“Arguing With Idiots” by Glenn Beck

Up until the last year and a half, can you remember a time when conservatives and libertarians openly argued their political views with liberals and progressives (other than the few in the media)?  Most conservatives and libertarians have always left political arguments alone and said “live and let live.”  

As progressives move the Overton Window further to the left, those of the politically right-of-center see their country slipping through their fingers.  For so long they have lived virtuous lives; paying the bills, working hard and voting and that was enough to see their children grow into adulthood.  But for the first time in American history, the current adult generation believes their children will have fewer opportunities than they had during their lives.

While taxation does play a part in the general sentiment of what the tea parties (for lack of a better term) stand for, the movement is broadly focused and represents a culmination of factors that everyday Americans are fed up with and have decided to say “ENOUGH.”  Many of these freedom-loving Americans have never imagined that they would find themselves standing side-by-side with fellow Americans holding signs at the nation’s capital but their children’s future is at stake.

These Americans are new to openly spouting their beliefs and, as such, need to be prepared to meet resistance on the battlefield of ideas.  That’s not to say they are stupid by any means; in fact, it’s quite the contrary.  As with anything, debate takes practice.  The truth is that liberals have traditionally been the party who go to rally for “change.”  Nevertheless, Glenn Beck’s recent book Arguing With Idiots is a good introduction to educate these first-time politically-active Americans in defending their beliefs. 

Beck uses his trademark tongue-in-cheek humor to poke fun at both sides of the political aisle in Arguing With Idiots while packing each chapter full of information.  The end of the book is full of citations so when you are done reading Arguing with Idiots, you do not need to cite Glenn as a source – because we all know how that would go in an argument with an idiot.

Arguing With Idiots is original and isn’t dry by any means.  It will make you laugh and you will be left with a newfound knowledge of situations facing our country today.  Anyone new to politics should read this and other books, which will be featured in future weeks.  Knowledge is power and burying your head in the sand does little to help you understand WHY you hold a particular set of beliefs.