Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine [Paperback]

Beck should actually read Thomas Paine rather than skim over the great mans wikipedia page. He takes the lines which comply with his worldview completely out of context. Paine's common sense actually makes an excellent case for a quite extensive welfare state. It demolishes the justifications for both the statist absolutism of the left wing and the right wing. The latter being a Glenn Beck wet dream. Better luck next time buddy.

Awful book from the ravings of the chalkboard master. This guy wears magic underpants and writes bad books. Don't waste your money on this book. There isn't any common sense to reap from this awful book.

Mr. Beck's small book, slightly longer than Mr. Paine's Pamphlet, which is included, are both very fast reads. Thomas Paine's pamphlet published in 1776, Common Sense challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy. The plain language that Paine used spoke to the common people of America and was the first work to openly ask for independence from Great Britain. Mr. Beck uses the plain and simplistic language of today so that all who read his work should understand his points, which was the same goal Mr. Paine had.

Whereas Thomas Paine was placing into words the inspiration that would aid the nation in its revolt for independence much of what he wrote had been discussed and known by the people of his time for a long while. The same is true of Mr. Becks booklet, everything he writes about are known or felt by most citizens. They both emphasis in their own way and relative to the times in which they live the responsibility, accountability, and liability of government and how they are to be answerable to the people.

Mr, Beck has many valid points and hopefully this small work will start an open dialogue on the sate of the U.S. Federal Government and its perpetual state of expansion. How far has the Republic fallen from its original founding and the Natural Rites of the people. The author does not use his platform to defend his political party but rather warns as the founding father did that a two party system is not good for a healthy Republic.

The author points out that both prevalent political parties have contributed to the problems we face today as a nation. The main focus of the book is that all the branches of the U.S. government are acting in their self interest. The politicians are not concerned with the well being of the country or their constitutes whom they are suppose to represent. But only interested their reelection, power and progressive agenda. Which of course he relates to their the out-of-control spending currently taking in place in Washington now that started over sixty years ago. This is not tied to any one political party, both major parties are equally to blame.

This is not new knowledge and why I feel he used the Common Sense addition to his title for no person or government can survive through excessive spending far beyond their means. But it is not just the out-of-control spending, the author very plainly lays out the case against the continually increasing size of government resulting in the erosion of individual liberties. Liberties that were won with blood.

To rectify this Mr. Beck advocates a non-violent revolution to hold our elected representative accountable and make the government act in interest of the American people and not their own. He suggest this revolution use the hard won rights of our Republic through Free Speech, the electoral process and vote out all who work for there self-interest instead of the people they were elected/hired to represent. He only ask that you do your homework and vote for the person that tells the truth and then is closes to how you wish the country governed. The U.S. Politicians of today have shown they have no interest at all to listen to their constituents.

All Americans must remember the words of James Madison, "..the House of Representatives can make no law which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as on the great mass of the society...If this spirit shall ever be so far debased as to tolerate a law not obligatory on the legislature, as well as on the people, the people will be prepared to tolerate anything but liberty." It seems that all in America has forgotten this and Mr. Beck in his own way is trying to remind the people. And the same issue of The Federalist #57 Mr. Madison wrote, "Who are to be the electors of the federal representatives? Not the rich, more than the poor; not the learned, more than the ignorant; not the haughty heirs of distinguished names, more than the humble sons of obscurity and unpropitious fortune. The electors are to be the great body of the people of the United States. They are to be the same who exercise the right in every State of electing the corresponding branch of the legislature of the State."