Beck's Dreck: Fox News Host's Real Target Is Religious Liberty

[Joanne98]

Now that Glenn Beck's Lincoln Memorial rally is over, it's time to step back and ask the all-important question: What the heck was that all about?

Beck portrayed the "Restoring Honor" event as a celebration of civil rights. But the reporting I read about the bombastic Fox News Channel host's D.C. get together made some of it sound more like a fundamentalist religious revival.

"Something that is beyond man is happening," Beck told the crowd. "America today begins to turn back to God."
Beck claims his event was intended to be non-political, but the rally featured Sarah Palin as a speaker, and the very next day Beck went on national television and attacked President Barack Obama's religion. (Obama's fault? He fails to agree with Beck.)

Beck is stomping over well-trod ground. His real enemy isn't racial injustice. He's far too polarizing a figure to achieve a noble goal like bringing people together and healing racial discord. In fact, Beck is just another in a seemingly endless line of far-right blowhards seeking to curry favor with the ignoramus brigades of the Religious Right by bashing the wall of separation between church and state.
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2010/8/30/112947/558/Front_Page/Beck_s_Dreck_Fox_News_Host_s_Real_Target_Is_Religious_Liberty

[wordpix]

1. author didn't include Bleck's shilling for Goldline

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/07/glenn-beck-goldline/

• Goldline Plays off Public Fears of Government Takeover and Has Formed an Unholy Alliance with Conservative Pundits to Drive a False Narrative

Goldline employs several conservative pundits to act as shills for its’ precious metal business, including Glenn Beck, Mike Huckabee, Laura Ingraham, and Fred Thompson. By drumming up public fears during financially uncertain times, conservative pundits are able to drive a false narrative. Glenn Beck for example has dedicated entire segments of his program to explaining why the U.S. money supply is destined for hyperinflation with Barack Obama as president. He will often promote the purchase of gold as the only safe investment alternative for consumers who want to safeguard their livelihoods. When the show cuts to commercial break, viewers are treated to an advertisement from Goldline.

“Goldline rips off consumers, uses misleading and possibly illegal sales tactics, and deliberately manipulates public fears of an impending government takeover – this is a trifecta of terrible business practices,” Weiner said. “It’s disgraceful that this company would capitalize on financially unstable times to prey upon people’s nest eggs.”

Rep. Weiner, who sits on the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, wrote letters to the SEC and FTC requesting that they investigate Goldline and is proposing legislation that would force Goldline and companies like it to fully disclose their dishonest business practices. Under Rep. Weiner’s plan, Goldline would be required to show consumers its full business model including its astronomical markups and deceitful promises of profitability. No date has been announced but it is expected that the hearings will be held later this summer.