Last night Glenn Beck was on Charlie Rose. First. I’m not a Conservative. I’ve read books by conservative trying to gain some understanding. A foreign country. In the early 2000s, my former in laws quoted from the gospels of Beck, Rush and O’Reilley. The man sitting at the table in front a black curtain wasn’t the firebrand I remember. Another lesson in all things change. A spectrum. Not a picture.  Any one who has survived the fire of dancing on spear points either becomes a caricature of themselves or a truer version.

One question. One Answer. Do you have any regrets? An immediate yes. No dodging. No hedging towards spin. His answer is too etiquette and nuanced for me to damage by misquoting. Watch the entire interview. At this point he took responsibility for all his words. I own them. Glenn Beck shifted from political entertainment hack to Commentator whose deeply held beliefs are based on a deep underpinning of rigorous thinking. Beliefs that faced being challenged against all comers.

Another theme grew out of this. Those on in the R and D parties have to take care of their own houses. “We have become a nation of men not a nation of laws.” It some point on my journey there was an aha 2×4 between the eyes. I will only find a sense of peace with myself if its nurtured from the inside. Anger is easy. Keep throwing Fear logs on it. it blazes bright. The bigger it gets, the more fuel is needed to kepp it going. At some point there’s nothing left. Nothing. Except core beliefs. For many the Lack. The search begins for the next unsustainable fire.

Both the Left and Right have become isolated in ideology. The elected mostly pay lip service in order to stay in power. Red meat or its vegan substitute to the Base. Keeping the crazy bits have become a problem neither can spin away or ignore. A small minority pushed for the American Revolution. The Tea Party was founded and funded by the same styled small group of Wealthy White Males. The Dems have always been the sloppy coalition of diverse interest. Without the Reagan South Democrats, the void was filled by other more radical groups. Don’t get me wrong I’m one of those Radicals in a few things. Change has never been a gentle slow process. The tensions involved are too great. Tensions exposed every election when each group elects their representative for the larger Political theater.

Glenn Beck exposed this far more eloquently than my poor effort.. Time and practice. He has moved into the select group on the Right I disagree with in principle but still respect the gravitas they apply. Will have to read more. Thanks for your time.