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Glenn Beck: Arguing with Idiots - The Nanny State

October 13, 2009
 Radio Clips

The Glenn Beck Program


Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government


by Glenn Beck

GLENN: Well, Arguing with Idiots, it is the way to win every argument on everything that is out there. I mean, Healthcare? Look up the chapter. Gun control? Look up the chapter on gun control. We give you their stupid argument and then we give you the way to beat it. For instance, when your friend says...

PAT: Yeah, you are always whining about the nanny state. You know what? People need guidance. If they don't get it, they will start eating like you; they'll weigh more than the entire State of Nebraska.

GLENN: First of all let's say that's true.

PAT: It is true.

GLENN: So what?

PAT: So go ahead and say it.

GLENN: It's true.

PAT: It's true.

GLENN: It's true. So what?

PAT: What do you mean so what?

GLENN: If I want to make my arteries flow as well as trying to suck a Twinkie through a straw, that's my business, isn't it?

PAT: No.

GLENN: By the way, I've tried sucking a Twinkie through a straw and it's almost, I stress almost, impossible.

PAT: Yeah, it's your business until I wind up having to pay for your healthcare because 400,000 people die of obesity every year.

GLENN: Wow, what a great stat. I've heard that over and over and over again.

PAT: I know.

GLENN: But if you look on Page 165 of Arguing With Idiots, you'll see the footnote that shows that the actual number is ridiculously exaggerated. It's actually about 1/16th of that number. But beyond that, isn't the real problem that you'd have to pay for my bad choices? I mean, if we'd stop trying to pay for everybody's bad choices, we wouldn't have to worry so much. I could live my life completely with a, you know, portable jar of mayonnaise in my briefcase and you could live yours with green beans and watercress and we'll see who dies happier.

PAT: Oh, please, I'm just talking about some common sense solutions here. Like listing the amount of calories on the menu of fast food restaurants like they did in New York City.

GLENN: Yeah, you are right. That's a perfect example.

PAT: I know it is.

GLENN: Yeah. Even though most of the restaurants already had nutritional information posted or in pamphlets for anybody who wanted it.

PAT: Oh, yeah. But you had to walk four or five steps to the right of the counter to get that.

GLENN: Uh huh.

PAT: Putting it on the menu makes it so much easier for people to make the smart choices about what they eat, way easier.

GLENN: Smart choices. You'll see the problem with these laws is you can check on how well they work, you see, and that's what researchers did. They found that only about half of the people even noticed the calories.

PAT: But still, it's worth it. If you are helping just half the people.

GLENN: Really?

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: Well, it's not half.

PAT: What do you mean?

GLENN: Over 70% of the people who noticed the calories on the board completely ignored them. Overall according to your beloved New York Times, about 12 1/2% of the people said they made healthier decisions based opt menu.

PAT: Okay, but still. 12 1/2% of people are healthier.

GLENN: Oh, no, not so fast. Read the book, Arguing With Idiots. You see, people lie all the time about what they eat. So the same study went one step further. They waited outside of restaurants and paid the customers two bucks to get their receipts so they could actually see what they ate. The results? People actually increased the amount of calories they consumed after the law was in place.

PAT: Well, then how many laws are in effect every time you walk by the vending machine?

GLENN: See? See what happens?

PAT: You know what, Mr. Beck? Nacho cheese dust is not on the food pyramid, okay? Neither is Crisco oil.

VOICE: Arguing With Idiots available at bookstores everywhere, or order now at GlennBeck.com/bookczar.

WATCH: This is why Eric Weinstein is FINALLY talking to Glenn Beck

Eric Weinstein, managing director of investment firm Thiel Capital and host of "The Portal" podcast, is not a conservative, but he says conservative and center-right-affiliated media are the only ones who will still allow oppositional voices.

On "The Glenn Beck Podcast" this week, Eric told Glenn that the center-left media, which "controls the official version of events for the country," once welcomed him, but that all changed about eight years ago when they started avoiding any kind of criticism by branding those who disagree with them as "alt-right, far-right, neo-Nazi, etc.," even if they are coming from the left side of the aisle. But their efforts to discredit critical opinions don't stop there. According to Eric, there is a strategy being employed to destroy our national culture and make sure Americans with opposing views do not come together.

"We're trifling with the disillusionment of our national culture. And our national culture is what animates the country. If we lose the culture, the documents will not save us," Eric said. "I have a very strongly strategic perspective, which is that you save things up for an emergency. Well, we're there now."

In the clip below, Eric explains why, after many requests over the last few years, he finally agreed to this podcast.

Don't miss the full interview with Eric Weinstein here.

Want to listen to more Glenn Beck podcasts?

Subscribe to Glenn Beck's channel on YouTube for FREE access to more of his masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, or subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.

Glenn Beck: Why MLK's pledge of NONVIOLENCE is the key to saving America

Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Listen to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s pledge of nonviolence and really let it sink in: "Remember always that the nonviolent movement seeks justice and reconciliation — not victory."

On the radio program, Glenn Beck shared King's "ten commandments" of nonviolence and the meaning behind the powerful words you may never have noticed before.

"People will say nonviolent resistance is a method of cowards. It is not. It takes more courage to stand there when people are threatening you," Glenn said. "You're not necessarily the one who is going to win. You may lose. But you are standing up with courage for the ideas that you espouse. And the minute you engage in the kind of activity that the other side is engaging in, you discredit the movement. You discredit everything we believe in."

Take MLK's words to heart, America. We must stand with courage, nonviolently, with love for all, and strive for peace and rule of law, not "winning."

Watch the video below for more:

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn's masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.

Section 230 reform or antitrust laws  — how do we STOP Big Tech censorship?

Conservatives are between a rock and a hard place with Section 230 and Big Tech censorship. We don't want more government regulation, but have we moved beyond the ability of Section 230 reforms to rein in Big Tech's rising power?

Rachel Bovard, Conservative Partnership Institute's senior director of policy, joined the Glenn Beck radio program to give her thoughts and propose a possibly bipartisan alternative: enforcing our existing antitrust laws.

Watch the video below:

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn's masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.

'You have no idea how bad this was': Dan Bongino details behind-the-scenes 'smear campaigns' against Parler

Dan Bongino, host of The Dan Bongino Show, is an investor in Parler — the social media platform that actually believes in free speech. Parler was attacked by Big Tech — namely Amazon, Apple, and Google — earlier this week, but Bongino says the company isn't giving up without a fight. In fact, he says, he's willing to go bankrupt over this one.

Dan joined Glenn Beck on the radio program to detail what he calls a "smear" campaign behind the scenes, and how he believes we can move forward from Big Tech's control.

"You have no idea how bad this was behind the scenes," Dan told Glenn. "I know you're probably thinking ... well, how much worse can the attack on Parler have gotten than three trillion-dollar companies — Amazon, Apple, and Google — all seemingly coordinated to remove your business from the face of the Earth? Well, behind the scenes, it's even worse. I mean, there are smear campaigns, pressure campaigns ... lawyers, bankers, everyone, to get this company ... wiped from the face of the earth. It's incredible."

Dan emphasized that he would not give up without a fight, because what's he's really fighting for is the right to free speech for all Americans, regardless of their political opinions, without fear of being banned, blacklisted, or losing jobs and businesses.

"I will go bankrupt. I will go absolutely destitute before I let this go," he said. "I have had some very scary moments in my life and they put horse blinders on me. I know what matters now. It's not money. It's not houses. It's none of that crap. It's this: the ability to exist in a free country, where you can express your ideas freely."

Watch the video below to hear more from Dan:

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn's masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.