‘Open your damn eyes!’: Glenn pleads with listeners to prepare for the future

How bad is Obamacare? We've gotten plenty of emails from people sharing the stories from people who have had nothing but trouble with the new system, as well as some who already have expensive medical bills. Even Glenn, who provides incredible health insurance for his employees and their families, fears what Obamacare will mean for his family. Today on radio, he shared those stories and fears, alongside a passionate people to wake up and prepare for what the events of today mean for America's tomorrow.

The first letter Glenn read came a man whose neighbors already can't afford their medical bills, but refuse to take government assistance. Instead, they collect cans and find other ways to pay their bills, and the community has come together to support them:

Glenn,

Across the street from me lives a man and his wife. Gary is a Vietnam vet who refuses to take food stamps. His wife Micaela has very delicate health as she has had some major heart surgeries. Wonderful people who have had very hard times the last few years.

Health care takes up over a third of their meager income. Neighbors have noticed that they collect aluminum cans while they are out walking so we have pulled together and there is often a bag of cans left on their porch, for which they are very grateful. Good people who have almost nothing in the way of this earth's goods.

As of October first their health insurance premium, their deductible and the cost of filling prescriptions were bumped up to the point that Gary feels he is going to have to sell their home of 30 years. They are heartbroken.

Robert

Another person wrote in to talk about the trouble they have encountered with Obamacare:

Dear Glenn….

I actually got through the Healthcare.gov website October 5th, registered, got a confirmation letter PDF, enrollment in a FLA Blue Cross plan, and an enrollment number. The letter told me I would be hearing from Blue Cross in a few days regarding billing.

I called Blue Cross of FLA, and they have no record of receiving my application from Healthcare.gov. I was told only 15 people in FL were successful getting their applications to transmit to B Cross. They suggested I phone the Affordable Health Care office which I did today. They told me that my application was backed up, and the backup was lost, so the application for which I have written approval and a confirmation number is no longer “in the computer system.” They also said that my “application was not linked to my account.” The 800 # folks said they now linked it, but they can’t tell whether I’m enrolled for a plan or not.

I am 64 years old, so next summer I’ll be eligible for Medicare any way. The Affordable Health Care enrollment is very disappointing. I think some high school computer whizzes could have done this better.

Marvin

"Let me tell you this. I have the best insurance that you can get for my company and I don't know how much longer we can afford it," Glenn said. "It breaks my heart because I have a daughter with cerebral palsy and so I know how hard it is. I know what it's like to be not the guy at the top of the food chain but the guy at the bottom of the food chain, that has medical bills that you just can't afford. And so when I started this company, that was the first thing we did. From the very beginning before we could afford it all the way to now when we still can't afford it, we have paid for our employees the best medical care we could possibly afford. There's no deductible, there's no copay. We pay for it, 100%. But I'm the rich guy that you're supposed to hate."

"My daughter was in the hospital last week. We're trying to make her seizures stop. As of right now, we can't make them stop. She had a -- she had another one yesterday and one on the weekend and one on Friday before I got on the plane," Glenn explained. "Five days before that, I was at the pharmacy, with the best insurance money can buy. The doctor prescribed a medication for her, one of the three that she has to take, and one of those medications is $2500 a month, and my insurance doesn't cover it. I stood at that counter and I thought of you (the listener). How do you afford it? If you're a dad and they prescribe this medication and you don't even have my insurance, and it's $500 a month, you're going through the same thing I am. I could say 'Fill it anyway.' You can't."

Glenn said he went to the pharmacy that day thinking about his daughter, but he left thinking how the everyday American can possibly prepare for what is coming when the system collapses because of programs like Obamacare.

"I went into that hospital pharmacy thinking about my daughter and I spent the rest of the afternoon thinking about you. I think a year from now, definitely two, most of Americans are going to be working part time. There will be some IMF global tax that will add an extra 10% on everything. The people like me will be out of business, and the people that have done favors for this government will be in business. And they will be fine."

On the other hand, Glenn believes that average Americana will become "worker bees", tested at a young age and assigned a role in society based upon the needs of the collective. He believes that Common Core and similar programs are just a precursor to this eventuality. Glenn also pointed to Ray Kurzweil's work on "The Singularity" of how technology will come to further and further control people's lives, and not always for the better.

"I met two leaders recently of this movement, not in politics, who have told me, "I'm over 50 now. I don't think I'm going to do this much longer." Really? I'm approaching my 50th. I put all my money into this. I'm in 'til the end. How about you?"

"There is a way out. There is a way out, but the first thing you have to do is understand you are living in a different world. You can't worry about today; you have to start worrying about tomorrow. You have to start looking over the horizon because by the time you figure out today, tomorrow will already be here. We have to start having a little bigger vision than these worms in the Republican Party," Glenn said.

"Here's the thing: It's going to get tough, but we have each other. That first letter, the couple that picks up cans, it's going to be the neighbors and churches that are going to have to help them. It's going to have to be the people in Plano, Texas that help them. We're going to have to live like we are supposed to live...I know the FDA will probably come in and say that we probably can't have a community farm, but to hell with them. We're going to have to farm. We're going to have to work together. We're going to have to share, not because we're forced to but because that's who we are and always will be. God help us who we always will be because to my dying breath, I am an American. I support the Constitution. Long live the republic."

"May I be brave enough to say those words when it counts. Defund the GOP. Send them a message. It's time for a third party."

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

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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.

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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 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.