of days… And I didn't say anything because, quite honestly, I looked at my wife when I first heard it, and I said, ‘We're done.’ If they can do this, these guys can do anything. And it just took the wind out of my sails for about two weeks,” Glenn said. “And I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to be hammered because it was being fixed. But I told you on the air, there is something happening behind the scenes that I think is the most important political story to happen in the year. And it's happening right now and nobody knows about it. And someday I will tell you about it. That's what I said on the air, and I said it several times.”

In the lead up to the 2012 election, Glenn didn’t feel releasing the story served any purpose. Other outlets reported various versions of the story, but it didn’t gain much traction. Today, however, in the midst of stories about Republicans turning on one another and calling each other names, the incident takes on a whole new meaning.

“But I never said anything about it [then] because it didn't serve a purpose at that point,” Glenn said. “It does now because what is happening in the GOP, in the Senate to Ted Cruz and to Mike Lee, and in the House of Representatives to all of those who are standing up for the Constitution, and [it is] being done by people like Mitch McConnell, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, John Cornyn, John Boehner, all of those guys. What's being done right now is what they tried to do to FreedomWorks.”

FreedomWorks was able to reclaim its identity and get itself back on track. Its board of directors elected to reinstate Matt Kibbe as CEO, and slowly but surely the non-conservative/libertarian elements of the group began to leave. The American people find themselves in a very similar situation. We are the board of directors, and it is our turn to make a decision about the future of the Republican Party.

“And you are the board of directors. You are the ones that can change the path. So, when I said to you last week, ‘Defund the GOP.’ This is why I said it. You are the board of directors. The board of directors opened their eyes to all of this, because they [knew], ‘We got nothing,’” Glenn said. “That's why I am coming to you, the board of directors, and saying, ‘Is the [GOP] ranchers in your cattle?’ Because that's the way they look at you. They don't want the choices coming from you. They want to give you the choices. They say, ‘This guy or this guy.’ And you say, ‘The lesser of two evils. I guess I'll take that guy.’ That's the way they want it. They don't like it that you picked somebody from the ranks that they don't have control over. And this is the end game. Just like it was with FreedomWorks.”

“If FreedomWorks would have lost that, it would have meant that we would have been destroyed. All of the work they had done, all of the work and a lot of the credibility that the Tea Party had and everything else would have all been destroyed, would have all been gone,” he continued. “Because it would have been then a GOP operative and we would have had to start all over again. And we would have lost years. Years. And I'm telling you, the same thing is happening now. But if the board of directors, you, stand up, and you know what's the going on, and you know who the bad guys are. And you know who they are. But they are trying to convince you that you have no power.”

The John Cornyns, the Lindsey Grahams, the Mitch McConnells, the John Boehners, have all worked years and years and years to gain their status and power and they are not about to go down without a fight. But many of them are up for re-election this year, and it is your turn to decide.

“They want you to feel like you are powerless. You can't do it. You will never make it. And if they win, it means that it will be just a GOP that goes against all of the Constitution. And we will lose years, if not lose the fight. This fight in Washington is not about the President. It is not even about the debt. It is about the Constitution,” Glenn said. “It's not even about fairness. It's about an equal shot. It's about everybody being free to be able to do and follow the desires of their heart… It's not about debt. It's about bottom up control. We the people, equal justice, and equal chance because all men are created equal. We just want the chance to be who we believe we can be.”

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

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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

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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.

POLL: Is America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

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A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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