Who does the corrupting?

One of the most convenient bugbears of American politics is "the rich," a group which is apparently perpetually engaged in corrupting well-meaning civil servants, taking money from taxpayers in the form of corporate welfare, and all around screwing the populace over by manipulating government for nefarious purposes.

Does this happen sometimes?  Well yes, of course.  Corporate welfare is just as immoral and unconstitutional as handouts to the poor -- and far less sympathetic and understandable a cause.  In fact, as Ron Paul has explained,

It is not only bad economics to force working Americans, small business, and entrepreneurs to subsidize the export of the large corporations: it is also immoral. In fact, this redistribution from the poor and middle class to the wealthy is the most indefensible aspect of the welfare state, yet it is the most accepted form of welfare. [It] never ceases to amaze me how members who criticize welfare for the poor on moral and constitutional grounds see no problem with the even more objectionable programs that provide welfare for the rich.

And it goes without question that corrupt alliances between government and corporations or wealthy individuals are both wrong and illegal.  But the question must be asked:  Who does the corrupting?  Or, as Walter Williams puts it:  Who poses the greater threat?

Glenn Beck: "Most Americans are Libertarians"

No, I'm not kidding. In fact, I'm far from kidding.

Guess who busted out the Nolan chart on their show just the other night, alongside Judge Andrew Napolitano? Yep, the one, the only, the controversial and frequent "ranter," Glenn Beck.

But the very interesting thing, however, was how much credence he gave the concept of libertarianism. Furthermore, what surprised me was that the son-of-a-gun actually explained it well.

Check out the video (posted below as well) from Beck's recent program where he explains the Nolan chart; but more importantly, make sure you send it to a "conservative," or any Glenn Beck fan. Convert these fans; don't fight them just yet.

GOP Riding the Wave of Libertarian Enthusiasm

Glenn Greenwald is definitely one of the most indispensable commentators around when it comes to exposing horrible atrocities carried out by the United States government. I have always been impressed by his ability to see through partisan politics and call out Democrats and Republicans alike in areas dealing with the most important of civil liberties. However, I was even more impressed with his insight in one of his more recent articles, The GOP’s “Small Government” Tea-Party Fraud.

In it, Greenwald, once again, exposes the GOP for its latest attempt at deception in order to gain power. I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise when you consider Greenwald was the man who saw through every national security lie that sprang forth from the GOP’s mouth during the Bush years.  However, Greenwald expresses a clear understanding of what the GOP is up to:

There’s a major political fraud underway:  the GOP is once again donning their libertarian, limited-government masks in order to re-invent itself and, more important, to co-opt the energy and passion of the Ron-Paul-faction that spawned and sustains the ”tea party” movement.  The Party that spat contempt at Paul during the Bush years and was diametrically opposed to most of his platform now pretends to share his views.

Government an Immediate Threat to Liberty

That is exactly what a recent CNN poll found.

Fifty-six percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday say they think the federal government's become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. Forty-four percent of those polled disagree.