About us Login Get email updates
County Fair
Print

I don't think even Beck knows what Beck is trying to say anymore

November 23, 2010 11:04 pm ET by Ned Resnikoff

What does Glenn Beck think communism is? His definition seems to change from month to month. That's why, for example, he could decide in July 2009 that Van Jones is a "communist-anarchist radical," and then, in March of this year, tell his audience that communism and anarchism are opposites. But as much as he's contradicted himself on the topic in the past, last night is probably the first time that he did so in under a minute.

The topic was the People's Republic of China. Here's how he opened the segment:

BECK: I want you to have conversations at the dinner table with your friends and family, because we're headed toward the system of government that China has. And you'll hear all the leaders, all around the world, China is the new model, right? China is the new model. It's great to see the sudden reverence that we have for China.

They are a communist country. Just like they were under Chairman Mao.

Stop for a moment. Take note. Beck is saying that China is every bit the communist nation that it was during the height of the Cold War. Got it? Good.

Here's some more of the transcript:

BECK: China is the same country today, except they don't call it communism anymore. They call it state capitalism. Well, are they capitalists? Well, yes. They're not -- they're not communists really because what is communism? Communism is state- controlled, state-owned, state-run. Nobody owns anything. So, that's not communism because now they let people make money. They let people own things. All right. But not entirely. So, it's not communism. Look it up in the dictionary.

Wait, wait, wait. What? Glenn! You just told us they were communists! Like, thirty seconds ago.

And if you're confused now, wait till you read the rest:

BECK: What is the -- what is the step between communism and capitalism? It's socialism. So, it's a socialist country, right? Now state -- state capitalism. It's capital "S." State capitalism, which is equal to the nation. It's not local. It will be -- one world government. State capitalism -- it's actually national socialism. Gee, who had national socialism? Who had -- hey, that's right. That's the government setting the pace of the economy using private companies to be the engine. Who had this system? That's right. National socialism, somebody had it. We should look that up. You have privately-owned companies -- you just have to do what the state says. In China, it's completely different because they have privately-owned companies who have to do what the state says. 

Well, I know we wouldn't take national socialism because that was Germany. Germany had this. That is "National Socialism," it's the Nazi Party. So, if we wouldn't go for national, let's just capitalize the "S" in that way we don't freak anybody out, because we will say that, no, no, not national socialist, it's state. And everybody is freaked out by communism and it's not communism because you still get to own things. You just have to do what the state says. So, let's call it capitalism when actually it's national socialism - - let's call it state capitalism. And the world will feel so much better. Do you understand? This is what progressives do. They just change the words. Change the meaning, it's national socialism. It's what Hitler said could never be defeated. What are you hearing from people? You will never beat China.

Don't worry, there's a visual aid:

Expand All Expand 1st Level Collapse All Add Comment
    • Author by mmfa.fan (November 23, 2010 11:27 pm ET)
      1  
      *implodes*
      Report Abuse
    • Author by nerzog (November 23, 2010 11:53 pm ET)
      6  
      Nostradumbass, the ignorant bastard, just pulls this stuff out of his butt, then spoonfeeds it to his even-more-ignorant sycophants... exponentially increasing their stupidity.

      And they love him for it.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by eb (November 24, 2010 8:47 am ET)
        3  
        He attacks and smears things that he can't define and doesn't understand. He does this all the time and his audience buys it because he is attacking things they don't understand either.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by E.Hatt-Swank (November 24, 2010 2:07 pm ET)
          1  
          .. and it doesn't really even matter to them that they don't understand it! All that's important is to know that "THEY" are out to get you, and "THEY" are bad and "THEY" want to destroy everything that is good and all-American. Don't worry your pretty little heads about the details ...
          Report Abuse
    • Author by argblarg (November 24, 2010 12:17 am ET)
      2  
      It seems that Beck thinks the most evil thing about the Nazis was their economic policy and not their massive genocide and unprovoked aggression that led to the bloodiest war in human history.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by cackman131 (November 24, 2010 12:58 am ET)
      1  
      Glenn Beck= the voice of reason!!! he tells it how it is man...you just have to watch his show. ....no? oh ok.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by HenHouse (November 24, 2010 1:01 am ET)
      2 1
      whaaaat? This is what progressives do. They just change the words. more of the same , blame the enemy for your tactics. I am going to start using the term 'Fox crime family' (malloy)
      Report Abuse
    • Author by SolomonKane (November 24, 2010 6:49 am ET)
      3  
      "Gee, who had national socialism? Who had -- hey, that's right. That's the government setting the pace of the economy using private companies to be the engine. Who had this system?"

      The most topical and relevant answer to Glen's question is not Hitler but George W Bush. Blackwater, Haliburton, etc....
      Report Abuse
      • Author by eb (November 24, 2010 8:57 am ET)
        3  
        I imagine Communist China in its present form is like a corporate dominated market driven society also. The communist party is like a board of directors for the whole country and the lack of political democracy is similar to what one experiences in the workplace, where your opinions can be requested but once the decision is made, its done.

        Most economic organizations are not very democratic in a market driven society. If you then have political democracy subverted by the economic powers, the people running the show don't look much different from a board of directors or a politburo. A strong, democratic and transparent government is a necessary counterweight or check & balance.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by SolomonKane (November 24, 2010 5:46 pm ET)
          1  
          Very insightful reply eb. Another example of this is the post war economy of Japan which is also largely and strongly centrally managed. Of course the architects of this are not the communists but the capitalists of United States. See here for details:

          Your text to link here...
          Report Abuse
    • Author by markslp7013 (November 24, 2010 7:16 am ET)
      4  
      Thank you so much MMFA.....I am actually less intelligent for having read that transcript. I could actually feel the brain cells dying. Could you please post a warning in the future?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by BigJay (November 24, 2010 9:40 am ET)
      2  
      "what is the step between communism and capitalism? It's socialism. So, it's a socialist country, right?"

      No proof, no logical step, just a blatant statement of fact like everyone should know this... It's too bad he isn't a journalist because then he'd actually have to PROVE his "logic"...

      Then again, he COULD be psychotic...
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Brishon (November 24, 2010 3:14 pm ET)
        1  
        According to Marx, it goes from Slavery>Feudalism>Capitalism>Socialism>Communism, but Socialism, in Marx's view, is simply a means to an end, that end being Communism. Communism to Marx wasn't about state control, because there was no longer a state. Beck seems to think Marx wanted pure government control which is an idiotic midconception. His using Marx belief in linear history then completely misrepresenting his view of Communism is just more proof Glenn Beck has no clue what he's talking about
        Report Abuse
    • Author by Ninure (November 24, 2010 11:31 am ET)
      1  
      Owww....

      That literally mad me dizzy!!
      [http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j218/Ninure/political/anti-yes-movement.jpg]
      Report Abuse
    • Author by FlippinUid (November 24, 2010 12:20 pm ET)
      1  
      ROF LMAO Will somebody put a rubber room around all of Fox's offices, while the bozos are in there.
      Report Abuse

my.MediaMatters.org

Login  Sign Up

About the Blog

Feed Icon
  • County Fair is a media blog featuring links to progressive media criticism from around the Web as well as original commentary, breaking news and rapid response updates to major media events from Media Matters senior fellows and other staff.