Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Glenn Beck has a unique ability to irritate those on both the left and the right. Keith Olbermann accuses him of being a tool of the GOP. Mark Levin thinks he is a lightweight who's "afraid" to call himself a Conservative. Both men are wrong, because both men (unlike Beck) are deeply invested in the electoral success of their political parties. Beck, on the other hand, is deeply invested in the success of certain principles no matter who promotes them. Conservatives who think that Beck is hurting the cause by attacking the GOP might do well to remember that Republicans have not nominated a true conservative for the presidency in over 20 years, and they have paid a steep price as a result. From the start, Beck makes clear that "Idiots" does not refer to Liberals. Idiocy, rather, is a state of mind, and it can affect both the left and the right. However, Beck is indeed a conservative who believes in the original intent of the constitution, so naturally progressives of all stripes are the primary targets."Idiots" is a good book, with clear arguments against all varieties of conventional wisdom. I would only advise that a lot of these arguments don't lend themselves to a basic overview. After putting this book down, pick up more in depth explorations of the economy and politics by Jonah Goldberg, Thomas Sowell, Thomas E. Woods, etc. Incidentally, I am not persuaded by the claims that Beck steals the ideas of others and claims them as his own. Again, anyone who listens to Beck knows that he is very open about who he reads, and is frank about the fact that he has learned much from them. Stating conventional wisdom is not plagiarism. And, if he hasn't mentioned you, he probably hasn't read you.