A December 6 post on Glenn Beck's TheBlaze.com criticized Obama for saying in a recent speech in Indonesia that “In the United States, our motto is 'E pluribus unum' - out of many, one.” The post reported that members of Congress are calling on Obama “to issue a public correction” since “the country's real motto” has been “In God We Trust” since 1956. On his radio show today, Beck himself attacked Obama for “cutting God out of the motto,” adding, “If this guy has God, you can count on Barack Obama not mentioning him.”

Odd coming from Beck, since he's always worshipping the Founders and complaining that progressives are trying to erase their principles. According to a State Department document, “E Pluribus Unum” was chosen as the motto for the National Seal by a committee consisting of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. The seal looks like this:

“E Pluribus Unum” also appears on the seals of the President, Congress and the Supreme Court. And it's all over our money. So if it's not the motto, is certainly a major motto of the United States and well-rooted in the history of the birth of the country. Indeed, as the New York Times reported in July 2000:

[O]n July 30, 1956, another law confirmed “In God we trust” as “the national motto” -- even though Congress also recognized the Latin phrase “E pluribus unum” (out of many, one), which also appears on United States currency, as a national motto.

The United States' adoption of “In God We Trust” in the 1950s is widely seen as a response to the atheism of the Soviet Union. You might think that Beck would object to a 20th century Congress replacing the motto chosen by the Founders, but I guess not when there's a chance to enlist God against the communists.