![]() Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government by Glenn Beck |
PAT: Private sector, private sector. You fat conservatives always say that the private sector does everything better than the public sector. Why?
GLENN: Well, let's take Hurricane Katrina, shall we? As I'm sure you read on Page 6 of Arguing With Idiots, in January of 2006 New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin announced 314 new public projects as part of his rebuilding effort after Katrina. Over 2 1/2 years, six of them were complete.
PAT: Oh, sure. Just focus on a convenient 314 examples. That doesn't prove that the private sector could have done any better.
GLENN: Well, Wal-Mart had 126 of their stores damaged in the hurricane, 110 of them were up and running within 10 days.
PAT: Big deal. So you have 314 examples of this and 126 examples of that. But are you really trying to claim that government shouldn't help during a natural disaster to get people back on their feet? Is that what you're saying?
GLENN: You mean like help during a terrible flood or something?
PAT: Yes, exactly.
GLENN: Like in Johnstown, Pennsylvania?
PAT: Yeah.
GLENN: Water levels rose 14 feet, dozens of buildings were destroyed?
PAT: Right.
GLENN: Two dozen people were killed.
PAT: Sure.
GLENN: Place was wiped out. Government stepped in with a small 10% tax on alcohol sales just until will they got back on their feet.
PAT: See? That's exactly what I'm talking about.
GLENN: I know it is. That's the problem. The flood happened in 1936. The tax is still active today.
PAT: Really?
GLENN: Yes. And it gets worse.
PAT: Really?
GLENN: Yes. The tax is no longer 10%. They've actually raised the tax twice since, even though the flood happened in 1936. They raised it twice. It's now 18% and still going strong.
PAT: Oh, really? Well, if they were smart, they would just start up a new tax on motes reel a State of Texas. Just the amount you could fund on a Friday night could fund every government program for the next millennium, you deep fried...
VOICE: Arguing With Idiots available at bookstores everywhere or order now at GlennBeck.com/bookczar.