# Am I hateful if I ask...\[a bunch of questions from Glenn Beck?\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 25, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582 "2009-08-25T01:27:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/61 "2009-08-25T20:43:50Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > I stand corrected. Thank you. But the larger point is that reading bills is what she does. And Constitutional History is quite relevant, I would think. It’s not like her PhD is in Art History, Psychology, or something else unrelated. Actually reading bills poorly is what she does. She wrote the No Exit article that helped sink the Clinton health reform bill. [In which she lied](http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/02/lets_stop_this_before_it_goes_any_further.php). So this lying squak dusts herself off now, fifteen years later and does the [exact same thing](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/jul/23/betsy-mccaughey/mccaughey-claims-end-life-counseling-will-be-requi/). She’s a liar, incompetent or both. Believing her without checking the bill for yourself is the act of a fool. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/62 "2009-08-25T20:47:05Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > So if the President can sign any law without reading it, and a CEO is not obliged to read major contracts, I’m not quite following why members of Congress cannot be trusted to be advised by their staff. > > And let’s get real here, a lot of bills have to be read in an expert context. As in, section 325 amends this act from 1978 by striking everything after subparagraph (b) and inserting instead the definition of fnord as found in the Complex Nomenclature Act of 1989, as further amended by the Clarity in Lawwriting Act of 1993. > > You would really feel better if a congressman read that paragraph knowing that he probably doesn’t understand what it says? > > And let’s get right to the point, here: is your interest in making congressmen read legislation in order to make them set their eyes on it, or to make them understand it? Actually, I’d rather _whomever_ is reading the bill, do so with such clarity that congress need not ever meet on the subject of that legislation again. How often does congress get a law signed that they themselves have to go back and “fix” because they didn’t catch something the first time? CEO’s PAY for this kind of disinterest with people losing their jobs. For some reason I find congress to be (for 4 years anyway) uncaring about losing their jobs. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/63 "2009-08-25T20:58:40Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > You seem to not understand the issue we’re talking about. Is requiring congresspeople to read every word of every bill stupid or not? I think it is, because as mentioned above, they get very clear digests of the bill’s meaning and elements. Requiring someone not on the committee to read the technical language is both a waste of time and a chance for people to make stupid mistakes, like Betsy McCoughey. You think it isn’t because… > > I’m still waiting for that part. Because it goes to eleven? ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/64 "2009-08-25T21:26:16Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > I stand corrected. Thank you. But the larger point is that reading bills is what she does. And Constitutional History is quite relevant, I would think. It’s not like her PhD is in Art History, Psychology, or something else unrelated. Whatever her degree is it has nothing to do with her sincerity or her purpose in spinning the words that way. Obama was a constitutional professor so I guess his interpretation trumps hers if that’s the relevant criteria. You’re right I didn’t watch the whole clip but I will later. I watched the part where she fumbled to even find the section when challenged and where Stewart read it out loud to make it plain that her interpretation was incorrect. She’s wrong , she’s purposely spinning as she did before during the Clinton effort at health care reform and she recently [resigned her position](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/21/death-panel-myth-creator_n_265547.html) in order to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. Too fucking late Betsy. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/65 "2009-08-25T21:32:56Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > Actually, I’d rather _whomever_ is reading the bill, do so with such clarity that congress need not ever meet on the subject of that legislation again. Do you know how _anything_ works? No problem is ever solved completely and permanently. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/66 "2009-08-25T22:28:52Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Whatever her degree is it has nothing to do with her sincerity or her purpose in spinning the words that way. Obama was a constitutional professor so I guess his interpretation trumps hers if that’s the relevant criteria. > > You’re right I didn’t watch the whole clip but I will later. I watched the part where she fumbled to even find the section when challenged and where Stewart read it out loud to make it plain that her interpretation was incorrect. She’s wrong , she’s purposely spinning as she did before during the Clinton effort at health care reform and she recently [resigned her position](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/21/death-panel-myth-creator_n_265547.html) in order to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. Too fucking late Betsy. _“Now, I know that I sat on the board of a large corporation that is making mountains of money with the current system, but I’m really just an impartial concerned citizen making comments about a piece of legislation. My take on things has nothing to do with my former job. In fact, I resigned to be able to continue to campaign against this bill, on behalf of all the rich people who are milking the public for all they have. Since I resigned my position, there’s no way that these rich people could ever support me with money or paid TV appearances or anything, so you know that I’m completely impartial, and not trying to help my rich friends, former co-workers, or any of the other wealthy people who totally aren’t using me as a shill.”_ Sounds believable to me. Now that that’s settled, I have to go find that guy with the bridges for sale. Gonna get me some bridges, ayup. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/67 "2009-08-25T22:46:13Z")
Well, maybe, but I think she got totally schooled by Big John, and they ran her off because she was an embarassment. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/68 "2009-08-26T01:25:51Z")
Glenn Beck is one of the biggest fucking idiots on television and that’s saying quite a bit. I would trust a time share salesman before I trusted Beck. He’s basically a morning drive time radio jock who found his niche and discovered he could make a shitload of money pandering to the right wing. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/69 "2009-08-26T01:38:57Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > Glenn Beck is one of the biggest fucking idiots on television and that’s saying quite a bit. I would trust a time share salesman before I trusted Beck. > He’s basically a morning drive time radio jock who found his niche and discovered he could make a shitload of money pandering to the right wing. But he…{sniff} …loves this country ,…{sob}…so much. ---
**Author:** ![Uncertain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Uncertain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncertain)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/70 "2009-08-26T02:27:21Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > Actually, I’d rather _whomever_ is reading the bill, do so with such clarity that congress need not ever meet on the subject of that legislation again. That should be “whoever”. It’s the subject of the subordinate clause, and hence the nominative case is required. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/71 "2009-08-26T02:54:02Z")
> [@](#): > > The stimulus package funneled billions of dollars to ACORN. How does giving billions of dollars to ACORN stimulate the economy? This may be one of the stupidest questions I have ever read. But seeing that it came from Glenn Beck, I guess it accurately targets his audience. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/72 "2009-08-26T04:07:29Z")
> [@Uncertain](#): > > That should be “whoever”. It’s the subject of the subordinate clause, and hence the nominative case is required. Despite being a former ( **very** former, which is obvious by my posts) English major, pedantic posts like that would push me to supporting the other side, except I don’t know what you are talking about. Which is especially sad, as I should’ve learned that in 7th grade\*, if not before. I’ll blame the asshole who sat next to me who kept tattooing my thigh by stabbing it with a pencil. Not the most effective delivery system for carbon black–my longest-lasting tattoo was when I stabbed myself with a 00 Leroy pen while these only lasted years–but complaining to Sister would’ve given negative results. - - ETA: our teacher was so disappointed with our progress that he forced us to copy, by hand, several chapters from the grammar text. None of it stuck, but it allowed us many hours of living like Medieval monks, including no lunch. And some people push for tax credits because they believe their kids will learn more from a parochial education. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/73 "2009-08-26T10:19:41Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Am I hateful if I ask: > Oh - and for you liberal types that complain about him constantly, Glenn Beck asked every one of them. > [http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/29631/](http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/29631/) > Are they still reasonable questions now that you know the source? For the most part any question is reasonable and worth asking. This doesn’t mean of course that every question is free from false assumptions (the ‘why do you hate your wife fallacy’). The only question that seems borderline hateful is the one about the ‘radical communist’ which wreaks a little of ad hominem and sensationalism. Glenn Beck is an entertainer, not an educator or expert. Sometimes he asks important questions, and sometimes he reveals important and disturbing facts. Just as often he’s propagating alarmist lies and sensationalist fearmongering for ratings. Certainly his perspective is colored by his personal politics, but that’s not always a bad thing. However a lot of his diatribe is alarmist and sensationalist - outrage for the sake of outrage and can be disingenuous. Overall he’s asking important questions and shedding light on important things, but he’s also not rational, unbiased, purely motivated, or particularly great about checking his facts. He’s worth listening to for issues one should investigate, but not worth counting on as a reliable source of facts about those issues. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/74 "2009-08-26T18:25:56Z")
> [@Uncertain](#): > > That should be “whoever”. It’s the subject of the subordinate clause, and hence the nominative case is required. I _love_ this message board. Nowhere else will you see posts like these, more’s the pity! ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/75 "2009-08-27T01:34:22Z")
Dropping back by I couldn’t help but notice that the OP asked us some questions but hasn’t bothered to return to answer ours. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/76 "2009-08-27T01:37:00Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Do you know how _anything_ works? No problem is ever solved completely and permanently. Depends on how narrowly you define a “problem.” Disease is not a solved problem, but smallpox is. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/77 "2009-08-27T14:37:07Z")
Reading through this list of “questions” is a good reminder why even Glenn Beck admits that Glenn Beck is an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/78 "2009-08-27T15:02:31Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Glenn Beck is an entertainer, not an educator or expert. Sometimes he asks important questions, and sometimes he reveals important and disturbing facts. \*\*Just as often \*\*he’s propagating alarmist lies and sensationalist fearmongering for ratings. I beg to differ - that should read “far, far more often”. I’m sure he makes the odd valid point, but inflammatory rhetoric is his stock-in-trade. ---
**Author:** ![freedumb2003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@freedumb2003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freedumb2003)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/79 "2009-08-27T15:59:37Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > So, you’re advocating that we elect people to vote on things without knowing precisely what those things are or will do. > > Personally, I think any congressman voting on a major bill that he or she hasn’t read completely should be thrown out of office. And no, I am not kidding. Clearly for many people on this thread, that would only apply to politicians with an (R) after their names. Obviously, people with a (D) just magically know. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582/80 "2009-08-27T16:22:41Z")
> [@freedumb2003](#): > > Clearly for many people on this thread, that would only apply to politicians with an (R) after their names. Obviously, people with a (D) just magically know. I wonder if you bothered to read any of the many posts about how congress people know the effects and details of bills they are voting on. Asking them to read the technical language is not only a waste of time, it would needlessly bog down the process. Or do you only listen to arguments from people with (R) after their names? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hateful-if-i-ask-a-bunch-of-questions-from-glenn-beck/507582.md?page=5)